Subhash Palekar natural farming zero budget jeevamrut beejamrut start
What is zero budget natural farming by Subhash Palekar and how to start?
MMahesh Kulkarni1yr ago · 438 views
6 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓1yr ago
Natural farming on the Subhash Palekar method relies on on farm inputs made from desi cow dung and urine instead of bought chemicals, so costs fall sharply. The four pillars are Jeevamrut, a fermented microbial culture of cow dung, urine, jaggery, pulse flour and soil to feed soil microbes, Beejamrut for seed treatment, Acchadana or mulching to hold moisture and add organic matter, and Waaphasa meaning balanced soil moisture and air. You also encourage mixed cropping and avoid heavy tillage. Start on a small plot, ideally with one desi cow which can support a few acres, and expect a transition period where yields may dip before soil health improves. The National Mission on Natural Farming now supports this approach through clusters and bio input resource centres. Learn the recipes hands on from a KVK or an experienced natural farmer before scaling.
LLakshmi Reddy1yr ago
I started with one acre using Jeevamrut and mulching. First year yield dropped a little, honestly, but input cost was almost nothing and by the third year soil became soft and full of worms. Do not convert all your land at once. Keep one desi cow if you can, it makes the inputs easy.
DDevendra Patel1yr ago
Mulching changed everything for me, weeds reduced and the soil stayed moist longer in summer. Making Jeevamrut is simple once you do it twice. Attend a training, reading alone is not enough. Patience is the main input in natural farming.
NNanda Kishore1yr ago
Mixed cropping is the part people skip but it really helps, I grow a main crop with a few companions so the field is never bare. The desi cow dung quality matters, fresh dung gives a better Jeevamrut. Keep records of what you applied and when, it teaches you fast.
VVidya Sagar1yr ago
Honestly the income side depends on whether you find buyers who pay extra for chemical free produce, otherwise your gain is mainly the lower input cost. I save a lot on fertiliser and pesticide now. Start small, prove it on one plot, then expand once you trust it.
SShantaram More11mo ago
Waaphasa, the soil moisture and air balance, made sense to me only after a field demo, do attend one. I added mulch heavily and the soil stopped cracking in summer. Earthworms returned within two seasons. Do not expect overnight results, give it time.