In News:

Andhra Pradesh's (AP) natural farming model presents a transformative opportunity to reshape the state’s agricultural landscape by 2050. An analysis by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the AP government, reveals how scaling natural farming could employ more farmers, increase incomes, and foster sustainable agricultural practices, potentially surpassing the benefits of conventional industrial agriculture.

AgroEco2050: Exploring Two Agricultural Futures

The AgroEco2050 initiative aimed to envision two possible futures for Andhra Pradesh’s agricultural systems by 2050:

• Industrial Agriculture Path: Focusing on intensification of conventional farming, relying heavily on chemicals, machinery, and monocultures.
• Natural Farming Path: Expanding agroecological practices, relying on regenerative, chemical-free farming methods to create more jobs, better livelihoods, and improve the environment.

The study compared these pathways, analyzing their impacts on employment, income, food production, biodiversity, and land use.

Key Findings: Natural Farming’s Impact on Employment and Income

• Employment Growth
  • By 2050, natural farming would employ twice as many farmers as industrial agriculture: 10 million compared to 5 million.
  • Unemployment in natural farming would decrease to 7%, in stark contrast to a projected 30% unemployment rate in the industrial agriculture scenario.
• Farmer Income
  • Natural farming is expected to be more profitable for farmers due to lower input costs (seeds, fertilizers, machinery) and higher market prices for high-quality produce.
  • The income gap between farmers and non-farmers, which stood at 62% in 2019, would decrease to 22% under natural farming by 2050, a sharp improvement compared to the 47% gap predicted under industrial agriculture.

What is Natural Farming?

Natural farming is an ecological, chemical-free farming system that emphasizes the use of locally available resources. Key practices include:

• Biodiversity-based pest management
• On-farm biomass recycling (e.g., mulching)
• Indigenous techniques like using cow dung and urine for soil fertility.

Globally recognized as a form of regenerative agriculture, it offers a sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture by sequestering carbon and restoring soil health.

Global Adoption

States like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and others are already adopting natural farming. While still evolving, its acceptance among farmers is steadily growing.

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in Andhra Pradesh

Origin and Growth

• In 2016, Andhra Pradesh launched the Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) initiative to offer a sustainable alternative to capital-intensive agriculture.
• This program, implemented by RythuSadhikaraSamstha, targets covering 6 million farmers across 6 million hectares.

National Recognition

The ZBNF approach gained national attention when it was featured in the 2019 Union Budget, aimed at doubling farmers' incomes by 2022. The central government now promotes this model under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

Challenges in Scaling Natural Farming

• Farmer Training and Support
  • Farmers need ongoing education and support to transition effectively to natural farming. Current training systems often fail to address the full scope of their needs.
• Certification Barriers
  • The certification process for organic farming, including Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) and third-party certifications, is complex and costly, presenting a barrier for small-scale farmers.
• Marketing and Procurement Challenges
  • There is a lack of effective marketing systems for organic products, which hampers the ability of farmers to sell their produce at fair prices.
  • Without strong procurement or buy-back systems, farmers may struggle to find markets for their products.
• Policy and Funding Gaps
  • Organic and natural farming programs still receive minimal funding compared to subsidies for chemical fertilizers, impeding large-scale adoption.
  • Slow state-level implementation and a continued reliance on chemical inputs also delay the widespread shift to natural farming.

Moving Forward

• Scientific Research on Yields
  • To address concerns about lower yields for staple crops, more scientific research is needed to assess the long-term viability of natural farming, especially for crops like wheat and rice, which are crucial for India’s food security.
• Localized Adoption
  • Natural farming may be best suited for non-staple crops or localized farming, balancing sustainability with the need for food security.
• Risk Mitigation for Food Security
  • Careful evaluation of natural farming’s impact on staple crop yields is necessary to avoid the food security risks witnessed in countries like Sri Lanka, where a sudden shift to organic farming led to reduced yields and increased prices.

Conclusion

The Andhra Pradesh natural farming model offers a promising alternative to industrial agriculture, with the potential to create jobs, improve farmers' incomes, and promote environmental sustainability. However, for this vision to become a reality, significant efforts must be made to address challenges related to training, certification, marketing, and funding. With continued research, policy support, and community involvement, natural farming can play a crucial role in feeding the future and promoting a more sustainable agricultural system.