Lok Sabha Question No. 193 (STARRED), answered on 2018-07-31
Subject: Zero Budget Natural Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, DHARMENDRA YADAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 193

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 31 ST  JULY, 2018

## ZERO BUDGET NATURAL FARMING

*193.  DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state: (a): whether the Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a method of farming where the cost of growing and harvesting plants is zero and farmers need not have to use fertilizers and pesticides in order to ensure the healthy growth of crops and only 10 per cent water is used for irrigation in comparison to that of traditional way of irrigation and if so, the details thereof; (b): whether the Government has conducted any study to assess the impact of ZBNF practices in improving organic carbon and soil fertility and if so, the details and the outcome thereof; (c): whether ZBNF is being practiced in various States in the country, if so, the details thereof and the total area of land being cultivated under ZBNF; (d): whether the farmers are skeptical of huge decline in yield, if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and whether  any  training  programme  is  being  conducted  to  educate  and  create awareness among the farmers regarding ZBNF and Central grant is also being given to the

- (e): States to promote this technique and if so, the details thereof, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè

(SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.  193   DUE FOR REPLY ON 31 ST  JULY, 2018.

(a) & (b): Yes, the phrase '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  main  aim  of  Zero  Budget  Natural  Farming  (ZBNF)  is elimination of chemical pesticides and promotion of good agronomic practices and also to  sustain  agriculture  production  with  eco-friendly  process  in  tune  with  nature  and  to produce chemical free agricultural produce. Soil fertility & soil organic matter is restored by  pursuing  ZBNF.  Less  water  is  required  under  ZBNF.  ZBNF  is  a  climate  friendly agriculture system.

Realizing the potential and benefits of organic farming particularly in areas like hilly,  tribal  and  also  in  rainfed  areas  where  utilization  of  chemical  fertilizers  and pesticides  is  relatively  lower,  the  Govt.  of  India  is  promoting  organic  farming  in  the country through the dedicated schemes of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).

In the revised guidelines of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) scheme during  the  year  2018,  various  organic  farming  models  like  Natural  Farming,  Rishi Farming, Vedic Farming, Cow Farming, Homa Farming, Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) etc. have been included. Under the new guidelines, flexibility is given to states to adopt any model of Organic Farming including ZBNF depending on farmer's choice.

ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research) under Network Project on Organic Farming (NPOF)   and All India   Coordinated Research Projects (AICRP)  on Integrated

Contd…2/-

Farming Systems has initiated an experiment on ' Evaluation of zero budget farming practices  in  basmati  rice-wheat  system ' at  Modipuram  (Uttar  Pradesh),  Ludhiana (Punjab), Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) and Kurukshetra (Haryana) from Rabi 2017 to study the zero budget farming practices on productivity, economics and soil health including soil organic carbon and soil fertility.

(c): Yes, some States are practicing ZBNF under Central Assistance to State, viz. Scheme: Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) &  Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), such as:

1. Karnataka -  ZBNF movement in Karnataka was born out of collaboration between Mr Subhash Palekar, who put together the ZBNF practices, and the state farmers association- Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS).
2. Himachal Pradesh -  Himachal Pradesh is also planning to take up ZBNF in their State.
3. Andhra  Pradesh -  In  Andhra  Pradesh,  districts  like  Anantapur,  Prakasam,  Kadapa, Kurnool and Chittoor have traditionally been drought-prone. For such districts, ZBNF has come as the right solution. ZBNF was initially launched in September 2015 under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. The programme is under in implementation in 131 clusters  covering  704  villages  under  RKVY  and  1300  clusters  covering  268  villages under  PKVY.  It  will  be  expanded  to  4000  new  clusters  for  2018-19  under  PKVY scheme. So far, 163034 farmers are practicing ZBNF.

The total area covered in Andhra Pradesh under the PKVY & RKVY Schemes for promotion of ZBNF is given at Annexure-I.

(d) & (e); No,  such  information  about  farmers  being  skeptical  due  to huge decline in   yield has  been brought to the notice of Government. The Government Contd…3/-

is  creating  awareness  and  educating  the  farmers  about  Organic  Farming  practices including ZBNF in the areas where clusters are formed under the Scheme PKVY for promotion of Natural Farming.

In  the  state  of  Andhra  Pradesh  Rythu  Sadhikara  Samstha  organized  training programme at Kakinada, Tirupati and Amaravati with assistance from RKVY & PKVY schemes. Throughout the state 3500 farmers have been trained as farmer trainers to train farmers in ZBNF practices. Regular trainings are being organized by Farmers Field Schools by Master Trainers enrolled under ZBNF.

Annexure-I

|       |               | RKVY          | RKVY      | PKVY          | PKVY      |
|-------|---------------|---------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|
| Sl NO | District      | No of farmers | Area (Ha) | No of farmers | Area (Ha) |
| 1     | Srikakulam    | 6296          | 2383.71   | 2574          | 853.35    |
| 2     | Vizianagaram  | 6144          | 1652.9    | 5072          | 4140.48   |
| 3     | Visakhapatnam | 7383          | 2377.73   | 2153          | 794.76    |
| 4     | East Godavari | 11711         | 4835.04   | 4362          | 1097.90   |
| 5     | West Godavari | 13699         | 6531.99   | 3464          | 1694.40   |
| 6     | Krishna       | 5075          | 3636      | 4400          | 1211.30   |
| 7     | Guntur        | 10537         | 4530.9    | 2067          | 1155.22   |
| 8     | Prakasam      | 18340         | 8065      | 1812          | 742.26    |
| 9     | Nellore       | 6715          | 3547.65   | 2148          | 858.40    |
| 10    | Chittoor      | 5709          | 2071      | 2279          | 673.00    |
| 11    | Kadapa        | 10953         | 4029      | 3278          | 1553.00   |
| 12    | Ananthapuramu | 7969          | 3109      | 2005          | 1154.00   |
| 13    | Kurnool       | 11938         | 5125.66   | 2757          | 1340.56   |
|       | Total         | 131647        | 63877.6   | 38371         | 17268.62  |

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