Principles and Practices of Natural Farming-3

By Skumar

 Principles and Practices of Natural Farming-3

Concept of Natural Farming (NF)


1. Introduction

Natural Farming (NF) is an eco-friendly, sustainable farming system based on natural ecological processes. It avoids synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and external inputs, relying instead on locally available natural resources, especially cow-based formulations. Natural Farming is gaining importance in India due to issues like climate change, soil degradation, declining farm profitability, and food safety concerns.

2. Definition of Natural Farming

Natural Farming is defined as a farming system that promotes crop production without the use of synthetic chemicals, relying on biological processes, indigenous cow-based inputs, and natural cycles to maintain soil fertility, crop health, and productivity.

3. Objectives of Natural Farming

  1. To reduce the cost of cultivation

  2. To restore and maintain soil fertility

  3. To enhance soil biological activity

  4. To produce safe and nutritious food

  5. To conserve natural resources

  6. To promote sustainable agriculture

  7. To increase farmers’ income

  8. To reduce dependence on external inputs

4. Essential Characteristics of Natural Farming

  • No use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides

  • Use of indigenous cow-based inputs

  • Enhancement of soil microorganisms

  • Emphasis on living soil

  • Promotion of biodiversity

  • Low-cost, farmer-friendly approach

  • Sustainable and climate-resilient

  • Eco-friendly production system

5. Principles of Natural Farming

  1. Living Soil Principle – Soil is a living system rich in microorganisms

  2. Biological Nutrient Cycling – Nutrients recycled naturally

  3. No External Inputs – Use of farm-based inputs only

  4. Soil Cover – Use of mulching to protect soil

  5. Soil Aeration (Whapasa) – Balance of air and moisture

  6. Crop Diversity – Mixed and intercropping

  7. Natural Pest Management – Use of botanical and biological methods

6. Scope of Natural Farming

  • Suitable for small and marginal farmers

  • Applicable to rainfed and irrigated areas

  • Reduces input dependency

  • Improves long-term soil productivity

  • Promotes organic and export farming

  • Helps in climate-resilient agriculture

7. Importance of Natural Farming

  • Improves soil health

  • Conserves water

  • Reduces environmental pollution

  • Enhances biodiversity

  • Produces chemical-free food

  • Increases farm sustainability

  • Supports climate change mitigation

8. Main Pillars of Natural Farming

1. Jivamrit

  • A fermented microbial culture prepared from cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, and soil

  • Enhances microbial activity in soil

  • Improves nutrient availability

2. Beejamrit

  • A seed treatment solution

  • Protects seeds from soil and seed-borne diseases

  • Enhances germination and seed vigor

3. Mulching

  • Covering soil with crop residues or organic materials

  • Reduces evaporation

  • Improves soil temperature and moisture

4. Whapasa

  • Soil condition with adequate air and moisture

  • Promotes root respiration

  • Reduces excess irrigation requirement

50 MCQs on Natural Farming 

Concept, Definition & Objectives (1–10)

  1. Natural farming mainly emphasizes:
    a) Chemical fertilizers
    b) Synthetic pesticides
    c) Natural ecological processes ✅
    d) Mechanized farming

  2. Natural farming avoids the use of:
    a) Organic manure
    b) Biofertilizers
    c) Synthetic inputs ✅
    d) Indigenous knowledge

  3. The primary objective of natural farming is to:
    a) Maximize yield only
    b) Reduce cost of cultivation ✅
    c) Increase mechanization
    d) Promote monoculture

  4. Natural farming is also known as:
    a) Industrial farming
    b) Chemical farming
    c) Traditional farming
    d) Zero input farming ✅

  5. Natural farming focuses on:
    a) Dead soil
    b) Living soil ✅
    c) Sterile soil
    d) Sandy soil

  6. Which input is avoided in natural farming?
    a) Compost
    b) Mulch
    c) Chemical fertilizer ✅
    d) Cow dung

  7. Natural farming aims to improve:
    a) Soil pollution
    b) Soil fertility ✅
    c) Soil salinity
    d) Soil compaction

  8. Natural farming is most suitable for:
    a) Large industries
    b) Small and marginal farmers ✅
    c) Urban farming only
    d) Hydroponics

  9. Which of the following is an objective of natural farming?
    a) Increase chemical dependency
    b) Reduce biodiversity
    c) Produce safe food ✅
    d) Increase pollution

  10. Natural farming supports:
    a) Unsustainable agriculture
    b) Sustainable agriculture ✅
    c) Industrial agriculture
    d) Export-only farming

Characteristics & Principles (11–20)

  1. Natural farming promotes:
    a) Monocropping
    b) Crop diversity ✅
    c) Soil erosion
    d) Excess irrigation

  2. Living soil concept refers to:
    a) Sterile soil
    b) Soil rich in microorganisms ✅
    c) Sandy soil
    d) Acidic soil

  3. Which principle avoids external inputs?
    a) Mulching
    b) Living soil
    c) No external inputs principle ✅
    d) Crop rotation

  4. Natural nutrient cycling involves:
    a) Chemical fertilizers
    b) Synthetic nutrients
    c) Biological processes ✅
    d) Industrial waste

