Article ID: AEN-2021-02-02-020 Natural Farming vs

Y. B. Vala1* and M. H. Chavda2 1M.Sc Scholar, Department of , C. P. College of , Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar-388 506, Gujarat 2Ph.D Scholar, Department of Agronomy, C. P. College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar-388 506, Gujarat *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

“Natural farming is a farming practice that initates the way of nature,” it was practiced in Japan by and Mokichi Okada. It is described as “the natural way of farming” or “do nothing farming”. “Organic Farming is a holistic system designed to optimize the productivity and fitness of diverse communities within the agro-, including oil, organisms, plants, and people. The principal goal of organic production is to development enterprises that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment”. The most significant difference between Natural and organic farming is that Natural farming based on natural resource or on products to fights the , pests and disease, whereas organic farming permits no chemical intervention. Organic farming simply utilizes farming techniques like , mulching, composting, green manuring, etc to grow chemical free foods. “The ultimate goal of farming should not only be the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings and nature.” ~ Said by Masanobu Fukuoka

What is Natural Farming ? In principle, practitioners of natural farming maintain that it is not a technique but a view, or a way of seeing ourselves as a part of nature, rather than separate from or above it. Accordingly, the methods themselves vary widely depending on culture and local conditions.

Principles of Natural farming: Five principles include: . No weeding . No- . No or . No . No

Volume 2 – Issue 2 [February 2021] P a g e | 78

What is Organic farming ? The principles of organic farming are intended to refocus our minds on how take care of the soil and manage the biological life of the earth. Organic agriculture includes not only the management of the soil but also the water, plants and animals used in farming. Yearly third party audits authenticate that farmers are required to prove what they used on their land and host an annual inspection.

Principles of Organic farming: The four principles of Organic farming are: 1. It should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plants, animals and humans as one and indivisible. 2. It should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them. 3. It should build on relationships that ensure fairness about the familiar environment and life processes. 4. It should be managed in a prudent and responsible manner to protect the health and wellbeing of current and future generations and the environment.

Similarities between Natural farming and Organic farming: Natural and organic both are chemical free and more poison free farming methods. 1. Both systems discourage farmers from using any chemical fertilizers, pesticides on plants and in all agricultural practices. 2. Both farming methods encourage farmers to use local breeds of , and native varieties of vegetables, grains, pulses and other crops. 3. Organic and Natural farming methods promote non-chemical and homemade pest methods.

Key difference between Natural farming and Organic farming: 1. Organic farming, organic fertilizers and manures like compost, vermin-compost, cow dung manure, external sources. In natural farming, neither chemical nor organic fertilizers are added to the soil. In fact, no external fertilizers are added to soil or give to plants whatever. 2. In natural farming, decomposition of organic matter by microbes and earthworms is encouraged right on the soil surface itself, which gradually adds nutrition in the soil, over the period. 3. Organic farming still requires basic agro practices like plowing, tilting, mixing of manures, weeding, etc. to be performed. 4. In natural farming there no plowing, no tilting of soil and no fertilizers, and no weeding is done just the way it would be in natural . 5. Organic farming is still expensive due to the requirement of bulk manures, and it has an ecological impact on surrounding environments; whereas, natural agriculture is an extremely low-cost farming method, completely molding with local biodiversity.

Conclusion Similarly, I heard many people speak highly for organic foods because they don’t use pesticides, fertilizers, growth hormones, antibiotics or GMO’s and their reason for supporting this form of agriculture is because of the elimination of these items. I believe the one commonality of both these forms of agriculture Natural and Organic have is that they are perceived or understood to be more sustainable than commodity farming. The combination of Natural and Organic farming can increase in agriculture as well food safety and security.

Volume 2 – Issue 2 [February 2021] P a g e | 79