Ancient natural farming: Way forward to sustainability in modern agricultural practices

The modern agricultural system is directly associated to the food security to provide food materials to all on the planet earth. In this, the precision agriculture, hydroponics, aquaponics and vertical farming are most prevalent methods of modern agricultural system. It is directly dependent on the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, high yield varieties (HYVs), and modern machineries. The excess use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides contaminated and deteriorated the soil and cultivated agricultural crops. Thus, its consequences are soil, water, air pollution, reduction in the soil fertility and loss in the biological diversity, health issues due to the consumption of contaminated food items. The essential components for the sustainability in the agriculture are, fertile land, nutrients input, pest and pathogen repellents, irrigation water sources etc. Therefore, in most of the countries the farmers are looking for the natural farming (Rishi Kheti or Zero budget farming) and organic farming in place of modern agricultural system. The natural farming and organic farming is mostly dependent on the locally available resources such as panchagavya (cow milk, yogurt and ghee, cow manure, cow urine), plans based formulations, green manuring, crop rotation, mulching etc., that are beneficial for maintaining of soil health, water conservation, climate resilience and the produce are also free from contaminants and thus, beneficial for the human consumption and health. In this paper, we have discussed the essential components of ancient natural farming, organic farming and modern farming and have tried to made a comparative analysis of these farming systems.