Vishal Kalasannavar, a Belagavi-based farmer, has invited Zero Price range Pure Farming (ZBNF) campaigner Subhash Palekar for breakfast. When somebody tries to serve him a salad, saying it was all grown organically of their farm, Mr. Palekar objects: “I’m against something natural. We’re all for pure farming”. He laughs and settles for some jowar porridge and a portion of salad.
Mr. Palekar who hails from Amaravati in Maharashtra, is touring a number of Karnataka districts to coach farmers in a method he has developed on his farm with experiments spanning 4 many years. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) leaders like Chukki Nanjundaswamy are accompanying Mr. Palekar. They’ve held day-long workshops in a number of north and south Karnataka districts. He has argued earlier than them that every one sorts of crops — agriculture, horticulture and plantation crops — could be cultivated utilizing ZBNF. He has given them examples of farmers from throughout the nation who’ve adopted his strategies and succeeded.
In an interview to The Hindu, he urges farmers to reject each chemical and natural farming. “The Authorities of India launched chemical farming strategies within the identify of Inexperienced Revolution. It was most likely mandatory then, as we had to make sure meals grain safety to a big inhabitants. Nevertheless, it isn’t a technique for the long run. Use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and weedicides injects toxic substances into the soil and the fruits and grains. This circle of poisoning one another across the meals chain won’t ever cease. That’s the reason we have to quit chemical farming,” he says.
“Equally, we at the moment are witnessing a rising development of natural farming. That isn’t sustainable, too. It requires exterior inputs, both factory-made or do-it-yourself, which are alien to the native subject of the farmer. They’re pricey and want fixed and incremental improve in doses. Natural farming will, thus, improve the price of cultivation and won’t be able to make farmers debt-free,” he mentioned.
“ZBNF however is sustainable for the long run as it’s primarily based on the ideas of nature. It may be scaled up and it’ll improve farmers’ revenue steadily. It won’t harm or weaken the soil. That’s what our ancestors practised for over 10,000 years. We have now tweaked it a bit, primarily based on our expertise and a few scientific ideas of chemistry and biology. I began ZBNF practices on my farm and when I discovered them to be helpful, I started educating others. Right this moment, there are a minimum of 70 lakh farmers who’re benefitting from ZBNF practices. We have to take up ZBNF on a mass scale. I’ll go to the extent of claiming each farmer, large or small, ought to apply it,” he mentioned.
Subhash Palekar, ZBNF campaigner, speaks to Vilas Adhyapak, Marathi author in Belagavi throughout a latest go to.
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BADIGER PK
Subhash Palekar Krushi
His mannequin, now more and more being known as the Subhash Palekar Krushi (SPK), consists of seven steps — no cultivation, seed therapy with Beejamrut , vitamin with Jeevamrut, five-layer farming, no weeding, no use of exterior inputs like fertilisers, pesticides, pesticides or weedicides, and built-in farming with cattle and mulching.
All of the inputs for SPK fashion of farming could be generated on the farm and there’s no must enterprise exterior or purchase from the market, he insists. He’s against each chemical and natural exterior inputs.
“I consider that chemical farming is a company conspiracy and natural farming is a set of unscientific practices propagated by individuals who don’t perceive ideas of agriculture,” he says. “All of the inputs required for SPK could be ready on the farm. Beejamrut disinfects seeds and promotes wholesome germination. Jeevamrut is a catalyst for fermentation and promotion of microbes. Each these could be ready utilizing minimal quantities of cow dung and urine and inputs like lime, legume flour, jaggery and prime soil. Pesticides and pesticides could be ready utilizing neem oil and different useful herbs,” he provides.
Nevertheless, ZBNF or SPK isn’t for the lazy farmer. “It doesn’t imply zero administration farming. It calls for lots of onerous work, however it’s stress-free and spiritually liberating,” based on him.
SPK as ‘Adhyatmik Krishi’
Mr. Palekar dropped out of BSc Agriculture in his ultimate 12 months. This realisation got here after his pro-bono work with the Adivasis of Maharashtra. “I realised that every one our practices, proper from land preparation, cultivation, crop administration and harvesting, have been far faraway from nature. I made a decision to embrace ideas of nature in farming and stop fashionable farming strategies that have been closely influenced by western fashions,” he says.
He dismisses allegations that he’s selling the right-wing agenda of cow-based politics. “I’m speaking concerning the cow being a helpful animal and a pal of the farmer. There are some vested pursuits who’re taking part in communal politics over the cow. They’re mental fools, nothing else,” he says.
Mr. Palekar, who has described SPK as Adhyatmik Krishi (religious farming), says that he doesn’t consider in those that are selling Homa Farming, Agnihotra Krushi or Gavya Vishana Krishi or Cow Horn Fermentation technique. “I believe they’re makes an attempt at selling a political agenda. I’m very clear about my ideas. Once I say SPK is religious farming, I imply that it’s a means to realize liberation by onerous work. I discover that the opposite strategies are neither helpful for a rustic like India nor sustainable,” he says.
Advocates for self-reliance of farmers
Mr. Palekar is against the thought of a government-supported Minimal Assist Worth mechanism or market intervention schemes. “I strongly consider that farmers ought to turn out to be self-reliant by decreasing prices, growing output, carving out a distinct segment marketplace for their produce. I additionally really feel farmers can escape the clutches of the middlemen by taking on worth addition to their crops and by exploring direct advertising avenues offline and on-line,” he says.
Mr. Palekar is working carefully with the nationwide committee for doubling farmers welcome. “They contacted me a number of months in the past. They’ve visited my farm and people of some farmers who observe SPK strategies. Additional conferences are scheduled in Delhi in subsequent few months,” he says.
Printed – February 01, 2026 07:01 pm IST
