Project ‘Naisargik Sheti’
‘We have not inherited the earth, but loaned it from our future generations. The onus is on us to leave it livable for them’ ……. Mahatma Gandhi.
Sustainable agriculture and quality food production is the backbone of our Rural Economy and health of consumers. Agriculture consumes 85% freshwater, fast-depleting groundwater levels and making India a water-scarce country.
Objectives
- Adoption of efficient water management practices and reduce dependence on monsoon rains
- Avoid chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicide and growth hormones whichaffect health of consumers
- Improving soil fertility and maintaining it in a sustainable way
Project includes
- Natural farming in 22 acre land as pilot project
- Multi-cropping system, including Rice, Soybean, Cotton, Tur,, Wheat, Chickpeas, Lemon, etc
- Preparation of Bijamrut, Jiwamrut, Ghan-Jiwamrut, Sapta-Dhanyankur ark replacing chemical fertilizers
- Preparation of Nimastra, Agneyastra, Dashparni replacing chemical pesticides and herbicide
- Developing and maintaining natural mulching
- Monitoring soil morphology, soil moisture, air humidity and temperatures
Project Outcomes
- Food quality and taste has improved significantly
- Plant growth has improved by ~20%
- Use of 20 bags of Urea, 30 bags of DAP fertilizers and 10 bags of SSP fertilizer avoided (50 kg per bag)
- Cost of Rs ~150000/- towards chemical fertilizers has been saved per year
- No pests are observed on the crops
- Chemical pesticides costing Rs ~50000/- saved per year
- Reduction in ~9000 kg CO2 emission and other pollutants per year (1200+800 kg for urea), (4500 kg for DAP), (800 kg for SSP), (500 kg for pesticides) and others
- Conservation of soil with humus generation
- Achieving rural economic self-reliance leading to Sustainable Development Goal 2 - Zero Hunger
