Bhubaneswar, Oct 21: The Odisha government has planned to implement Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in 18,500 hectares of farmland in Malkangiri and Kandhamal districts.
“The ZBNF will be implemented in Swabhiman area of Malkangiri district and Daringbadi block of Kandhamal district under the Balabhadra Yojana - 2024 of Odisha government,” said a senior official of agriculture department adding that this farming practice has been adopted in 24,000 hectares in the state so far.
ZBNF is a farming method that believes in growing crops in tune with nature. The concept was promoted by agriculturist & Padma Shri awardee SubhashPalekar in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the Green Revolution’s methods driven by chemical fertilizers and pesticides and intensive irrigation.
Not ZNBF method has been implemented in six lakh hectares of farmland in 11 states, including highest 1 lakh hectares in Andhra Pradesh. The neighbouring state has targeted to fully implement ZNBF method by 2027.
ZNBF means raising crops without using any fertilizers and pesticides or any other external materials. The word Zero Budget refers to the zero cost of production of all crops. ZBNF guides the farmers towards sustainable farming practices thus helps in retaining soil fertility, to ensure a chemical free agriculture and ensure low cost of production (zero cost) and thereby enhancing the farmers income.
Principles of Zero Budget Natural Farming
No external inputs
Soil to be covered with crops 365 days (Living Root)
Minimal disturbance of Soil
Biostimulantsas necessary catalysts
Use indigenous seed
Mixed cropping
Integration of trees into the farm
Water and moisture conservation
Integrate animals in to farming
Increase organic residues on the soil
Pest-management through botanical extracts
No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides
Four main elements and models of ZNBF:
Bijamrita:
The seeds are treated with formulations prepared using cow dung and cow urine from native cow species.
Benefits: The seeds sown in the field may be affected by fungus and other seed born/soil borne diseases. The seed treatment using “Bijamrita” protects the seeds from diseases.
Jiwamrita/Jeevamrutha:
Jiwamrita is prepared using cow dung and cow urine. It is used as an input for the plants. It is a fermented microbial culture obtained from cow dung, urine, jaggery, pulse flour and uncontaminated soil. This fermented microbial culture when applied to soil, adds nutrients to the soil besides acting as a catalytic agent to promote the activity of microorganisms and earthworms in the soil.
Benefits: This culture stimulates microbial activity in the soil and enhances nutrient availability for the plants, protects the crops against soil pathogens and increases carbon content of the soil.
Acchadana/Mulching:
Mulching is the process of covering the top soil with crop wastes/organic waste or with cover crops.
Benefits: Mulching materials decomposes and produces humus which conserves top soil, increases water retention capacity of the soil, decreases evaporation loss, encourages soil fauna besides enriching soil nutrient status and controlling weed growth.
Waaphasa/Moisture (Soil Aeration):
Good aeration is required in the soil for plant growth and development.
Benefits: Due to the application of Jiwamrita and mulching, the aeration of the soil increases, thus improves humus content, water availability, water holding capacity and soil structure which is most suitable for crop growth especially during drought periods.
