Vision

• To Implement self-sustainable and selfgenerating natural farming systems for freedom from purchased inputs with the aim to cut down on cost of cultivation, enhance farmers income and ensure resource conservation and safe and healthy soils, environment and food.

Mission

• To promote alternative system of farming for freedom from external purchased inputs, cost reduction and thereby increasing income of farmers
• To popularize integrated agriculture-animal husbandry models based on desi cow and local resources.
• To undertake activities for awareness creation, capacity building, promotion and demonstration of Natural Farming.
• To create standards, certification procedure and branding for Natural Farming products for national and international markets.

National Steering Committee

• At the national level, National Mission on Natural Farming steered through a NSC under the Chairmanship of Agriculture Minister.
• NSC will be the policy making body providing overall direction and guidance to Mission, monitor and review its progress and performance.
• NSC will be empowered to lay down and amend operational guidelines.

Concept

• Natural Farming is a

• Chemical-free farming system
• Rooted in Indian tradition
• Enriched with modern understanding of ecology, resource recycling and on-farm resource optimization.

• It is considered as agroecology based diversified farming system which integrates crops, trees and livestock with functional biodiversity.
• It is largely based on on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on

• Biomass mulching,
• Use of on-farm cow dung-urine formulations;
• Maintaining soil aeration and
• Exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs.

Scenario

• Currently, the acceptance and adoption of natural farming systems are at early stages and gradually gaining acceptance among the farming community
• State of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala are among the leading states.

Natural Farming Practices

Important practices, essential for adoption of natural farming includes:

• No external inputs,
• Local seeds (use of local varieties),
• On-farm produced microbial formulation for seed treatment,
• On-farm made microbial inoculants (Jivamrita) for soil enrichment,
• Mixed cropping,
• Managing diversity on farm through integration of trees
• Management of pests through diversity and local on-farm made botanical concoctions
• Integration of livestock, especially of native breed for cow dung and cow urine as essential inputs for several practices
• Water and moisture conservation.

Current Scenario of Natural Farming in India

• Many states have taken up initiatives for natural farming promotion.
• Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are among the leading states.
• As of now more than 10 lakh ha. area is covered under natural farming in India.
• Improve economics of farmers