Why Natural Farming Technology be Adopted and Researches Intensified?

Abstract

Rising environmental Pollution, decreasing soil fertility, augmenting ground water contamination with NO3, As, Pb, Cd, etc deteriorating
vegetables, fruits, edible grains and milk quality due to poisonous chemicals and thereby increasing health hazards are great threat
at global level. The chemical laden agriculture is one of the pivotal causes for such consequences and “Punjab cancer train” in India
carrying hundreds of cancer patients daily from Bhatinda (Punjab) to Bikaner (Rajasthan) for treatments, are well known. Natural farming
technology trained farmers from eleven states viz., Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh of India are getting spectacular higher yield and good quality pollutant
free crop harvest and edible products. This technology is comprised of treating seeds with Beejamrit and Ghanajeewamrit to improve
seed germination and improve soil health and crop growth. Spraying of Neemastra, or Agniastra or Bramhastra are done to control
insect, pests and plant diseases without polluting environment. Natural farming is broadly synonym to Vedic Agriculture, cosmic farming
and Homa therapy using Agnihotra ash. Promotion of microorganism, Indian earthworms, Indian breed cows and water conservation
through crop residues or intercropping practices are the key epithets of natural farming. This technology has been found to be cost
effective and pollution free, also called as ‘Zero Budget Agriculture’ since all the inputs are natural and domestically produced. The pros
and cons of this technology with a view to make a sensible decision for its adoption at local, state, national and international level are
discussed in this paper.
In case of some technological impetigo in attaining present level of crop productivity on large scale, the challenges before agriculture
scientists are to ameliorate natural farming technology and maintain health friendly environment, harvest higher crop yield and assure
food security to burgeoning population.