Indian Government in 2019 budget announced that, government will promote Zero Budget Natural Farming system to reduce cost of production of farmers and there by double their income. Subhash Palekar who coined the word ZBNF has been asked by 6 state governments to train their farmers on his techniques.
What is Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)?
ZBNF is a kind of farming system without using any credit and without spending any money on purchasing inputs for crop production, this term ZBNF was first invented by Subhash Palekar.
ZBNF have not use any credit and investments in crop production but it involves integration of different techniques in crop production.
Techniques in ZBNF System
- Seed treatment
- Use of Jeevamrutha
- Mulch Farming
- Mixed cropping/Inter cropping
- Crop rotation
Seed treatment
Seed treatment is a term that describe both products and processes. The usage of specific products and specific techniques can improve the growth environment for the seeds. Here, seed treatment can carried out using the Beejamruta prepared by using locally available materials.
Beejamrutha
Beejamrutha is the liquid prepared using the cow dung and cow urine. It is composed of similar ingredient as Jeevamrutha, cow dung, a powerful natural fungicide and cow urine, a strong antibacterial liquid, soil. Beejamrutha is effective in protecting young roots from fungus as well as from soil borne and seed borne diseases that commonly affects the plant after the monsoon period.
Use of Jeevamrutha
Jeevamrutha is fermented microbial culture, it provides nutrient most importantly acts as a catalytic agent that promote the activity of microorganism in the soil as well as increases the earthworm activities. Jeevamrutha also prevent fungal and bacterial plant diseases.
Jeevamrutha preparation
- Put 200 liters water in a barrel.
- Add 10 Kg of fresh cow dung and 5 to 10 liters aged cow urine.
- Add 2 Kg of Jaggery, 2Kg of pulse flour and hand full of soil from bund of the farm.
- Stir the solution well and let it ferment for 48 hours in the shade
- 200 liters Jeevamrutha is sufficient for 1 acre.
Mulching
Mulch farming is a method of farming where the top soil is covered using crop residues or any synthetic materials in order to avoid the moisture loss.
Advantages of Mulching
- Mulching can help the soil to hold the moisture.
- Mulching suppress the weed growth.
- Mulching acts as a barrier for soil erosion.
Mixed cropping system
Mixed cropping system is a technique of crop cultivation where different crops are cultivated together in a piece of land.
Advantages of Mixed cropping
Farmers can keep their fields under continues production.
It enhances the productivity of the farm land.
It increase the per capita profitability.
Reduces the dependency on external inputs and cost.
Crop rotation
Crop rotation is the successive cultivation of different crop in specific order on the same field. Technically crop rotation is avoiding the mono cropping system in piece of land, rotating crops in a piece of land can improve or maintain good physical, chemical and biological condition of the soil. crop rotation can used to reduce the average rate of erosion, including the legumes in rotation can eliminate the need for nitrogen.
Advantages of Crop rotation
Increases the soil fertility
Increases the crop yield.
Increases the soil nutrients
Reduces the soil erosion.
Limits concentration of pest and diseases.
Improves soil structure and reduces weed stress.
Advantages of ZBNF
- ZBNF reduces the farmers investments
- Increases the soil productivity.
- It helps in conserving soil by maintaining soil structure.
- Helps in organic food production
Disadvantages of ZBNF
- It involves risk.
- Improper implementation can cause much more harm.
