‘ZBNF fast becoming a buzzword in State’

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) expert and State resource person K. Gangadharam on Wednesday said the concept was fast catching up in view of its health benefits and efforts would be made to promote it across the State.

Dr. Gangadharam was speaking at the one-day training session organised by the Rural Organization for Poverty Eradication Services (ROPES) and Children Believe, a Canadian INGO, in association the agriculture and allied departments for small and marginal farmers of SC/ST communities, at Bangarupalem mandal headquarters.

About 200 farmers from the targeted group took part in the training programme as part of which demonstrations and digital presentations were made.

“It has been proven beyond doubt that though chemical farming results in high and quick yields in the initial days, prolonged use of inorganic manure proves hazardous to living organisms in the soil adversely affecting its health,” Dr. Gangadharam said. The experience was no different abroad, he added.

The ZBNF functionary said Agriculture Department officials and NGOs involved in community health were actively involved in propagating methods of preparing manure for natural farmers.

“Just one cow and its dung could do miracles in over 30 acres, providing raw material for various sprinklers and organic manure such as ‘Jeevamrutham,’ ‘Ganamrutham’ and ‘Brahmastram.’ Other vital ingredients for manure such as neem, jaggery, barks and leaves can be be procured from the farmland itself, ” he said.

Dr. Gangadharam urged farmers to utilise the ZBNF schemes and subsidies from the government, apart from freely interacting with the field staff, and taking their suggestions.

MLA vows to do his bit

Puthalapattu MLA M.S. Babu said he would galvanise the ZBNF concept in the constituency which has maximum number of farmers hailing from the SC community with meagre income sources.

ROPES chairman K. Dhanasekharan, programme coordinator P. Sree Latha and former ZP chairperson Kumara Raja were present.