Read on to this article to learn about natural farming and agriculture practices in India.
In a natural farming system, agricultural practices are conducted in accordance with the laws of nature. This approach supports each farming region’s inherent biodiversity by promoting the growth of complex living organisms, including the plants and animals that form each specific ecosystem.
There are numerous states in India that engage in natural farming. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand are prominent among them.
How is natural farming different from organic farming?
Natural farming promotes the breakdown of the organic matter right on the soil surface by microorganisms and earthworms, gradually contributing nutrients to the soil. Chemical or organic soil fertilisers are not used in this farming technique.
In addition, natural farming doesn’t need ploughing, soil tilting, or weeding, and grows crops only in natural ecosystems. In short, no additional agricultural activities are done on the soil or plants in this type of farming system.
On the other hand, organic farming is an agricultural practice in which no artificial fertilisers, pesticides, or other chemicals are used. This farming technique relies on animal manures, crop residues, green manures, biofertilizers, legumes, and crop rotations to maintain soil productivity and tilth and for pest and weed management.
However, agricultural activities like mixing manure, weeding, ploughing, tilting, etc. are still required in organic farming.
How profitable is natural farming?
According to scientific research, natural farming has a benefit-cost ratio that is several times higher than inorganic farming, even though yields for all crops may not always be high.
Natural farming generates better incomes and profits than traditional farming due to reduced production costs and higher prices for the produce.
What are some advantages of natural farming?
The following are some crucial advantages of natural farming:
- The cost of production in natural farming is low as it doesn’t require the use of any fertilizer, pesticide, or any other additional inputs.
- The crop produced in natural farming is of high quality in comparison to conventional farming. So, the crop’s produce can give farmers high returns.
- It improves the soil ecosystem.
- It helps mitigate global warming and greenhouse effects by following a sustainable farming approach.
- It lowers the risk of disease attacks on the crop.
What agriculture technologies can benefit farmers in India?
Besides natural and organic farming methods some cutting-edge agriculture technologies in India are helping Indian farmers in increasing their incomes:
The Internet of Things (IoT)
India’s key industries have undergone a huge transformation thanks to this modern technology. IoT technology in smart agriculture helps farmers enhance productivity while reducing waste. Farmers can monitor environmental and machine metrics by using IoT sensors.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Indian farmers can benefit from the automation of their farming processes through the deployment of AI-based applications and specialised technologies. Additionally, using AI-enabled predictive analytics can assist them in making far better decisions about a variety of areas of agriculture, like choosing the best crops for a given season and the ideal times to sow and harvest, among other things.
Data Analytics
Farmers can access and analyse real-time and past data with the use of this data-driven agricultural technology, which can provide them with predictions about future events related to agriculture production. Data analytics can be very beneficial in regions where farming is the sole source of income and farmers are dealing with a variety of environmental and climatic issues like excessive rainfall, weed and pest proliferation, etc.
Drones
Drones are among the most useful technological inventions that are transforming global agriculture operations. They have technologically advanced sensors that can be used in precision agriculture to regulate irrigation, manage livestock, detect weeds and pests, and monitor crop and soil health.
Leading agritech start-ups in India
Now have a look at some agritech start-ups in India that are integrating the latest agricultural technologies with sustainable farming techniques to transform the agriculture ecosystem in India.
Leads Connect Services
LeadsConnect is an agritech company that provides its services and products in various verticals, including Artificial Intelligence Backed Crop Yield Forecast, Farm Risk Management, Climate-Smart Agriculture Framework, Crop Health Analytics, Crop Classification, Crop Loss Assessment, Crop Acreage Estimation, and more. This agritech start-up offers solutions that are capable of dealing with dynamic conditions and are flexible enough to handle unforeseen events.
AgroStar
It ranks among the top agritech startups in India. It strives to help farmers by offering them a wide variety of agricultural solutions. This agritech firm offers farmers real-time professional guidance on crop management and productivity.
Fasal
It is another well-known agritech start-up in India. Using an application developed by this start-up, farmers can plan, monitor, and analyse their agricultural activities. Fasal has assisted multiple farmers in lowering cultivation costs while raising quality and production with the help of its AI-powered platform.
Agricx
This agritech company specialises in offering tech-enabled agricultural solutions. It provides AI-enabled SaaS solutions to businesses involved in producing, processing, transporting, financing, trading, or storing agricultural products.
Leads Connect 