Concept of Natural Farming:
Natural farming requires no machines, no chemicals and very little weeding. In other words natural farming is an attempt to develop a method of farming which could help to reverse the degenerative momentum of modem agriculture.
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Principles of Natural Farming:
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The following steps are important to make farming in natural way.
1. No cultivation-stirring of the soil by plough
2. No chemical fertilizers-addition of crop residues and organic manures
3. No tillage-mulching with plant materials
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4. No dependence on chemicals-plant extracts can be used for plant protection
The main purpose of farming is to add ecological sustainability and agricultural development. According to Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, the basic principles of sustainability include, land, water energy, nutrient supply, pest management, post harvest systems and systems approach. These factors are closely linked together for sustainability.
Another important aspect in natural farming is preventive crop protection. The farmers should know agricultural ecosystems, like mixed farming and diversification, crop rotation, optimum planting season for all crops, manuring and plant health, choice of varieties and field hygiene. Since insects very often attack crops and other pests, the knowledge of above items is important. Use of pesticides had led to disturbances in the natural eco-system and poisonous chemicals up in ground water eventually having harmful environmental consequences. Hence, preventive crop protection principles are vital for natural farming.
Some ecologically friendly plants, e.g., Neem, Pungam, Jatropha etc., help to promote ecological balance. The integrated farming systems can help in ensuring self-sufficiency in farm holding, increase and help in ecological balance by recycling of farm residue and wastes.
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Natural farming is a traditional form of agricultural practice popularly associated with a back-to-nature movement. Hence, it is to make maximum possible use of natural resources, thereby avoiding the use of chemicals liable to kill or reduce the activity of beneficial soil organisms and avoiding direct feeding of land with soluble minerals.