CHEMICAL FARMING IN

ANDHRA PRADESH.
IMPORTANCE OF FARMING IN INDIA
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said "Everything else can wait but not Agriculture"
• Supports countries basic necessities.
• Contributes to 17% countries GDP.
• Employs 60% of total population.
• Occupy 43% of India's geographical area.
• Largest provider of livelihood in India.

GEOGRAPHY OF ANDHRA PRADESH

• “bejeweled rice bowl of india”.
• Two important rivers- Krishna and Godavari.
• Agrarian in character- most progressive state in terms of agriculture.
• Cash crops- turmeric, chilies, sugar, cotton, tobacco etc.
• Main crops- millet, jowar, ragi.
• Fruits- guava, banana, papaya, mango, grape.
• Almost 23% of total geographical area – covered with forests.
9.3% of fallow land
38.4% under net sown area.
WHY IS THIS A ISSUE

• During 2004-2014, Andhra suffered due to declining crop yields.

• Increasing prices of agriculture inputs.

• Cost of cultivation- affecting net income of farmers.

• Inflation- causing increase in labour cost & inputs cost.

• Low and stagnant productivity.

• Andhra Pradesh rural farmers were sinking in debt.

• Recurring droughts and absence of alternative employment leading to migration.

• Rivers like Godavari, Musi are getting more polluted causing health problems.

• Improper soil health management.

• Not only the environmental issue but also social and economic issue.
 CHEMICAL FARMING
• During 1970s, our nation was out of food and nation was starving. Introduction to Green
Revolution brought a drastic change , the immense use of chemical fertilizers changed our
nation status from ‘starving nation’ to ‘food exporter’.

• India prone to various farming issues after the Green Revolution,- increase use of
fertilizers, leading to soil degradability, farmers suicide, poverty, health issues etc.

• Green revolution- not a remedy but toxic to the practice.

• Chemical farming release green house gases.

• Affects biodiversity.

• Persistent use of chemicals, barrens the land.

• Inaccessible market & seed privatization.

• Pesticides (non-biodegradable), enters the food chain.

• Pollution created while manufacturing fertilizers and pesticides.

• Boosting chemical industries , while discouraging farmer’s income.

 CHEMICAL FARMING (contd..)
• Responsible for ecological change, soil acidification, lowering organic matter of soil,
reducing crop yield.

• Eutrophication- excessive use of N & P fertilizers is washed of in lakes causing over

nourishment of the lakes.

To rectify all these– primary sector of our nation, need to be nurtured rightly.
Cosmetic remedies lasts for a day but traditional practices guards the future.
* according to US Department of Agriculture Nutrient data Laboratory, foods grown in
chemically fertilized soil were found to have less Mg, K, Ca content.

*Lakescientist.com
 GOVERNMENT’S INITIATIVE

• Adopting Agro-ecology.
• It is a study in agriculture, incorporating solutions to the root causes like hunger,
poverty etc. by transforming food system & resilient livelihood by balancing all
three dimensions of sustainable- socio, economic, environmental.
 DESI AGRO-ECOLOGY-

• In Economics Survey 2018-19, farming practice brought in light and Zero Budget
Natural Farming was introduced.

ZERO BUDGET NATURAL FARMING-

• Natural farming (without chemicals), without using any credit and without spending
any money on purchased inputs.[1]

• Introduced by Subhash Palekar and farmer association.

• Started in Karnataka , & adopted by Andhra in 2015.

• Back to basics
• Created a scale out plan to transit 6million farmers cultivating 8million hectare land
from conventional synthetic chemical farming to ZBNF.
Process –
Four wheels to be implemented-
• ‘Jiwamitra’- source of 500 crore micro
organisms that can convert necessary non-
available nutrients into available form.
• ‘Bijamitra’- seed treatment solution prior
to sowing.
• ‘Mulching’- covering of plant with layers
dried straw & fallen leaves, keeps soil
moist.
• ‘Waaphasa’- providing water to maintain
required moisture balance.
• ‘Agniastra’, ‘brahmastra’, ‘neemastra’,
‘concotions’ – to control pest disease
attacks.
• In case of disease or insects outbreak,
pesticides can be self prepared. By using
fermented buttermilk, desi cow milk, black
pepper, neem leaves, cow dung & urine.
[5]
A version of 5-layer Palekar model.
• Intercropping- important feature of ZBNF.
 Organic Farming v/s Zero- Budget Natural Farming.

• Only uses organic fertilizers and • No chemical or organic fertilizers used.

compost. Organic matter decomposed using microbes
• Requires ploughing, tilling, and earthworms.
mixing of manures, and • Requires no ploughing & tilling, grown as in
weeding. natural ecosystem.
• Buying vermicompost in bulk • Less expensive, uses only local products.
can be expensive.

*tnau agritech portal

Advantages –
• Uses organic and self prepared manure.
• Restore soil nutrients by using residual from farm itself.
• Benefits the farmer in setting up there own shops to sell self-made
manure and natural produce.
• Boosts farmer’s income by minimizing operating expenses.
• No greenhouse gases are release.
• Farmer’s suicide statistics will fall.
• Makes the farmer self-reliant.
• No extra input cost, no loan- resulting in debt free farmer.
• Inculcates less use of water.
• UNEP targeted investments of ₹16,000 crore over the next six years. [4]

Comparison between net incomes in various food crops grown in ZBNF

versus chemical farming
Conclusion –
• ZBNF is in harmony with nature.
• Our country is trying to shift to the sustainable farming, i.e.. Farming practice
without hindering the cycle of the nature.
• Project can be beneficial in preserving and promote soil minerals, biodiversity,
livelihood, water, health, climate resilience, chemical-less approach, women
empowerment.
• One should initiate with small area of land.
• Farmers have high yield even in drought prone area. E.g.- ‘Rayalaseema region,
Anantpur region, Andhra.
• Andhra, to achieve 100% chemical free farming by 2024.
• Creating UN SDGs , focusing on no poverty, clean water and sanitation,
Responsible consumption & production, life on land.
• Reduce pesticide usage in about 1.8 million Acres and benefitted 738,000 farmers.

Challenges –
• New practices are not easily adopted.
• Labor cost for collection of cow dung n urine, and inputs to be used in the
preparation of jiwamitra, neemastra, brahmastra.
• Additional cost to keep a cow.
• Point- if ZBNF is practiced in isolation, is more vulnerable to attacks.
• It is where govt. should step and reduce the dependence on middle men.
• Requires proper training and support for farmers to embrace the approach.
 References

1. Bhosale jayashree (2019). The economic

times (jul 5). India. Bennett, Coleman &
Co. Ltd.

2. Saldanha Leo (2019). Down to earth state

of india’s environment. New Delhi, India.

3. Anand Mina (2019). The Hindu Business

Line, opinion. New Delhi, India.

4. Bera Sayantan (2018). Livemint. New

Delhi, India. HT Media.

5. Babu R. Yogananda (2015).

www.atimysore.gov.in

6. Keith Weller, Head of News and Media, UN

Environment.
*Times of India