Question : Zero Budget Natural Farming

(a) the details of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) implemented and practised in various States, including the area of land covered and the number of farmers practising ZBNF for the last three years, State and year-wise;

(b) the details of farm output and income per hectare under ZBNF and under fertilizer-based chemical farming for crops including but not limited to wheat, sugarcane, paddy and banana;

(c) whether any study and survey has been carried out by the Union Government to evaluate the proclaimed effectiveness of ZBNF in increasing output; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) has been introduced as a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2020-21 for the promotion of traditional indigenous practices including Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). The scheme mainly emphasises on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching; use of cow dung-urine formulations; plant based preparations and time to time working of soil for aeration. Under BPKP, financial assistance of Rs 12200/ha for 3 years is provided for cluster formation, capacity building and continuous handholding by trained personnel, certification and residue analysis.

Until now, under natural farming an area of 4.09 lakh ha area has been covered and a total fund of Rs. 4980.99 lakh has been released in 8 States across the country including the State of Tamil Nadu. The State –wise details of funds released under BPKP is given at Annexure – I.

(b) to (d): ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research) through ICAR- Indian Institute of Farming System Research, Modipuram, Uttar Pradesh and All India Network Project on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF) initiated studies on “Evaluation of Concoctions of ZBNF farming practices in different agro-ecologies in Basmati Rice-Wheat System” in four States from rabi 2017 and also initiated studies on “Evaluation and validation of Natural Farming Practices in different agro-ecologies” in 16 States from Kharif 2020 to evaluate the effect of zero budget farming practices on productivity, economics and soil health including soil organic carbon and soil fertility.