Natural Framing - learn sustainable agriculture practices
Discover innovative and eco-friendly farming practises with us.
Natural Framing - learn sustainable agriculture practices
Discover innovative and eco-friendly farming practises with us.
Universal Principles of Natural Farming
The generic principles that govern Natural farming:
- A healthy soil microbiome is critical for optimal soil health and plant health, and thereby animal health and human health.
- Soil may be covered with crops for maximum period of the year.
- The soil across a farm or larger field/collection of fields should have diverse crops, a minimum of 8 crops over the year. The greater the diversity, the better.
- Minimal disturbance of soils is critical, hence no till farming or shallow tillage is recommended.
- Animals should be incorporated into farming. Integrated farming systems are critical for promoting Natural farming.
- Healthy soil microbiome is the key to retaining and enhancing soil organic matter. Bio stimulants are necessary to catalyze this process. There are different ways of making bio stimulants. In India, the most popular bio-stimulants are based on fermentation of animal dung and urine, and uncontaminated soil.
- Increasing the amount and diversity of organic residues returned to the soil is very important. These include crop residues, cow-dung, compost, etc.
- Pest management should be done through better agronomic practices (as enshrined in Integrated Pest management) and through botanical pesticides (only when necessary).
- Use of synthetic fertilizers and other biocides is harmful to this process of regeneration and is not allowed.
Source: APCNF