Natural farming and organic farming both avoid synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, but they are not the same thing. Natural farming, as the government now promotes it, relies only on on-farm, cow-based inputs such as Jeevamrit and mulch. Organic farming follows a certified standard (NPOP or PGS-India) and allows a wider set of permitted inputs, including compost, vermicompost and biofertilisers.
The bigger question for a farmer is money: does either one pay? The honest answer from Indian trials is "sometimes, and mostly through lower costs, not higher yields". This page compares the two systems, sets out what ICAR institutes, state-backed evaluations and journal studies actually measured, and explains what support is available in 2026.
Natural farming vs organic farming: the key differences
| Point | Natural farming (NF) | Organic farming |
|---|---|---|
| Main nutrient source | Cow dung and urine based formulations (Jeevamrit, Ghanjeevamrit, Beejamrit), mulch, crop residue | FYM, compost, vermicompost, green manure, biofertilisers, permitted bought-in organic inputs |
| Livestock needed? | Yes, in practice: a local cow supplies the dung and urine (or buy from a Bio-Input Resource Centre) | Not strictly; compost can come from crop residue and bought manure |
| Pest control | Neemastra, Brahmastra, Agniastra, Dashaparni extract | Neem products, biopesticides, traps and other inputs on the permitted list |
| Certification | A Natural Farming certification system is being run by NCONF, Ghaziabad under PGS-India | NPOP (third-party, for export) or PGS-India (peer-group, for domestic sale) |
| Central support (2026) | National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) | Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY); MOVCDNER in the North-East |
What the trials actually found
Results differ a lot by crop, soil and how much manure the farmer adds. Here are the main studies, including the ones that are not flattering.
| Study | What was compared | Result |
|---|---|---|
| ICAR-IIFSR, Modipuram (Ghasal et al., Journal of Plant Nutrition, 2024); basmati rice-wheat, Upper Indo-Gangetic Plains | Integrated crop management (ICM) vs organic vs natural farming vs no-nutrient control | Compared with ICM, basmati yield fell 15.2% (organic) and 51.2% (natural farming); wheat fell 49.5% (organic) and 58.6% (natural farming) |
| Smith et al., Nature Sustainability, 2020 (a modelling study, not a field trial) | Nitrogen supply under strict ZBNF vs average fertiliser use | Strict ZBNF could supply 52-80% of the national average nitrogen; national crop output could fall 20-48% if everyone switched without extra manure. Low-input farms could benefit |
| CESS impact assessment of ZBNF in Andhra Pradesh (Kharif 2018-19) | ZBNF vs non-ZBNF paddy farmers | No significant yield difference (about 18 quintals/acre); paid-out cost ₹14,572/acre vs ₹16,890/acre |
| ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya (Indian Farming, Aug 2025); acidic hill soils | NF vs organic package vs ICM vs control on turmeric, mustard, peas, maize, tomato | Turmeric: NF 11.6 t/ha vs 22.0 t/ha under the All India organic package (control 9.5 t/ha). Mustard and peas did better under NF than control; maize, black gram and tomato did worse |
How to read this:
- Cost savings are real. In the Andhra Pradesh paddy data, the saving was about ₹2,300 per acre (roughly 14%) with no measurable yield loss. That is useful, but it is a modest saving, not "zero budget".
- Yield is not guaranteed. In the Modipuram trial, natural farming cut basmati and wheat yields by half or more in the early years. The IIFSR trial used a rice-wheat system in fertile alluvial soils where farmers normally apply heavy fertiliser doses, so the gap may be larger there than on poor or rainfed soils.
- Good organic management can beat natural farming. In the Meghalaya turmeric trial the organic package, with bulky manure, roughly doubled the natural-farming yield. The authors note that most NF studies in the North-East have "not come out with conclusive information for recommendation".
- Where it tends to work better: low-input or rainfed farms that were already using little fertiliser, crops like pulses and oilseeds, and farmers who have their own cattle.
- Beware of promotional numbers. Some reports claim large average yield and income gains; check who commissioned them. The CESS study and ICAR's own trials quoted above are more cautious.
Natural farming support under NMNF
The National Mission on Natural Farming was approved by the Union Cabinet on 25 November 2024 as a centrally sponsored scheme with a total outlay of ₹2,481 crore (Centre ₹1,584 crore, states ₹897 crore). It aims to reach 1 crore farmers, with 7.5 lakh hectares in 15,000 clusters. A cluster is about 50 hectares and roughly 125 farmers.
- Incentive: ₹4,000 per acre per year for 2 years, for up to 1 acre per farmer, linked to adopting natural farming practices, training, cattle upkeep and input preparation.
- Bio-Input Resource Centres (BRCs): 10,000 planned, so that farmers without cattle can buy Jeevamrit-type inputs locally. As of July 2025, 2,045 had been set up.
- Krishi Sakhis: two trained community resource persons per cluster to guide farmers.
- Enrolment status (July 2025): more than 10 lakh farmers enrolled and 1,100 model farms developed.
The mission was approved to run until the end of the 15th Finance Commission period (2025-26). Enrolment happens through the state agriculture department and its clusters, so ask your district agriculture office or KVK whether your block has a cluster and what the current season's enrolment process is. Do not pay anyone an "enrolment fee".
Organic farming support under PKVY
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana gives ₹31,500 per hectare over three years (about ₹12,750 per acre), for a maximum of 2 hectares per farmer. Of this, ₹15,000 per hectare reaches the farmer by direct benefit transfer for organic inputs, ₹4,500 goes to marketing and value addition, ₹3,000 to certification and residue analysis, and ₹9,000 to training. Farmers join in clusters of about 20 hectares. For the full step-by-step route, see our guide on how to start organic farming.
Which one should you choose?
- You own cattle, have a small or rainfed holding and currently spend little on fertiliser: natural farming on one acre is a low-risk trial, and NMNF support may cover part of the effort.
- You grow high-input crops such as basmati, wheat or vegetables on fertile irrigated land: expect a yield dip from either system in the first years. Organic with enough compost or vermicompost is usually the safer step than strict natural farming, and only organic (NPOP or PGS-India certified) lets you label and sell produce as organic.
- You want a premium price: certification matters. Under FSSAI rules, produce sold as "organic" needs NPOP or PGS-India certification. "Natural" produce has no equivalent premium guarantee yet.
- You have no cattle: check whether a Bio-Input Resource Centre exists nearby before starting, since buying inputs each season erodes the cost advantage.
Whichever route you take, get your soil tested first (Soil Health Card) and read the method details in our zero budget natural farming guide. You can also check what other schemes you qualify for in the subsidy finder.
Sources
- PIB backgrounder: National Mission on Natural Farming (13 Aug 2025)
- PIB: Initiatives to Promote Organic and Climate Smart Farming (22 Jul 2025), PKVY rates
- Ghasal et al. (2024), Evaluation of ICM, organic management and natural farming in basmati rice-wheat system, Journal of Plant Nutrition
- Smith et al. (2020), Potential yield challenges to scale-up of zero budget natural farming, Nature Sustainability
- CESS: Impact Assessment of Zero Budget Natural Farming in Andhra Pradesh, Kharif 2018-19
- ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Production techniques in natural farming, Indian Farming, Aug 2025
- PIB FAQ: Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (7 Oct 2025)