ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 12, 2020 INNOVATIONS IN NATURAL FARMING THROUGH ORGANIC FARMING VS. CHEMICAL FARMING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON FARMERS OF ODISHA Mr. Prakash Jha1 , Dr. Manjusmita Dash2 1Research Scholar - Department of Business Administration, Utkal University, Vani Vihar – 751004, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India 2Faculty - Department of Business Administration, Utkal University, Vani Vihar – 751004, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Received: 14 March 2020 Revised and Accepted: 8 July 2020 ABSTRACT: Being the largest private sector ‗agriculture‘ enjoys a very important position in Indian economy. As it is having link from various sectors like production, processing and marketing; agriculture continuously dominate to change in the India. Agriculture is the main occupation in India as large population is living in the rural areas and having agriculture as their livelihood. Natural farming through organic farming development in the agriculture sector aims to increase the productivity, efficiency and level of employment and further aims to protect and preserve the natural resources by the over utilization of pesticides. The paper aims to study the significance of the natural farming through organic cultivation and a comparison with chemical farming in the field of agriculture. KEYWORDS: Natural farming, Organic, Sustainability, Biodiversity, Economic Sustainability, Social Sustainability. I. INTRODUCTION Agriculture occupies the most important position in Indian economy. The role of agricultural sector in Indian economy can be seen during its contribution to GDP (Gross domestic Product) and employment. This sector also contributes much to sustainable economic development of the country. The sustainable agriculture development of every country depends upon the judicious mix of their available natural resources. The big objective for the improvement of agriculture sector can be realize through rapid growth of agriculture which depends upon increasing the area of cultivation, cropping intensity and productivity. Although for a country like India, increasing productivity is more important than the rest of the two. This is simply because of increasing urbanization, industrialization and the limited land size of the country. We can grow healthful food without depending too much on toxic chemicals and chemical fertilizers with Natural Organic and Biological Farming systems. The knowledge and simple but practical technology in this manuscript can save crops and help to earn more from the garden and farm. Let‘s return to the ―Natural‖ ways. The growing market demand is for safe organically grown fruits and vegetables. It is not the intention of this paper to entirely eliminate the use of beneficial agricultural chemicals and fertilizers that help to suppress and control destructive pest and diseases and provide food nutrients to the plants. Useful insects and predators of pests are killed together with the insect pests with the wide and intensive use of toxic agricultural chemicals. The surviving pest finds no natural enemies; thus, they increase rapidly resulting in more destructive infestation with more resistant pest to chemical control. We have to recognize the natural laws, governing and balance of nature, its biodiversity and life itself. These simplified guides can help farmers reduce their production cost and become self-reliant with renewable crop protection products they can grow and formulate in their own farms, together with their commercial crops and livestock. They can also make their own fertilizers and soil amendments that will turn their land into productive farms. This can make farmers self-reliant and self-sustaining. Through Natural Farming, we can feed the increasing population of the world with healthful food free from toxic chemical residue. 4336 ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 12, 2020 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Fukuoka (1982) has explained the final principle of natural farming is NO PESTICIDES. As I've emphasized before, nature is in perfect balance when left alone. Of course, harmful insects and diseases are always present, but normally not to such an extent that poisonous chemicals are required to correct the situation. The only sensible approach to disease and insect control, I think, is to grow sturdy crops in a healthy environment. The ultimate goal of natural farming is not the growing of crops but the cultivation and perfection of human beings. Watson et al.,( 2008:3) Agricultural use of natural resources (soils, freshwater, air, carbon-derived energy)has, in some cases, caused significant and widespread degradation of land, freshwater, ocean and atmospheric resources. Estimates suggest that resource impairment negatively influences 2.6 billion people. Brussaard et al (2010:1) state that agriculture depends on natural capital invested in wild biodiversity and is enhanced by the interaction between human beings and the natural environment. They also reinforce that biodiversity is pivotal in sustaining agricultural production and the provision of ecosystem services confirming the MEA (2005) proposition. This also supports the argument put forward by the Convention on Biological Diversity (2005) that biodiversity is a precursor and valuable component in agriculture for regulation of bioprocesses such as soil formation, nutrient cycling and pollination. Despite the crucial and essential value of biodiversity, UNEP (2007:12-13) points out that there is ―an increase in species extinction and reduction in agricultural genetic biodiversity‖. This is supported by Bartelmus (1994 citing McNeely et al., 1990) and UNEP (1992) Gliessmen (2007:13) points out that ―the loss of genetic diversity has occurred mainly because of conventional agricultures emphasis on short term productivity gains‖. It is clear that agriculture needs to adapt to ensure the regeneration and protection of ecosystems. Gutierrez (2O11) discussed Natural farming uses local resources, but you have to give what the plants need, when they need it and in the right amounts." This system makes some inroads into decreasing our reliance on external inputs and improving the profitability of our local farms is important to consider. Mansata (2O14) has Natural farming is holistic and bio-diverse organic farming in harmony with nature. It is low-intervention, ecological and sustainable. In its purest advanced form, it is a ‗do-nothing‘ way of farming where nature does everything, or almost everything, so very little needs to be done by the farmer. This can best be achieved in a progressive manner with tree crops. As Save explains, ―When a tree sapling planted by a farmer is still young and tender, it needs some attention. But as it matures, it can look after itself, and then it looks after the farmer.‖ Save (2006) addressed a detailed 8-page Open Letter (along with six annexes) to M.S. Swaminathan, then chairman of the National Commission on Farmers. This was at a time of an unrelenting wave of farmer suicides in various parts of India, particularly Vidarbha and Andhra Pradesh, but also Punjab, the frontline state of India‘s ‗green revolution‘, now turned black. Itoh(2018) highlighted that for a country that prides itself on a cuisine based on fresh, seasonal ingredients, the percentage of produce grown without the use of chemicals. Das(2010)support for ecologically sound measures that help increase the production of food commodities that are in short supply such as lentils, oilseeds and millet, through approaches like conservation agriculture, will help rural communities address impoverishment. Agragamee‘s nascent initiatives in organic conservation agriculture with tribal farmers highlighted the farmer‘s interest and intuitive understanding of such an approach. Our early mistakes have only boosted enthusiasm amongst them to try again with deeper understanding, the next monsoon. This is where the support and partnership of government is required, for that will enable the positives from our experience to be of use in other parts of the country Dutt(2018) has elaborated natural farming is more cost effective and input efficient says Amarjeet Dhillon a small farmer from Dabrikhana village, who owns only two acres of land. For example, farmers having sugarcane and black gram in their farms have to spend virtually nothing on inputs asserts, Dhillon. He cites several examples where farmer had spend only Rs.100-200 on inputs for one acre as against Rs.3000 by a chemical farming farmer. "Some of us had stopped cash out flow to cities any more to purchase Urea, DAP and pesticides and thousands of others have reduced this out flow of cash in a big way", Wang, Duponte, Chang(2O12-2O13), the basic principle behind natural farming is to create a farming environment compatible with naturally occurring organisms in our farmland. Enhancement of indigenous microorganisms is more likely as compared to introducing alien beneficial organisms. Mendoza Transforming the practices of farmers, who are dependent on the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides is not a simple, physical transformation. Farmers‘ awareness of the high cost of fertilizers and pesticides, the degradation of their soils, and the decline in their quality of life, has not provided sufficient motivation to shift from chemical-based farming to natural/organic farming practices. No studies have been done particularly related to my topic which I have selected for present research. It is a great challenge for me to collect sufficient data to fulfil my objectives. 4337 ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 12,