We have often heard about natural farming and organic farming, but do you know about their differences and similarities?
If not, then this blog is just made for you. This blog will provide you with complete information about both farming methods with similarities and differences. let’s start.
What is a Natural Farming
Natural farming is an environment-friendly agriculture practice, where natural laws are applied to performing farming practice. The natural farming method works with each farmed area’s natural biodiversity, helping the complexity of plants, animals, and living organisms that shape each ecosystem to flourish with food plants. Natural farming is also known as ecological farming established by a Japanese farmer and philosopher, “Masanobu Fukuoka”.
Masanobu Fukuoka accepts farming as a food-producing system and an aesthetic or spiritual approach to life, the ultimate aim of which was, “the cultivation and human being’s protection”. As per Masanobu Fukuoka, the farmers can benefit from closely observing local conditions. According to him, natural farming is a closed system which demands human-provided inputs and mimics nature.
Fukuoka’s ideas have challenged conventions inherently challenging for modern agricultural industries. He advised an approach that benefits the local environment instead of using and importing nutrients and chemicals. Although natural farming is a subset of organic farming, it differs significantly from conventional organic farming. Fukuoka regarded organic farming as another modern technique that disturbs the environment or nature. Fukuoka claimed that he wants to prevent water pollution, biodiversity loss, and soil erosion while providing enough food. Nature farming involves many working models across the World, but Zero Budget Farming is the most famous model. Padma Shri Subhash Palekar developed this natural, spiritual, and comprehensive farming model.
Advantages of Natural Farming
- Natural farming decreases the initial costs of farmers.
- It automatically increases the farmer’s income.
- Natural farming improves the soil ecosystem.
- It involves cow dung which adds soil value and has high nutrients value and available locally.
- The farming method required less electricity and water.
- It increases the quality of the soil and improves the productivity of the soil.
What is an Organic Farming
Organic farming is a traditional method of agriculture which aims to keep the soil alive while growing crops. Organic farming is an agriculture practice complete through the organic process and organic material. It uses pest control which comes from organic manure and plant or animal waste. Organic farming is an eco-friendly farming practice which responds to the environmental suffering caused by synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides.
It is a new or latest system of farming that improves, maintains and repairs the ecological balance. The farming method uses green manures, cow dung, organic inputs, etc. Organic farming uses many advanced and models farm machines of various brands like Massey Ferguson tractor, cultivation machine, harrow machine, etc. The brand fixes Massey Ferguson tractor price and produces many beneficial farming products.
The organic farming works on three principles,
Health principles – It involves the health of the ecosystem, communities, and people.
Ecology principles – It keeps the balance between the environment and the ecosystem.
Fairness principles – It provides quality of life and right human relationships.
Care principles – It involves opinions about the environment of both the future and present.
Advantages of Organic Farming
- Organic is very economical as it uses less-expensive pesticides, fertilizers, and HYV seeds for the crops plantation. It is a cost-effective farming practice.
- It used cheap and local inputs, resulting in a good return on investment.
- In the Worldwide market, organic products have a huge demand.
- By exporting organic products, farmers can easily earn more income.
- As compared to chemical and fertilizer utilized products, organic products are tasty, more nutritional, and healthy.
- This farming practice does not use fertilizers and chemicals as it is very environment-friendly.
Similarity Between Natural Farming & Organic Farming
- Natural farming and organic farming both are poison-free and chemical-free farming practices.
- Both systems avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on plants and in all farming applications.
- Natural farming and organic farming practice encourage homemade and non-chemical pest control methods.
- Both methods use a native variety of vegetables, pulses, grains and other crops, and local breeds of seeds.
Differences Between Natural Farming And Organic Farming
In some aspects, natural farming and organic farming look the same. Still, they have differences from each other which we showed in the below table. Have a look.
| Natural Farming | Organic Farming | |
| 1. | Natural farming does not add any external fertilizers to soil or plants, neither chemical nor organic fertilizers. | In organic farming, organic fertilizers and manures such as cow dung manure, vermicompost, compost, etc. are used and added to soil and plants from external sources. |
| 2. | Natural farming involves neither ploughing nor digging, weeding, and manure, as in the ecosystem. | In organic farming, basic agro practices are required like ploughing, tilting, mixing of manure, weeding, etc. |
| 3. | Natural agriculture is an extremely low-cost farming method, ultimately moulding with local biodiversity. | Organic farming is still expensive due to the requirement of bulk manures, and it has an ecological impact on surrounding environments. |
| 4. | Decomposition of organic matter by earthworms and microbes is supported on the soil surface itself, which adds nutrition to the soil gradually in natural farming. | The compost and manure are included in the soil for their decomposition, which requires more cost and effort in organic farming. |
These are all about natural farming and organic farming, hope now you understand the minor differences between natural farming and organic farming. We hope you are happy with this blog and enjoyed it. For more latest updates about Mahindra tractor and agriculture-related information, stay tuned with us.