Zero Budget Natural Farming in 2025: Real Story of a BSc Agri Student

1. Introduction: Zero Budget Natural Farming in 2025—A true success story of a young farmer

Did you know?

“After passing BSc Agriculture, Rahul (Indore) turned down a job and started Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). Today he earns 12 lakh+ per annum, gets a 50% subsidy from the government, and has won the ‘Best Organic Farmer Award’!”

This is not a bookish story but a living example of India’s fastest-growing farming system in 2025!

My first question: “Is ZBNF really ‘zero budget’?”

(Rahul’s experience )

“I was sceptical in the beginning!” – Rahul says, *“In the first year I spent only ₹3,000 (seeds + dung), but after 4 months I made a profit of 1.5 lakhs!”*
Today’s reality:
82% of farmers spend ₹25,000/acre on chemical fertilizers (Source: NITI Aayog 2024).
ZBNF costs less than ₹500/acre!

Why Zero Budget Natural Farming in 2025? 3 big reasons

Climate crisis solution:
Government support:
Market demand:

✅ Subhash Palekar’s 4 Golden Rules

✅ The method of making Jeevamrit, which Rahul tested 50+ times.

✅ The 3 mistakes due to which 80% of farmers fail (Rahul made them in 2019).

✅ Complete list of government schemes + application process.

2. What is Zero Budget Natural Farming in 2025? Subhash Palekar's philosophy + Rahul's practical journey

“Learn to take interest, not a loan from the bank of nature!” – Subhash Palekar

“When I first heard about ZBNF, I did not understand how crops would grow without fertilisers and pesticides. But Subhash Palekar ji taught me, “Your soil has everything; you just need to awaken it!”

Definition of Natural Farming:

Zero Budget Natural Farming in 2025 is a farming technique in which the farmer cultivates without any external expenditure, without chemicals or market fertilizers. Subhash Palekar ji developed this system, and today, it is changing the lives of lakhs of farmers.

Rahul’s principle:
“Even if you are spending ₹5,000 on 1 acre, it is not ZBNF! I still make do with local seeds and cow dung!”

4 pillars of Subhash Palekar:

Principle	Rahul’s Comment	Relevance in 2025
Jeevamrit	"My farm’s penicillin—I apply 200 liters every 15 days!"	Boosts soil microbes by 10X
Beejamrit	"30% seeds were fungus-infected earlier, now 100% germination!"	Freedom from GMO seeds
Mulching	"I spread banana leaves—now I water just once a week!"	Solution to water scarcity
Waapsa	"Never used a tractor – earthworms loosen the soil naturally!"	Reduces carbon emissions (Low Carbon Footprint)

Zero Budget Natural Farming PPT Download

3. Principles of Zero budget Natural Farming in 2025: 5 rules of Subhash Palekar (2025 Update)

(Rahul’s Turning Point )

“My first ZBNF crop in 2019 failed by 90%! The reason? I did not do mulching. Today these 5 rules are earning me 12 lakhs annually!”

1. Jeevamrit: 'Probiotic' of soil (Microbial Magic)

*(Rahul’s 7-day guaranteed recipe)*

Ingredients:

10 kg Desi Cow Dung
10 litres of Cow Urine (Most potent 5-7 AM)
2 kg Jaggery (Rahul’s Tip: “Never take refined sugar!”)

Method:

Mix in a plastic drum, keep in the shade
Rahul’s Trick: “Stir once daily with wood, not plastic pipe!”

2025 Update: IARI Research says – Jeevamrut increases Nitrogen by 40%

2. Beejamrut: 'Vaccination' of seeds (Seed Immunity)

To enhance the germination of seeds, they are treated with a local solution. This removes the diseases of the seeds and initiates healthy growth.

(Rahul’s COVID experience)

“During lockdown, when shops were closed, I revived old seeds with Beej Amrit! Germination rate went from 30% to 85%!”

How to make:

5 litres of water + 5 kg of cow dung
50 gm lime + 100 gm soil (to protect against termites)

How to use:

Soak seeds for 30 minutes
New technique: “Dry on neem leaves overnight—2x pest resistance!”

3. Mulching: 'Air Conditioning' of Soil (Water and Weed Control)

This technique prevents moisture loss by pushing the ground and keeps the soil cool. It also keeps weeds under control.

(Rahul’s formula to save water)

Mulching Type	Rahul’s Experience	Water Saving
Banana Leaves	Lasts for 6 months	60%
Sugarcane Trash	Preserve after harvest	45%
Plastic Mulch (No!)	Tried in 2018—soil got damaged	0%

2025 Trend: Rahul now does living mulching!

4. Vapsha: Soil 'Yoga Therapy' (Aeration Secret)

The balance of air and moisture in the soil, so that the roots can take in oxygen, is vital to the health of the soil.

(Rahul’s no-till technique)

Don’ts:

Plough with tractor (kills soil microbes)
Irrigation with plastic pipes

Do’s:

Add earthworm compost (Rahul applies 100 kg per acre)
Plant plants on ridges (like pigeon pea, nitrogen-fixing)

Science says: ZBNF increases soil carbon stock by 11% (ICAR 2024)

5. Contrasting Crops: Nature's 'Complementary Therapy'

(Rahul’s Combo Strategy)

Main Crop	Companion Crop	Benefit
Maize	Cowpea (climbing variety)	Repels pests + provides nitrogen
Wheat	Mustard	Prevents fungal infections
Tomato	Basil	Enhances taste and increases price

“I earned ₹2.1 lakh per acre by growing 3 crops simultaneously!” – Rahul (2023)

Rahul's 3 big mistakes (and solutions)

Mistake: Kept the Jeevamrit in the sun (bacteria died!)

