The Natural Farming in Uttar Pradesh – Current Status and Future Prospects study presents a comprehensive assessment of the ecological, economic, and institutional dimensions of natural farming in the state, with a focus on scaling farmer-centred, low-input, and nature-positive agriculture.
The report highlights growing farmer vulnerability arising from rising input costs, soil degradation, water stress, and climate variability. Conventional farming has increased dependence on costly fertilisers, pesticides, and irrigation, intensifying debt and ecological stress. Natural farming, based on on-farm bio-inputs, livestock integration, and indigenous practices, demonstrates significant reductions in cultivation costs, improvements in soil health, water-holding capacity, and resilience to climatic shocks, particularly in regions such as Bundelkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The study stresses that while adoption remains limited, Uttar Pradesh has strong structural advantages for scaling natural farming, including extensive smallholder agriculture, existing institutional frameworks under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), and a large network of farmers, FPOs, KVKs, and research institutions. It identifies gaps in bio-input supply chains, soil health monitoring, extension services, market access, certification, and transition finance as key constraints.
Economically, the report estimates substantial fiscal and farmer-level savings through reduced fertiliser, pesticide, irrigation, and subsidy burdens. It emphasises the need for decentralised bio-input ecosystems, strengthened soil testing systems, market aggregation, and risk-mitigation support to ensure income stability during transition.
Overall, the study positions natural farming as a transformative pathway for ecological restoration, farmer resilience, and sustainable agricultural growth in Uttar Pradesh.
Key Words: Natural Farming, Uttar Pradesh, Soil Health, Bio-inputs, Climate Resilience, Farmer Costs, NMNF, Sustainable Agriculture, Livestock Integration, Market Linkages.
Research Paper: Natural Farming in Uttar Pradesh – Current Status and Future Prospects
Send download link to:
