NEW DELHI: Natural farming is class and caste specific, with no substantial benefits in terms of monetary gain or dietary diversity compared to conventional farming.
Practitioners of natural farming tend to be more educated, from the upper caste and older in age-group than conventional farmers.
A recent study conducted in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand has brought out startling facts of social structure about natural farming which may interest policymakers and practitioners.
However, the separation line between the two practices is more blurred than clear.
The study ‘Impact of Natural Farming on Nutrition’ was carried out by the School of Agriculture and Rural Development at the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI) to assess the impact of natural farming on nutrition and to contribute to broader discussions on the topic.
It found that households practicing natural farming exhibit a self-reliant food system where food availability is higher than in conventional farming households.
The report indicated that natural farming practices help ensure food security and reduce market dependencies, in contrast to conventional farming households that rely more on market availability for their food.
The analysis of samples from the five states indicated that natural farming is more common among older and more experienced farmers. It found 38.67 per cent of respondents in 46–61 age group and 18.67 per cent over 62 years practising natural farming.
In contrast, conventional farming is predominantly by younger individuals, with 48 per cent of respondents aged 30–45. Additionally, natural farming is more male-dominated than conventional farming.
Another noteworthy finding is that natural farming is more prevalent among the upper caste or general category and scheduled tribes, while it is less popular among scheduled castes (SC) and other backward classes (OBC).
Conversely, conventional farming is more popular among OBC and SC communities. "We realised that in many parts of the country, the ST population unknowingly practices natural farming using non-chemical inputs as part of their traditional practices. That’s why their numbers are higher," said Anshuman Das, lead expert in Agroecology and Food Systems at Welthungerhilfe, a German non-profit organisation.
The study also revealed that natural farming practitioners possess higher levels of formal education compared to conventional farmers, suggesting that education plays a significant role in the adoption of natural farming practices.
The livestock profile shows natural farming households maintain a variety of animals, including cattle, buffaloes, goats, hens, and ducks, with variations in numbers across different states.
There were no significant differences in income levels between natural farming and conventional farming households across any state. In HP, conventional farming households reported a marginally higher average income of ₹2,53,600 compared to ₹2,52,453 for natural farming households. In Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, natural farming households had lower average incomes of ₹1,49,533 and ₹98,093 respectively, compared to conventional farming incomes of ₹1,60,500 and ₹1,13,600.
Both natural and conventional farming households in West Bengal and Jharkhand showed similar income levels. However, the study highlighted an important distinction.
Conventional farming households tend to rely on alternative income sources outside of agriculture, such as government or private sector jobs, while natural farming households primarily depend on agriculture as their main source of income across all states.
"There is no black-and-white scenario when comparing natural farming and conventional farming. The line between both practices is blurred, and there is a need for deeper investigation," noted Das, who was also part of the study in a few states.
For instance, against the assumption that natural farming may yield lower income, the study clearly demonstrates that there are no statistical differences in income levels between natural farming and conventional farming in any state.
The study also showed that practitioners of natural farming employ good management practices, placing a greater emphasis on sustainable practices like green manuring and the application of organic liquid manure.
However, some of the good sustainable practices were also found adopted by conventional farming households such as adoption of zero tillage, minimum tillage, green manuring, vermicomposting and bio-fertiliser application.
Meanwhile, there was no significant difference in dietary diversity between conventional and natural farming household members. This indicates that both groups consume similar foods. However, the study noted that conventional farming households have slightly higher dietary diversity due to their reliance on the market.