Ecosystem Restoration Through Natural Farming

Abstract

The predominant kind of agriculture, conventional agriculture, has enormous negative externalities and poses serious threats to biodiversity and natural ecosystems. Incongruous use of chemical inputs has done adverse damage to the ecosystems. In order to address the problem and restore the ecosystem, the concept of natural farming, also known as Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), is used. Zero Budget Natural Farming is a low-input, climate-resilient farming strategy utilizing only local inputs and eliminating altogether the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Natural farming is an ecology-based sustainable farming system aiming at conserving biodiversity, combating climate change, and improving the livelihood of people and the ecosystem as a whole. Natural farming systems have been shown to promote more species diversity of both flora and fauna and microorganisms. Natural farming techniques have been shown to enhance soil structure and increased microbial activity over time. Natural farming systems are seen to be more climate resilient than conventional farming systems.