Subhash Palekar: A crusader for sustainable, spiritual Zero Budget Natural Farming

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 just a few Karnataka districts to coach farmers in a way he has developed on his farm with experiments spanning 4 a long time. 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 each one sorts of crops — agriculture, horticulture and plantation crops — might 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 methods within the title of Inexperienced Revolution. It was most likely vital then, as we had to make sure meals grain safety to a big inhabitants. Nonetheless, it’s not a method 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 pattern 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 discipline of the farmer. They’re pricey and wish fixed and incremental enhance in doses. Natural farming will, thus, enhance the price of cultivation and won’t be able to make farmers debt-free,” he stated.

“ZBNF however is sustainable for the long run as it’s primarily based on the rules of nature. It may be scaled up and it’ll enhance farmers’ earnings steadily. It is not going to injury or weaken the soil. That’s what our ancestors practised for over 10,000 years. Now we have tweaked it a bit, primarily based on our expertise and a few scientific rules of chemistry and biology. I began ZBNF practices on my farm and when I discovered them to be helpful, I started instructing others. At this time, there are not less than 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, huge or small, ought to observe it,” he stated.

Subhash Palekar, ZBNF campaigner, speaks to Vilas Adhyapak, Marathi author in Belagavi throughout a latest go to.
| Picture Credit score:
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 type of farming might be generated on the farm and there’s no have to enterprise outdoors or purchase from the market, he insists. He’s against each chemical and natural exterior inputs.

“I imagine that chemical farming is a company conspiracy and natural farming is a set of unscientific practices propagated by individuals who don’t perceive rules of agriculture,” he says. “All of the inputs required for SPK might be ready on the farm. Beejamrut disinfects seeds and promotes wholesome germination. Jeevamrut is a catalyst for fermentation and promotion of microbes. Each these might be ready utilizing minimal quantities of cow dung and urine and inputs like lime, legume flour, jaggery and high soil. Pesticides and pesticides might be ready utilizing neem oil and different helpful herbs,” he provides.

Nonetheless, ZBNF or SPK shouldn’t be for the lazy farmer. “It doesn’t imply zero administration farming. It calls for lots of arduous work, however it’s stress-free and spiritually liberating,” in keeping with him.

SPK as ‘Adhyatmik Krishi’

Mr. Palekar dropped out of BSc Agriculture in his remaining yr. This realisation got here after his pro-bono work with the Adivasis of Maharashtra. “I realised that each one our practices, proper from land preparation, cultivation, crop administration and harvesting, had been far faraway from nature. I made a decision to embrace rules of nature in farming and give up trendy farming strategies that had 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 in regards to the cow being a helpful animal and a good friend 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 imagine 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 rules. After I say SPK is religious farming, I imply that it’s a means to realize liberation by arduous 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 Value mechanism or market intervention schemes. “I strongly imagine 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 and marketing avenues offline and on-line,” he says.

Mr. Palekar is working intently with the nationwide committee for doubling farmers welcome. “They contacted me just a few months in the past. They’ve visited my farm and people of some farmers who comply with SPK strategies. Additional conferences are scheduled in Delhi in subsequent few months,” he says.

Revealed – February 01, 2026 07:01 pm IST