Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in India

Part of the Sustainable Agriculture project

Agricultural intensification, characterized by increasing physical, managerial and capital inputs resulting in increased production or output, is a well proven strategy that has been used to meet food security goals at the national level and to increase household income at the farm level, in both industrialized and developing countries. However, sustainable and organic agriculture and agroecological principles in general can often run counter to intensification practices and goals.

Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) is an emerging agroecological approach to sustainability that has the potential to address positive outcomes for agricultural, environmental and socioeconomic goals. The natural regenerative practice, slated for implementation in Andhra Pradesh, India, consists of four elements: a natural soil inoculant, a seed coating of similar ingredients, mulching, and soil aeration. These practices are meant to stimulate microbial activity, increase soil carbon, add nitrogen through green mulching, and stimulate the release of existing nitrogen in the topsoil. ZBNF aims not only to increase farm income, but to address social problems by giving more autonomy to the farmer. It is also hoped to repair soil degradation and address climate change impacts of drought. If ZBNF can be productive without chemical inputs, sequester carbon in the soil, increase soil water holding capacity, and build climate-resilient farming systems, it could significantly reduce the financial burden on the government to support India’s farmers, and foster healthier soil in the long term.

This research will further assess the potential for climate resilience and ecological health promoted by ZBNF and consider whether large scale ZBNF can play a positive role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a reduction in fuel consumption and manufactured fertilizer inputs associated with cultivation.