Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) Boon or Bane

A Study with Reference to the Agriculture Sector

Abstract

Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is an alternative to the chemical based and high cost input agricultural farming activities. Its principles are based on the principles of Agro ecology.The movement of all countries towards the adoption of Agroecology to meet the global food security and conservation of environment is urged by the UN-FAO in April, 2018. Privatized seeds, inputs, and markets are inaccessible and expensive for farmers.  To meet the high production costs, high interest rates for credit, the volatile market prices of crops, the rising costs of fossil fuel based inputs, and private seeds, debt is a problem for farmers all over India. Zero budget farming is an alternative and a reliance on loans and ending the debt problem for distressed farmers. Zero Budget' means without using any credit, and without spending any money on purchased inputs. 'Natural farming' means farming with Nature and without chemicals. The local self government and state government take initiatives to introduce the ZBNF as method to reduce the cost of agricultural operations and to arrange the awareness programmes to promote and cultivate the maximum benefit to farmers.