Farmers Urge Govt Support For Transition To Natural Farming Amid Decreased Animal Husbandry

Farmers argue that natural farming is challenging without animal husbandry, which is essential, but the growing population and declining animal husbandry complicate the situation.

New Delhi: Farmers emphasized the need for full government support, proper provisions, and systems to help transition from pesticide use to natural farming. Dharmendra Malik, a farmer, told ETV Bharat, “It’s strange. We were practicing natural farming, but then were encouraged to switch to chemical farming for higher crop yields. Now, the focus is back on promoting natural farming.”

“Imagine natural farming without animal husbandry is very hard because it is essential for natural farming, but the main issue is that nowadays population has already increased and animal husbandry has decreased,” Malik pointed out. Highlighting the concerning points, the farmers said they don’t get expected agri produce after using urea and fertilizer. Then it will be very hard to survive for them after practicing natural farming as the produce will naturally lower as compared to chemical farming.

Echoing similar sentiments, another farmer of Uttar Prades’s Bijnor Birender Singh Bant told ETV Bharat, “Agriculture land takes at least three to four years to transform into natural soil condition from chemical to natural farming. If a farmer starts natural farming then he has to wait three to four year for moving from chemicals to natural farming. In that situation they have to face low productivity.”

“A farmer needs support from the government during a low produce period to cope up with this situation. It is quite natural that production will decrease in natural farming rather than chemical farming that depends on state, weather and lands,” Bant said. “I do farming on 40-50 acre farm land where we use chemical farming. We practice natural farming to get yield for personal use only,” Bant added.

The Union Cabinet on Monday approved the launching of the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare. The scheme has a total outlay of Rs 2481 crore (Central government share – Rs 1584 crore and State share – Rs 897 crore) till the 15th Finance Commission (2025-26).

The government is trying to promote natural farming in mission mode across the country. The farmers will practice natural farming as a chemical free farming, which involves local livestock integrated natural farming methods and diversified crop systems. Raising the concerning points, another farmer Guramneet Mangat of Punjab told ETV Bharat, “Natural farming is a costly concept as it needs more manpower, physical labour and livestock to grow yields. If crops get disease then we have to use pesticide there. The concept of natural farming will not be successful without cattle but nowadays several farmers are not doing animal husbandry.”

Amprapal Singh, a farmer from Uttar Pradesh, also pointed out the issue and said the government should look into it. "If we shift from chemical farming to natural farming then we will may likely to face 30-40 percent low yield produce that condition we will need government's support for our survival," he added.