By Anuj Verma
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repeated appeal for the adoption of natural farming represents a significant shift towards sustainable, chemical-free agriculture. The vision is particularly relevant for India’s small and marginal farmers, who constitute the backbone of the country’s agricultural economy. According to the Agriculture Census 2015-16, nearly 86 per cent of India’s operational landholdings belong to small and marginal farmers. These farmers often struggle with rising input costs, making a low-cost and self-reliant farming model not only desirable but increasingly essential.
The financial vulnerability of Indian farmers further underscores this need. The National Sample Survey Office’s Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households (70th Round, 2013) found that nearly 52 per cent of agricultural households were indebted, with high expenditure on chemical fertilisers, pesticides and other external inputs being among the major contributors. Against this backdrop, natural farming offers an economically viable alternative that reduces dependence on costly synthetic agrochemicals.
Natural farming is a self-sustaining agricultural system that relies on locally available biological resources such as cow dung, cow urine and plant-based formulations instead of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. Popularised in India through Padma Shri awardee Subhash Palekar’s Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) movement during the 1990s, the approach demonstrated that productive farming without purchased chemical inputs is both technically feasible and financially sustainable.
- Natural Farming: The Sustainable Future for Indian Agriculture
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- Why Natural Farming Could Transform Jammu and Kashmir’s Agriculture
- Natural Farming: A Path to Healthier Soil, Higher Incomes and Safer Food
- Reducing Costs, Restoring Soil: The Case for Natural Farming in India
- Natural Farming Can Make J&K a Global Hub for Premium Residue-Free Produce
- Chemical-Free Agriculture Offers New Hope for India’s Small Farmers
- From Debt to Sustainability: The Promise of Natural Farming
One of the country’s strongest proponents of natural farming is Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, who describes it as more than an agricultural practice. According to him, it is a holistic approach that protects human health, restores soil fertility, conserves water resources and safeguards future generations. He believes natural farming can substantially reduce cultivation costs, improve farmers’ incomes and make Indian agriculture environmentally sustainable.
Natural Farming seeks to replicate the functioning of natural ecosystems, where forests thrive without chemical inputs. Instead of synthetic fertilisers, it uses bio-inputs such as Jeevamrit, Beejamrit and mulching techniques to nourish the soil and enhance microbial activity. Bio-pesticides and ecological pest management practices help control insects and diseases without contaminating the environment or affecting food quality. The system also promotes crop diversification through multi-layer cropping, improving biodiversity, soil health and overall farm resilience.
Widespread adoption of natural farming could also reduce India’s dependence on imported fertilisers such as urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP), thereby lowering import expenditure while improving long-term soil productivity and reducing environmental degradation.
Recognising its potential, the Government of India launched the Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) during 2020-21 as a sub-scheme of the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). The scheme provides financial assistance of ₹12,200 per hectare over three years for farmer training, cluster development, certification, capacity building and residue analysis. According to official data, natural farming has been adopted across approximately 4.09 lakh hectares under BPKP in eight states.
Andhra Pradesh has emerged as the country’s leading example. Through the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) programme, the state covered nearly 4.78 lakh farmers cultivating over 5.06 lakh acres during 2020-21, including around one lakh hectares supported under the BPKP scheme. The programme has demonstrated that large-scale transition to natural farming is achievable with institutional support, farmer training and community participation.
The environmental and public health concerns associated with chemical-intensive agriculture are well documented. The World Health Organization identifies pesticides among the leading causes of poisoning worldwide, particularly affecting agricultural workers in developing countries. Scientific studies also indicate that a substantial proportion of pesticides applied in fields ultimately contaminates soil, groundwater and the atmosphere instead of remaining on target crops. Groundwater contamination from agricultural nitrates has been reported from several Indian states, raising concerns about long-term environmental and health impacts.
At the same time, any transition towards natural farming is likely to face significant challenges. India’s agrochemical industry represents a large and well-established sector with considerable commercial interests. Policy experts and civil society organisations have argued that vested interests may attempt to slow the adoption of natural farming through competing narratives, selective research, influence on policy discussions or marketing campaigns aimed at discouraging farmers from reducing dependence on synthetic inputs. Regardless of these concerns, the long-term success of natural farming will ultimately depend on transparent scientific evaluation, credible field evidence and sustained farmer confidence.
Jammu and Kashmir is uniquely positioned to emerge as a national leader in natural farming. The Union Territory’s diverse agro-climatic conditions, high-value horticultural crops and relatively lower levels of industrial pollution provide a favourable foundation for chemical-free agriculture. Natural farming can be effectively integrated with complementary practices such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) and multi-layer cropping to create resilient and sustainable farming models.
The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), through its Jammu and Srinagar campuses, can play a pivotal role by developing region-specific production protocols suited to the Union Territory’s diverse agro-climatic zones. Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Farmer Field Schools can provide practical demonstrations and hands-on training, while structured financial support during the transition period can reduce farmers’ initial risks. Simplified certification systems for residue-free produce and stronger Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) would enable small farmers to aggregate produce, access premium markets and negotiate better prices.
The opportunities for Kashmir’s horticulture sector are particularly significant. The Valley produces nearly 16 lakh metric tonnes of apples annually, making horticulture the backbone of its rural economy. Kashmir’s world-renowned Pampore saffron, protected by a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, already commands international recognition for its superior quality, aroma and medicinal value. Chemical-free production of apples, saffron, walnuts, almonds and cherries would strengthen their competitiveness in premium export markets, especially in the European Union and Gulf countries, where certified residue-free produce often commands prices 30 to 50 per cent higher than conventional products.
For farmers in the Jammu region, natural farming offers an equally compelling economic proposition. Cultivators of basmati rice, wheat, maize and vegetables currently spend substantial amounts on chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides. By gradually shifting to biological inputs prepared from locally available resources, farmers can significantly reduce production costs within a few years, thereby improving household incomes and reducing indebtedness.
The export potential is equally promising. India’s premium basmati rice already enjoys a strong international reputation, while the global organic food market is projected to exceed US$600 billion by 2030. Certified naturally grown basmati rice can tap into this expanding premium segment, where consumers increasingly seek residue-free and environmentally sustainable food products. Natural farming also improves soil structure, increases organic carbon and enhances water retention, making crops more resilient to drought and erratic rainfall—an important advantage as groundwater levels continue to decline in several parts of Jammu.
Beyond economic gains, the transition to natural farming offers substantial environmental and public health benefits. Reduced chemical residues in food, cleaner drinking water, healthier soils and rejuvenated river ecosystems would improve the quality of life across the Union Territory. A cleaner agricultural landscape could also strengthen Jammu and Kashmir’s agro-tourism potential by attracting visitors to its orchards, saffron fields and traditional farming villages, thereby creating additional sources of rural income.
For Jammu and Kashmir—with its fragile Himalayan ecology, premium agricultural produce and growing focus on sustainable development—natural farming represents far more than an agricultural intervention. It offers a practical, evidence-based pathway towards healthier soils, safer food, lower cultivation costs, higher farm incomes and long-term environmental sustainability. If supported through scientific research, effective extension services, market linkages and enabling public policies, natural farming has the potential to transform the Union Territory into a model of sustainable agriculture for the rest of the country.
(The author is a retired district officer from the Department of Horticulture and, presently, convenor of We The Humans Forum for Nature and Mankind. He regularly writes articles on environmental and social issues, for various)
