When those already committed to environmental protection advocate natural farming, it is certainly welcome. However, this alone will not lead to the widespread adoption of natural farming. The reason is simple: most Indian farmers are smallholders, and for them safeguarding their livelihoods is crucial. Their earnings are often barely sufficient for survival. No matter how beneficial or healthy a change may be, if it threatens to significantly reduce net income, most small farmers cannot afford to adopt it.
This is why natural farming must also pass the test of economic viability, especially for small farmers. In a democracy like India, it is fascinating to visit villages where efforts are being made to promote natural farming and to see farmers engage in rigorous, practical discussions about its implications. A recent visit to Lamaura village in the Jaitpur block of Mahoba district in Uttar Pradesh was heartening. Despite several challenges, natural farming here appears to be gaining ground—slowly but steadily.
Over the past two years, several farmers in Lamaura have begun experimenting with natural farming on portions of their land, while gradually reducing their dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides elsewhere. There is growing optimism that, over time, a significant number of farmers will shift fully to natural farming. It is natural for farmers to take their time before making such important decisions, but their response over the past two years has been encouraging.
Lamaura is one of the key villages selected for the implementation of the Swavalamban (Self-Reliance) project by the voluntary organisation SRIJAN, supported by the Parivartan Development Initiative of HDFC Bank. Many farmers have benefited from this initiative. Three particularly notable examples are presented here. These farmers are regarded as “master” or “champion” farmers, and their farms are being developed as informal learning centres where others, including younger farmers, can visit and learn.
Kamta Prasad and Munni Devi are highly enthusiastic about adopting natural farming. They are transitioning four bighas of their own land to natural farming practices; being very hardworking, they also lease additional land. With the support of SRIJAN and Parivartan, they have established a small orchard on about one-fifth of an acre using natural farming methods. The orchard consists of around sixty trees—about forty guava trees and others including lemon, mango and papaya.
As the trees are still at an early stage, Kamta Prasad and Munni Devi have ensured a steady income by growing vegetables in the vacant spaces within the orchard. They are particularly appreciated for their successful experimentation with rainy-season (barsaati) onions. They have already earned substantial income from the sale of secondary produce such as onions and radish, and expect further improvement once irrigation constraints are resolved.
Their achievements are all the more remarkable given that the orchard is located in a highly vulnerable area where damage from wild animals is common. In such circumstances, it is easy to lose hope. However, with strong iron fencing provided by SRIJAN with Parivartan’s support, Kamta and Munni have been able to protect their crops and continue innovating.
In fact, three other brothers of Kamta have achieved similar success with the help of protective fencing: the families of Kashi Bai and Amar, Chanda and Chiranjilal, and Kunwar and Kishorilal. During a recent visit to these farms, we jointly calculated the per-acre cost of such fencing. Farmers estimated it at about ₹80,000 per acre under local conditions, while the annual increase in income would be no less than ₹30,000 per acre. Thus, even in purely economic terms, the investment can be recovered in around three years. Additionally, the relief from having to guard fields against animals night after night is a major benefit. These farmers strongly advocated government subsidies for fencing in areas highly vulnerable to damage from wild or stray animals.
Spending time with Kamta Prasad left a strong impression. He appeared to be a happy, creative and hardworking farmer, deeply satisfied with his work. With income generated from owned and leased land, he and Munni Devi were able to construct a new house and also start a small tent-house business in the village.
Swami Prasad and Kasturi Devi are also firmly on the path towards natural farming. Swami Prasad is a thoughtful farmer who has long reflected on how cultivation can improve the lives of small farmers. Even earlier, he had visited agricultural universities and other institutions to explore new ideas. His association with the SRIJAN team strengthened his commitment to natural farming, and he is now convinced this is the way forward.
Out of nearly eight bighas of land owned by the family, about three acres (one acre equals roughly 2.5 bighas) have already been converted to natural farming, with plans to expand further. They have developed a multi-layer vegetable garden, growing a diverse range of crops—those that grow underground, on small plants, on taller plants, and climbers supported by creepers.
This garden, spread over about 0.05 acre (roughly 200 square metres), uses a support structure made of bamboo, rope and wire. Under the project, support worth around ₹25,000 is provided for such natural farming initiatives. While wire was earlier used for creepers, rope is now preferred during summer to avoid heat stress, with wire used again in other seasons.
Careful attention is given to companion planting—choosing vegetables that grow well together. Using only natural farming methods, Swami and Kasturi grow more than twenty varieties of vegetables annually in this small plot.
Kasturi Devi emphasizes that these vegetables are not only productive but also extremely healthy. She shared that several family members earlier suffered from skin problems that did not respond to medicines, but these issues disappeared after they began consuming naturally grown vegetables. The ten-member joint family now enjoys a steady supply of nutritious food, along with regular income from seasonal vegetable sales.
They prepare bio-fertilizers on their own farm and use locally sourced sprays to control pests. Simple techniques such as yellow traps and pheromone traps are also used, often adapted to local conditions. Growing marigold flowers further helps in pest management. A mini-sprinkler system has significantly improved yields by reducing water use, improving soil condition, and enhancing nutrient availability.
Crop rotation and mixed farming are practised to maintain soil health, avoiding repeated cultivation of the same crop on the same land. On just over three acres, the farm produces a remarkable diversity—grains, oilseeds, legumes, vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs, spices, and even a few sugarcane plants. About fifteen kinds of fruit trees can be seen, bringing the total number of crops or produce items in a typical year to nearly fifty. Continuous experimentation is central to this highly creative farming system.
While Swami Prasad is reflective and innovative, Kasturi Devi appears to take even greater joy in her work. Her deep commitment was evident: while engaging in conversation, she would cheerfully resume weeding the moment she was free, wasting not a single minute and doing so with visible happiness.
Although excessive rainfall caused some damage this year, the farm demonstrated resilience and recovered to a large extent.
Lakhan Lal and Vimla Devi have established a bio-resource centre on their farm, also known as a natural farming centre. With four cows, they have sufficient dung and urine to produce bio-fertilizers and pest-control sprays. SRIJAN supported the construction of a cattle shed designed to collect urine in a tank, and a solar-based machine has been installed to reduce drudgery in fertilizer preparation. Different filters allow the production of bio-fertilizers tailored to various needs, enabling other farmers to procure them if they are unable to prepare their own. Bitter leaves from local plants are also used in pest-repellent sprays.
Out of their total ten bighas of land, four bighas are already under natural farming. They have also developed a small orchard of about sixty fruit trees, intercropped at this early stage with vegetables such as coriander and spinach, which have yielded good returns.
These individual efforts are supported by broader water conservation initiatives, including the digging of thirty-four water channel ditches, construction of a check dam, and renovation of eighteen wells. Sixteen farmers have planted small orchards, nineteen have developed multi-layer vegetable gardens, and a tool bank has been set up to facilitate access to affordable equipment such as power tillers. Ten farmers have been supported with sprinkler systems, significantly improving irrigation efficiency. Demonstration plots across farms are helping spread awareness of natural farming.
A model is emerging—based on crop diversification, horticulture, reduced input costs, soil and water conservation, and land improvement—that can make natural farming economically viable for small farmers while enhancing sustainability and climate resilience.
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The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include India’s Quest for Sustainable Farming and Healthy Food, Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine, and A Day in 2071
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