  5. Which practice protects soil surface?
    a) Irrigation
    b) Fertilization
    c) Mulching ✅
    d) Tillage

  6. Whapasa refers to:
    a) Excess water
    b) Soil dryness
    c) Balance of air and moisture ✅
    d) Flooding

  7. Natural pest management uses:
    a) Chemical pesticides
    b) Botanical extracts ✅
    c) Insecticides
    d) Fungicides

  8. Which principle enhances soil aeration?
    a) Mulching
    b) Whapasa ✅
    c) Composting
    d) Seed treatment

  9. Crop diversity helps in:
    a) Pest outbreak
    b) Ecosystem balance ✅
    c) Soil degradation
    d) Yield loss

  10. Natural farming is:
    a) Input intensive
    b) Energy intensive
    c) Eco-friendly ✅
    d) Pollution intensive

Scope & Importance (21–30)

  1. Natural farming is suitable for:
    a) Chemical-dependent areas
    b) Rainfed areas ✅
    c) Industrial zones
    d) Desert only

  2. Natural farming reduces:
    a) Soil fertility
    b) Cost of cultivation ✅
    c) Crop diversity
    d) Soil organisms

  3. Natural farming enhances:
    a) Environmental pollution
    b) Biodiversity ✅
    c) Chemical residues
    d) Soil toxicity

  4. Which resource is conserved in natural farming?
    a) Plastic
    b) Water ✅
    c) Chemicals
    d) Fossil fuels only

  5. Natural farming helps in climate change by:
    a) Increasing emissions
    b) Reducing carbon footprint ✅
    c) Promoting deforestation
    d) Increasing fossil fuel use

  6. Chemical-free food ensures:
    a) Poor health
    b) Better nutrition ✅
    c) Contamination
    d) Toxicity

  7. Natural farming improves farmer income by:
    a) Increasing input cost
    b) Reducing dependency on inputs ✅
    c) Increasing chemicals
    d) Reducing yield

  8. Natural farming promotes:
    a) Soil erosion
    b) Long-term sustainability ✅
    c) Short-term profit only
    d) Industrialization

  9. Natural farming improves:
    a) Soil salinity
    b) Soil structure ✅
    c) Soil toxicity
    d) Soil pollution

  10. Natural farming supports:
    a) Biodiversity loss
    b) Ecological balance ✅
    c) Chemical accumulation
    d) Environmental degradation

Pillars of Natural Farming (31–50)

  1. Jivamrit is a:
    a) Chemical fertilizer
    b) Microbial culture ✅
    c) Pesticide
    d) Fungicide

  2. Jivamrit mainly enhances:
    a) Soil salinity
    b) Soil microorganisms ✅
    c) Soil erosion
    d) Soil toxicity

  3. Jivamrit is prepared using:
    a) Chemicals
    b) Indigenous cow products ✅
    c) Synthetic fertilizers
    d) Insecticides

  4. Beejamrit is used for:
    a) Soil application
    b) Seed treatment ✅
    c) Pest control
    d) Weed management

  5. Beejamrit protects seeds from:
    a) Nutrient deficiency
    b) Seed-borne diseases ✅
    c) Water stress
    d) Drought

  6. Mulching helps in:
    a) Increasing evaporation
    b) Conserving soil moisture ✅
    c) Soil compaction
    d) Weed growth

  7. Mulching improves:
    a) Soil temperature regulation ✅
    b) Soil salinity
    c) Soil erosion
    d) Nutrient loss

  8. Whapasa emphasizes:
    a) Excess irrigation
    b) Flood irrigation
    c) Soil air-water balance ✅
    d) Chemical irrigation

  9. Whapasa reduces:
    a) Root respiration
    b) Irrigation requirement ✅
    c) Soil aeration
    d) Soil fertility

  10. Which is NOT a pillar of natural farming?
    a) Jivamrit
    b) Beejamrit
    c) Mulching
    d) Chemical fertilizer ✅

  11. Indigenous cow plays a role in:
    a) Chemical farming
    b) Natural farming inputs ✅
    c) Industrial farming
    d) Hydroponics

  12. Natural farming improves:
    a) Soil biological activity ✅
    b) Chemical residues
    c) Soil degradation
    d) Pollution

  13. Jivamrit mainly provides:
    a) Nutrients only
    b) Microbial activity ✅
    c) Chemical salts
    d) Weed control

  14. Beejamrit improves:
    a) Seed germination ✅
    b) Weed growth
    c) Soil erosion
    d) Chemical dependency

  15. Mulching controls:
    a) Evaporation loss ✅
    b) Soil fertility
    c) Crop yield
    d) Carbon sequestration only

  16. Whapasa promotes:
    a) Root respiration ✅
    b) Root suffocation
    c) Waterlogging
    d) Soil salinity

  17. Natural farming reduces dependence on:
    a) Local resources
    b) External inputs ✅
    c) Farm labor
    d) Biodiversity

  18. Natural farming is based on:
    a) Chemical principles
    b) Ecological principles ✅
    c) Industrial principles
    d) Mechanical principles

  19. Natural farming enhances:
    a) Soil life ✅
    b) Soil toxicity
    c) Soil erosion
    d) Pollution

  20. Natural farming ultimately ensures:
    a) Unsustainable production
    b) Sustainable agriculture and livelihoods ✅
    c) Chemical dependency
    d) Environmental degradation


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