The seeds of sustainability

The seeds of sustainability

Article:

1. Sujatha Byravan, scientist , analyse how zero budget natural farming is successful in Andhra Pradesh and could be the model for the future in other states too.

Important Analysis:

2. Recently, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced that the State would fully embrace Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF).

3. Andhra Pradesh will be 1^ststate to implement a ZBNF policy.

4. Implementation of ZBNF  in Andhra Pradesh:

• The agency named Rythu Sadhikara Samstha is implementing this ZBNF in the State.
• Subhash Palekar developed the ZBNF. He identified four aspects that are now integral to his process :

1. Seeds treated with cow dung and urine;
2. soil rejuvenated with cow dung,
3. cow urine and other local materials to increase microbes;
4. Cover crops, straw and other organic matter to retain soil moisture and build humus; soil aeration for favourable soil conditions.

• The programme ZBNF will be extended in phases.
• This year 5 lakh farmers will be covered.
• At least  one panchayat in each of the mandals will be shifted to this new method.
• By 2021-22, the programme is to be implemented in every Panchyat, with full coverage by 2024.
• For this, substantial resource mobilization for about Rs 16, 500 crore is in progress.
• Tenant farmers and daily labourers are also being trained so that their livelihoods will be enhanced.

5. Benefits of using Model ZBNF:

• It highlights the way to improve the welfare of farmers.
• Reduce the cost of farm inputs.
• Input costs are near zero as no fertilizers and pesticides are used.
• There is reduced use of water and electricity, improved, flourishing of local ecosystems and biodiversity and no toxic chemical residues in the environment.
• Cut toxins in food, and improve soils
• In ZBNF, yield of various cash and food crops have been found to higher when compared with chemical farming.
• For example, yields from ZBNF plots in the (kharif) 2017 pilot phase were found on average to be 11% higher for cotton than in non-ZBNF plots. The yield for Guli ragi (ZBNF) was 40% higher than non-ZBNF.
• Model ZBNF farms were able to withstand drought and flooding, which are big concerns with regard to climate change.
• The planting of multiple crops and border crops on the same field has provided varied income and nutrient sources.

6. Suggestions:

• Vijay Kumar, retired civil servant in charge of implementing the programme, suggests the following measures for success of this programme:
• Farmer-to-farmer connections.
• Farmers’ collectives such as Farmer Producer Organsiations need to be established.
• The government is providing funding through the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana.

7. Model for other states:

8. Due to having above merits and outcomes of using ZBNF programme in Andhra Pradesh, this model can be used in other states.

9. The approach taken by APPI to monitor the improvement is vital to understanding the outcomes of large scale changes that are underway; this is critical to expanding the ZBNF to other states also.

10. Resilient food systems are the need of the day due to variability in monsoons caused by global warming and declining ground water in many parts of India.

11. The Drought prone Rayalaseema region (Andhra Pradesh) is seeing drastic changes in farms with ZBNF.