Core Principles and Components of Natural Farming

Natural farming represents a holistic approach to agriculture that works in harmony with nature. This article explores the universal principles that guide natural farming and the five key components that make it work.

Understanding the Basic Universal Principles

1. Co-existence

In nature, living organisms share ecosystems and engage in meaningful interactions that benefit the whole system. Natural farming nurtures these relationships rather than disrupting them with synthetic chemicals.

2. Complementarity

Every living organism serves a purpose and complements others. Bees pollinate flowers while gathering nectar. Earthworms aerate soil while breaking down organic matter. Natural farming harnesses these complementary relationships.

3. Diversity

Variations in ecosystems create resilience and stability. A diverse farm with multiple crops can better withstand pest pressures, weather extremes, and disease outbreaks. Monocultures are inherently fragile.

4. Crop Density

The number of plants per unit area significantly affects growth. Natural farming seeks optimal density that allows plants to thrive without competing excessively for resources.

5. Ecology

Natural farming is about understanding relationships between organisms and their physical environment. By learning from natural ecosystems, farmers create systems that are productive and regenerative.

Generic Principles for Practice

Soil Health is Everything: A healthy soil microbiome is critical for plant, animal, and human health. Soil is a living ecosystem teeming with bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and countless other organisms.

Local and Indigenous Seeds: Natural farming emphasizes seeds adapted to local conditions. Indigenous varieties have evolved to thrive in specific agro-ecological zones.

Year-Round Soil Cover: Keeping soil covered for 365 days protects it from erosion, maintains moisture, and feeds soil organisms continuously.

Crop Diversity: Growing at least eight diverse crops over the year ensures nutritional variety, distributes risk, and supports a complex soil ecosystem.

Minimal Tillage: No-till or shallow tillage preserves soil structure, protects beneficial organisms, and prevents the release of stored carbon.

Animal Integration: Incorporating animals adds manure for fertility, provides pest control, and creates additional income streams.

No Synthetic Inputs: Natural farming rejects synthetic fertilizers and biocides that damage soil life and create dependency.

The Five Key Components

1. Beejamrit – Seed Treatment

A fermented microbial solution used to treat seeds before planting, protecting them from soil-borne diseases during germination.

Ingredients: Fresh cow dung, cow urine, lime, a handful of local soil, mixed with water and fermented overnight.

2. Jeevamrit – Soil Enrichment

The most important preparation in natural farming. This fermented microbial concoction acts as a catalyst to promote microbial activity.

Standard Recipe: 200 litres water, 10 kg fresh cow dung, 5-10 litres cow urine, 2 kg jaggery, 2 kg pulse flour, handful of farm soil. Ferment for 48 hours.

3. Acchadana – Mulching

Covering the soil surface with organic materials. Three types:

• Soil Mulch: Loosening top layer to reduce evaporation
• Straw Mulch: Covering with dried crop residues
• Live Mulch: Growing cover crops that shade the soil

4. Whapasa – Soil Aeration

A soil moisture condition where the space between particles contains roughly equal parts air and water vapor. This balance is crucial for healthy root function.

5. Plant Protection – Natural Methods

Protecting crops using biological preparations:

• Agniastra: For sap-sucking insects
• Neemastra: Insecticide with anti-fungal properties
• Dashparni Ark: Multipurpose pest repellent from ten different leaves

Building a Living Farm Ecosystem

Natural farming is not just a collection of techniques—it's a way of seeing the farm as a living, interconnected system. The transition requires patience, but once established, input costs drop dramatically, yields stabilize, and produce quality improves significantly.