What is natural farming?
Natural farming is a way of growing crops that works with nature instead of against it. It avoids chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and instead builds healthy, living soil using inputs a farmer can prepare on the farm itself — mainly from cow dung and cow urine, plant matter, and locally available material. Because the costly external inputs are replaced with farm-made ones, it is often called Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) or, in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Community-Managed Natural Farming (CMNF).
The aim is simple: low cost, healthy soil, safe food, and farming that stays viable through dry spells and market ups and downs.
The four core practices
- Jeevamrutham — a microbial tonic that brings soil back to life.
- Beejamrutham — treating seeds so seedlings start out protected.
- Mulching (Aacchadana) — covering the soil to hold moisture and feed it.
- Waaphasa — keeping the right balance of moisture and air in the soil, so very little irrigation is needed.
On top of these, farmers use gentle, plant-based sprays for pests and grow several crops together so no single failure wipes out a season.
Glossary of practices
These are the methods you will see listed against farmers in the directory.
Why it matters
- Lower costs — inputs are made on the farm, cutting spending on fertiliser and pesticide.
- Healthier soil — living soil holds water better and stays productive year after year.
- Safer food — produce grown without chemical residues.
- More resilience — better drought tolerance and less dependence on the market for inputs.
Find farmers practising these methods near you on the directory page.