New Delhi, Delhi, 19th of August, 2026 : India has made rapid strides in the agriculture sector over the past decade. As per the Economic Survey- 25-26, the growth rate in the past 5 years has been over 4%. There has been bumper production of food grains, horticulture and oilseeds, which is an outcome of adoption of technologies by farmers, supported by concerted government policies such as expansion in irrigated area, better water use efficiency, along with timely and adequate availability of fertilizers. The share of horticulture crops is also rising substantially and witnessing an even higher growth.
However, there are rising concerns related to excessive use of chemical fertilisers resulting in declining soil health and plateauing of productivity of major crops. As per the agriculture scientists, the gradual decline in Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) has resulted in a vicious cycle of farmers progressively increasing the dosages of chemical fertilisers with minimal incremental rise in productivity.
The Soil Health and Fertility scheme of the Government has enabled distribution of 26 crore Soil Health Cards. The pan-India analysis of the data so generated reveals a highly concerning trend of very low Soil Organic Carbon(SOC)along with deficiencies in other important micro-nutrients. The SOC, which should be more than 1 % in a healthy soil, is hovering around 0.5 % on average, and in some regions declining to critically low levels of 0.3 %.
Low SOC reduces the porosity of soil, which has a dual adverse impact of lowering water seepage and water retention capacity.As a result, rains and irrigation water flow away, draining the topsoil, and neither penetrates through to raise the groundwater level nor is readily available for plant development.
The other adverse impact of low SOC is to reduce the nutrient uptake capability of plants grown on such soils. More and more fertilisers are required to reach the same levels of productivity. The enhanced dosages of chemical fertiliser further reduce the fertiliser use efficiency, harming soil health while the nation uses its precious foreign exchange to import chemical fertilisers or their raw inputs for domestic production.
Excessive chemical fertilisers and unbalanced use of pesticides have also reduced the friendly microbes and insects, which play role of improving soil porosity and transferring nutrients from deep soil to top soil, to be absorbed by plants.
The other even more worrying impact is that on the quality and safety of produce. The chances of excessive chemical fertilisers and pesticides entering into the food and fodder chain and finally for human consumption, creating a health hazard also increase. There have been instances reported of fruits, vegetables, foodgrains and other commercial crops breaching the Minimum Residual Levels of pesticides, leading to rejections of exports and consequent impact on brand India in the global market.
While these concerns have been voiced for some time, the Government launched the National Mission for Natural Farming in the year 2024 withoverarching objectives of promoting livestock or cow based chemical free farming for a more sustainable cultivationthat will improve soil health, in particular SOC, increase the nutrient uptake efficiency and reduce the nation’s dependence on chemical fertiliser and pesticides.
Natural farming, commonly termed as prakritikkhetior Zero Budget Farming by many of its proponents, is based on a technology that has been tried, tested and validated by farmers for many years with very encouraging results. It’s based on a holistic technological solution utilising materials that are locally available, including cow dung and cow urine of local breed cow, at virtually zero cost to the farmer.
While the Beejamritformulation, used for seed treatment helps in better germination and hardy plants, cultures of Jeevhamrit, ghan-jeevhamrit and sapthayankur drastically enhance friendly microbe culture and productivity of soil. Plant health is protected by applying saunthastra and khatti lassi for preventing bacterial and fungal infections while formulations of neemastra, brahmastra, agniastra and dashpani ark are applied for control of insects and pests of various kinds.
The careful preparation and application of appropriate doses of each of the above cultures have demonstrated intended results of better soil health, without compromising productivity and improved quality of produce.
The mission has been progressing with collaboration of States/ UT Administrations with targeted coverage of more than 7.5 lakh hectare, covering more than 18 lakh farmers in clusters of a minimum of 50 hectares. A trained team of scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendras assisted by Farmer Trainers and Krishi Sakhis as resource persons are acting as foot soldiers sensitizing, training and encouraging the farmers for adoption.
While on-farm development of the cultures is encouraged for farmers owning local breeds of cows, large number of bio-input resource centres have been set up, primarily at local dairies or cattle shelter homes to produce and provide these cultures to farmers at nominal cost.
The mission is being implemented through a science-drivenstrategy so that farmers adopt these practices without any misgivings or hesitation. The Indian Council of Agriculture (ICAR) has developed region- and crop-specific potential maps indicating where natural farming will be effective. Concerted efforts are underway at ICAR Institutes and Agricultural Universities to scientifically validate the efficacy of this indigenous technology for large-scale adoption. Multiple trials taken under the supervision of ICAR institutions have yielded very positive outcomes on many crops, and the same are now being disseminated through the Mission.
Marketing of natural products is another critical strategy that will enhance the incomes of farmers and encourage them to continue with these practices. The National Centre for Organic and Natural Farming(NCONF) has developed protocols for certification for natural farming. Already, a large number of farmers have obtained Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification that will enable them to sell their certified niche product at premium prices.
While pure natural farming with certification, marketing and branding linkages is being promoted through the ongoing mission, the strategy of promoting a hybrid model wherein adoption of natural farming practices with reduced dosage of chemical fertilisers can also result in sustained productivity, contributing to improved soil health. This model may also have broad acceptance. Practitioners have affirmatively stated that adoption of natural farming practices in a hybrid model leads to a progressively reduced dependence on chemical fertilisers. So much so that after some time, farmers can completely do away with chemicals in farming, maintaining the same productivity and income levels, in several crops.
To face the challenges emanating out of the current ongoing Middle East crisis, our hon’ble Prime Minister has issued a seven point appeal to the citizens of the country, which includes judicious use of chemical fertilisers and adoption of natural farming.
While the adoption of natural farming is encouraging sustainability of agriculture, it is also facilitating enhancement of the economic value of livestock, which are generally abandoned once they cross the milking age. The spin-off impact is that of safe food for domestic consumption and export, while reducing the precious foreignexchange of the nation.
(The Author is Former Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Governmentof India.)
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