National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) launched as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme

Posted 26 Nov 2024

2 min read

The scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare has total outlay of Rs.2481 crore coterminous with the 15th Finance Commission (2025-26).

Background

Earlier, Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) was renamed as Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhti (BPKP) and made a sub-scheme under the umbrella scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY) in 2019.
- BPKP was renamed as NMNF from 2023-24.

Key Highlights of the Scheme

Implementation: In 15,000 clusters in willing Gram Panchayats reaching 1 crore farmers, initiating Natural Farming (NF) in 7.5 lakh hectare area over the next 2 years.
- Preference to areas having prevalence of practising NF farmers.
Bio-input Resource Centres (BRCs): 10,000 such need-based centres to be set-up for easy availability of ready-to-use inputs for farmers.
Model Demonstration Farms: Established at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Agricultural Universities (AUs) and farmers’ fields to train willing farmers.
Awareness Generation: Through Krishi Sakhi for mobilisation and handholding of willing farmers.
Certification: Easy simple certification system and dedicated common branding for market access.
Monitoring: Real time geo-tagged & referenced monitoring of implementation through an online portal.
Convergence: With existing schemes and support structures to be explored.

About Natural Farming

Chemical- free and livestock based farming which integrates crops, trees and livestock with functional biodiversity.
Key Components:
- Beejamrit (treatment of seeds with cow dung, etc.);
- Jivamrit (acts as a bio-stimulant promoting the activity of microorganisms);
- Mulching (covering of soil surface using both live crops and dead biomass)
- Whapasa (activating earthworms in soil for water vapour condensation)
- Plant Protection (Spraying biological concoctions to prevent pests, etc.)