The Union Cabinet approved the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) in  November 2024 as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.

What is Natural Farming ?

• Definition: Chemical-free farming method integrating livestock (preferably local breed of cow) and diversified crops, rooted in Indian traditional knowledge.

• Goals: Improve soil health, restore ecosystems, reduce input costs, and increase climate resilience.
• Ecosystem Approach: Recognizes interdependence of soil, water, microbiome, plants, animals, climate, and human needs.
• It was introduced by Masanobu Fukuoka in his book The One-Straw Revolution (1975)
• It is promoted in India as Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati Programme (BPKP) under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)

Components of Natural Farming: These practices create a favorable microclimate that supports maximum beneficial microbial activity in the soil:

• Beejamrutham – Coating seeds with a microbial mixture made from cow dung and cow urine to enhance seed health.
• Jeevamrutham – Applying a blend of cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, water, and soil to boost the population of beneficial soil microbes.
• Mulching – Adding organic cover to the soil to enrich humus formation and reduce water evaporation.
• Waaphasa – Maintaining optimal soil aeration and moisture by creating a favorable microclimate.
• Insect and Pest Management – Using natural decoctions (kashyams) made from cow dung, cow urine, and green chilies to control pests safely.

About National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)

• Scheme Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
• Financial Outlay (till 2025-26, end of 15th Finance Commission): ₹2,481 crore total.
• Aim: To strengthen sustainable agriculture, enhance soil health, restore ecosystems, reduce farmers’ input costs, and build climate resilience and safe food systems.
• Coverage: 7.5 lakh hectares across 15,000 natural farming clusters.

Objectives of NMNF

• Sustainable Farming: Promote nature-based systems using on-farm bio-inputs to reduce dependency on purchased inputs and lower input costs.
• Soil & Sustainability: Improve soil health and encourage sustainable agricultural practices.
• Livestock Integration: Popularize livestock-based models (preferably local cow breeds) integrating agriculture and animal husbandry.
• Research & Extension: Strengthen agro-ecological research and extension services through ICAR, KVKs, and Agricultural Universities.
• Knowledge Integration: Combine farmer experience with scientific expertise to develop location-specific NF practices.
• Standards & Certification: Establish scientifically supported standards and farmer-friendly certification for chemical-free produce.
• National Branding: Create and promote a single national brand for naturally grown chemical-free produce.

Components of NMNF

• Natural Farming Clusters: MNF targets 7.5 lakh hectares across 15,000 natural farming clusters, each covering  50 ha and 125 farmers.
• Bio-input Resource Centres (BRCs): 10,000 need-based centres to be set-up for easy availability of ready-to-use inputs for farmers.
• Community Support: Deployment of two Krishi Sakhis/Community Resource Persons (CRPs) per cluster to guide farmers and raise community awareness.

Implementation 

• Training Programs: Extensive training through KVKs, Agricultural Universities, local NF institutions, and model demonstration farms.
• Incentives: Output-based incentive of ₹4,000 per acre per year for up to 1 acre per farmer over two years.
• Certification: Simple farmer-friendly certification system m anaged by National Centre for Organic & Natural Farming (NCONF) under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) – India.
• Monitoring: Real-time geo-tagged monitoring through the NMNF Portal.

Convergence & Policy Integration

• Coordination with Central and State Government schemes: Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Rural Development, Food Processing, Panchayati Raj, AYUSH, Cooperation, and Animal Husbandry.
• Market Linkages: Engagement with National and International organisations for livestock enhancement, NF demonstration farms, and local market linkages via APMCs, Haats, and depots.
• Student Engagement:  Students will be engaged in NMNF through the Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) program and dedicated Undergraduate, Postgraduate & Diploma courses on NF.

Need for Natural Farming

• Pressure on Limited Resources: Small and marginal farmers face high pressure on soil and water, leading to soil degradation and falling water tables; NF offers a path to sustainable farming.
• Post-Green Revolution Shift: Move from high-input farming to sustainable, climate-resilient systems that reduce environmental impact.
• Mass Movement Approach: Requires scientific backing, long-term investment, and strong extension networks involving farmers, SHGs, PACS, FPOs, and local NF institutions.

Challenges Related to Natural Farming

• Initial Decrease in Yield : Transition from conventional to natural farming often causes initial yield decline.
• Climate Dependence: Heavy dependence on climatic conditions reduces resilience to climate variability. IPCC warns that climate change poses risks to stability and predictability of natural farming systems.
• Input Preparation Difficulties: Making bio-inputs (e.g., Jeevamrit, Beejamrit) demands time, labor, and resources.
• Lessons from Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka’s rapid shift to 100% organic farming and ban on chemical fertilizers caused Sharp yield drops in key crops like rice, Threats to food security, Economic and political instability

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