Measuring sustainability of zero budget natural farming practices

AbstractZero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) has been popularized as an alternative agriculture in recent years in the country. Based on agroecological principles, ZBNF proved to be cost and resource effective. In the present study, the sustainability of ZBNF practices was assessed and sustainability variable was divided into three dimensions, namely, economic, socio territorial and agro-ecological dimensions. Furthermore, four unique criteria were considered under each dimension. In Economic dimension in case of Andhra Pradesh, the average score of the index of economic dimension was 199.75 out of 300 and fall into medium category. In the Maharashtra state, the average score of the index of economic dimension was 240.33 out of 300 and fall into high category. In case of Socio-territorial dimension in Andhra Pradesh, the average score of the index of the socio-territorial dimension was 242.42 out of 300 and fall under high category. In Maharashtra state, the average score of the index of the socio-territorial dimension was 229.58 out of 300 fall under high category. In case of Agro-ecological dimension in Andhra Pradesh, the average score of the index of agro-ecological dimension was 244.75 out of 300 fall under high category. In Maharashtra state, the average score of the index of the socio-territorial dimension was 248.50 out of 300 fall under high category. The average sustainability measurement index of ZBNF practices for Andhra Pradesh (228.97) followed by Maharashtra (239.47) falls under high level sustainability category.