FYM in Natural Farming- An Effective Solution Towards Increasing Farm Profitability and Productivity

According to a recent research study conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, it has been found that natural farming practices, when supplemented with farmyard manure (FYM), can lead to higher crop yields compared to conventional or chemical farming.

The study selected farmers who had adopted natural farming practices and those who had not. Among the adopters, farmers who used jeevamritha, a natural liquid fertilizer, and did not use any chemical fertilizers or pesticides in the last year were considered. The crop yields of major crops such as paddy, sugarcane, finger millet, and black gram were evaluated for three farming practices: natural farming with FYM, natural farming without FYM, and non-natural farming.

The study found that non-natural farming practices resulted in higher yields compared to natural farming practices without FYM. However, natural farming with FYM consistently produced higher yields than both non-natural farming and natural farming without FYM, indicating the sustainability of crop yields for farmers.

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The research study also looked at how natural farming is adopted and the difficulties it faces. It was found that the surveyed farmers did not frequently engage in intercropping, a method of natural farming that is advised. This was mostly caused by the predilection for growing paddy, the main crop in the research locations, as a single crop. Farmers practiced mulching, another crucial aspect of natural farming, depending on the types of crops they were growing and the availability of mulching materials.

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However, the study revealed that natural farming significantly reduced input costs compared to non-natural farming by eliminating the use of expensive agrochemicals. This reduction in cultivation costs resulted in better profitability for natural farming practitioners.

Despite challenges in adoption, such as limited intercropping and mulching practices, natural farming proves to be a cost-effective and sustainable alternative for farmers. FYM, therefore, is proven to be very effective and a better option for adopting sustainability.

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