Zero-budget natural farming may provide sustainable future for agriculture

‘Back to basics’ is the mantra of Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), a radical indigenous farming technique gaining mass acceptance in some parts of India. Even the Union Budget 2019-20 referred to it as a practice to “double farmers’ incomes”. States such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh have already jumped on the bandwagon. While the practice is gaining momentum, the question is: can ZBNF really be the way forward for sustainable agriculture?