The NMNF is a well-structured initiative aimed at promoting sustainable farming, reducing dependency on chemical inputs, and improving rural livelihoods. However, successful execution will require robust policy support, stakeholder collaboration, and continuous capacity building to achieve its ambitious goals.

New Delhi (ABC Live): The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare on 27/12/2024 published guidelines for the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF).

ABC Research team lead by Dr. Sriniwas Vasudeva critically analysed the guidelines for NMNF and reported as under.

Strengths:

1. Holistic Approach:

The NMNF emphasizes an ecosystem-based farming approach integrating soil, water, plants, animals, and climate.

It promotes traditional Indian agricultural wisdom while incorporating scientific research.

2. Financial Commitment:

A total budget outlay of ₹2481 crore, with ₹1584 crore from the central government and ₹897 crore from states, reflects strong financial backing.

Structured fund allocation, such as ₹1500 crore as output-based incentives for farmers, aims to ensure tangible results.

3. Extensive Training Ecosystem:

The plan includes training 18.75 lakh farmers across 15,000 clusters, with outreach to 1 crore farmers through farmer-to-farmer knowledge transfer.

It aims to establish 2060 Natural Farming (NF) demonstration farms, ensuring practical learning opportunities.

4. Structured Administrative Framework:

A multi-tier governance system from the national to block level, involving institutions such as ICAR, KVKs, and AUs, ensures policy alignment and implementation oversight.

5. Sustainability Objectives:

The focus on reducing chemical inputs, improving soil organic carbon, and promoting livestock integration aims to enhance climate resilience and biodiversity.

Weaknesses:

1. Implementation Challenges:

The transition period to natural farming is highly dependent on factors such as soil organic carbon, existing farming practices, and agro-ecological conditions, which may vary widely across regions.

2. Farmer Resistance & Awareness:

Encouraging a large-scale shift from conventional to natural farming requires addressing deep-seated farmer habits and skepticism toward yield and profitability.

3. Monitoring and Data Integrity:

While an IT-based monitoring mechanism is proposed, ensuring real-time, accurate data collection across such a vast landscape might pose logistical challenges.

4. Dependence on Livestock Availability:

The success of NF heavily relies on the use of local breed cows for bio-inputs (e.g., Jeevamrut, Beejamrut), which might not be readily available in all regions.

Opportunities:

1. Market Potential:

The creation of a national brand for chemical-free produce could open lucrative markets, both domestic and international, leading to better incomes for farmers.

2. Climate Adaptation:

The mission aligns with global climate action goals, potentially attracting international funding and partnerships for research and implementation.

3. Integration with Other Schemes:

Convergence with existing agricultural schemes (PKVY, MOVCDNER) offers an opportunity to pool resources and create a unified sustainable agriculture strategy.

Threats:

1. Scalability Concerns:

Implementing NF practices at scale without compromising productivity and food security could be a major hurdle.

2. Political and Administrative Hurdles:

Effective collaboration between central and state governments, along with local bodies, is crucial but might face bureaucratic delays and inefficiencies.

3. Market Competition:

Natural farming produce might face stiff competition from conventional and organic products if pricing and certification mechanisms are not well-structured.

Data Insights:

• Expected Outputs:

7.5 lakh hectares to be covered under NF by 2026.

10,000 Bio-Input Resource Centers (BRCs) to be established.

30,000 Krishi Sakhis (Community Resource Persons) to be trained for farmer support.

• Financial Allocation Analysis:

₹125,892 crore allocated for direct farmer incentives (approximately 50% of the budget).

₹10,450.7 crore for training support, showing a strong focus on capacity building.

Conclusion:
The NMNF is a well-structured initiative aimed at promoting sustainable farming, reducing dependency on chemical inputs, and improving rural livelihoods. However, successful execution will require robust policy support, stakeholder collaboration, and continuous capacity building to achieve its ambitious goals.