Lok Sabha Question No. 4903 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-23
Subject: Zero Budget Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Behanan Benny

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4903

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23 RD  JULY, 2019

## ZERO BUDGET FARMING

## 4903.  SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state :

- (a) whether  every  farmer  who  does  intercropping  and  main  cropping  is  likely  to  be benefited equally by the zero budget farming which assist the farmers in every aspect;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether every farmer either of  small  scale or  large  scale  farming  is  getting  enough inputs to raise the crop, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  put  behind  the  disguised  unemployment  problem  in farming  or  the  same  is  in  the  process,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b): Intercropping is a scientifically proven practice and has got several advantages and extends economic benefits for the farmers particularly under adverse weather conditions. It is largely practiced in dry-land areas as an insurance against failure of main crop. Under All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Integrated Farming Systems, intercropping systems have been studied for many States and found profitable for farmers. Intercrops act as live  mulch thereby reducing the weeds, water requirement and also providing additional returns to the farmers. Intercropping with leguminous crops is one of the components of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) and it improves the crop productivity and soil fertility by way of  fixing  the  atmospheric  nitrogen.  Further,  the  cowdung,  urine  based  formulations  and botanical extracts used in ZBNF help farmers in reducing the input cost.
- (c): The farmers practicing ZBNF either of small land holding or large land holding prepare the low cost cow urine and dung based formulation on farm by procuring the required inputs locally from the village or neighboring villages.

(d): There is no specific time series data on disguised unemployment in the country as the phenomenon is not easily amenable to measurement. However, comparable time series data on  employment  and  unemployment  is  available  in  the  form  of  quinquennial  Survey  on 'Employment  and  Unemployment  Situation  in  India'  conducted  by  the  National  Sample Survey Office (NSSO). The latest available data as per the quinquennial Survey estimates indicated that workforce engaged in agriculture and allied sector has come down from 24.74 crore in 2009-10 to 23.18 crore in 2011-12, i.e., about 6 percent. The shift in workforce from primary (agriculture) sector to secondary and tertiary sectors is a normal phenomenon of the development process experienced by countries across the world and the same is true for India as well. The shift owes to changes in the nature and scope of work arrangements in the various sectors of the economy and the absorptive capacity of the non-agricultural sectors to accommodate fresh entrants as well as workers hitherto engaged in agriculture. Government has launched various schemes aiming to increase production and productivity which make agriculture sector more viable and thereby enhance labour productivity. Besides, Government  has  taken  various  steps  for  generating  employment  in  the  country  like encouraging  private  sector  of  economy,  fast-tracking  various  projects  involving  substantial investment and increasing public expenditure on schemes like Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Pt.  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyaya  Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana  and  Deendyal  Antodaya  YojanaNational Urban Livelihoods Mission.

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