Solution: Ferment only in the shade

Mistake: Continuously grew pulses on the same land (nitrogen overdose!)

Solution: Follow crop rotation

Mistake: Did not make market connection (missed organic premium!)

Solution: Join FPO (APEDA link)

4. Why is ZBNF necessary in 2025? Learn from climate crisis, economic slowdown

“If you don’t adopt ZBNF in 2025, farming will become a loss-making deal!”

– Rahul (who increased profits 5x in 3 years)

“In 2022, my neighbour farmer applied urea-pesticides worth ₹1.2 lakh, yet the crop failed by 60%! That very day, I decided, Now I will do only chemical-free farming.”

1. Climate Crisis: Why ZBNF?

Parameter	2023 (Chemical Farming)	2024 (ZBNF)
Temperature	45°C (Crop got scorched)	Withstood 52°C! (Due to mulching)
Rainfall	400mm (Flood damage)	Production even with 200mm (Water retention)
Soil pH	5.3 (Acidic)	6.8 (Neutral) (Due to Jeevamrit)

2025 prediction: 60% more droughts expected in central India, says IMD—only ZBNF farmers will survive!

2. Economic need: "Reduce costs, increase profits"

The vicious cycle of chemical farming:

Urea price: ₹266/kg (2024) → ₹300+/kg (2025 estimate)
Debt burden: 76% of farmers are in debt (NABARD 2023)

Rahul’s expenditure in ZBNF (per acre):

Seeds: ₹0 (apples from last crop)
Fertiliser: ₹0 (jeevamrut/beejamrut at home)
Total cost: ₹3,200 (vs ₹52,000 in chemicals)

“I sold the pump I used to buy a loan—now the water in my field has gone down by 4 feet!”

3. Government Policies: Big Plans for 2025

PM Pranam Yojana (2025):

₹15,000/acre annual grant for adopting ZBNF
Rahul got ₹1.2 lakh for 8 acres in 2024! (official link)

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY):

₹50,000/acre for 3 years (to certified organic farms only)

APEDA Organic Export Subsidy:

₹5/kg extra (on Europe/US exports)

4. Market demand: Golden time for organic

(Direct conversation with Rahul’s customers)

Prices in Indore organic market (2024):

Wheat: ₹60/kg (normal ₹24/kg)
Tomatoes: ₹80/kg (normal ₹25/kg)
Pulses: ₹200/kg (normal ₹90/kg)

2025 trends:

Demand for organic products is growing 25% annually (ASSOCHAM report)
Rahul’s new venture: “I now sell organic processed food (atta, papad)—earning 3x more than MRP!”

Zero Budget Natural Farming PDF Download

How to Start Zero-Budget Natural Farming in 2025? Rahul's 7-Day Action Plan (2025 Step-by-Step Guide)

“I spent just ₹2,800 to start ZBNF—you too can follow this 7-day plan!”

“Day 1: I collected cow dung. Day 3: Neighbours laughed – “This is not manure, it is dirt!” Day 7: My first Jeevamrut was ready – and today the same neighbours ask me for advice!”

📍 Day 1: Soil Testing (Without Lab)

(Rahul’s Desi Technique)

Test 1: Take a handful of soil in hand – if no formation, need Jeevamrut
Test 2: Put soil in 1 glass of water – floating soil = poor quality
Rahul’s Tip: “If there are no earthworms in the soil, start Jeevamrut immediately!”

📍 Day 2-3: Jeevamrit Preparation

Material	Quantity	Source (Rahul’s Method)
Desi Cow Dung	10 kg	Free from nearby cowshed
Cow Urine	10 liters	Collect between 5 and 5–7 AM (most potent)
Jaggery	2 kg	From Khadi Gramodyog Store (₹80/kg)

Method:

Mix in a plastic drum (not an iron pot!)
Keep in shade, stir with a wooden stick every morning
Rahul’s Sign: “Sweet fragrance will appear on Day 7—use then!”

📍 Day 4: Making Beejamrut

(Insect-resistant vaccine)

Ingredients: 5 liters of water + 5 kg of cow dung + 50 grams of lime
Rahul’s special trick: “Soak the seeds and dry them on neem leaves – double benefit of repelling pests!”

📍 Day 5: Start Mulching

*(Rahul’s 3 low-cost options)*

Banana leaves (best—lasts 6 months)
Sugarcane bagasse (free from sugar mills)
Dry leaves (collect from the garden/forest)

“I tried plastic mulch in 2018—ruined the soil!”

📍 Day 6: Intercropping Planning

Main Crop	Companion Crop	Benefit
Maize	Cowpea	Nitrogen fixation
Tomato	Basil	Repels pests + Gets premium price
Wheat	Mustard	Fungal disease control

📍 Day 7: Apply for government schemes

(Rahul got ₹2.5 lakhs from them!)

PM Pranam Yojana: Application Link (₹15,000/acre)
PKVY: Contact Agriculture Department (₹50,000/3 years)
Organic Certification: APEDA (required for export)

6. Zero Budget Natural Farming Models: From Subhash Palekar to Rahul (5 Best Models of 2025)

🌾 1. Four-Wheel Model by Subhash Palekar Ji

🐓 2. Integrated Farming Model (IFM) + ZBNF

🌳 3. Tree-Based ZBNF Model

7. Zero Budget Natural Farming in 2025: Challenges & Solutions (Learn from Rahul's 5 years of struggle)

Challenge 1: Production drops in the beginning

(Rahul’s 2020 experience: wheat production reduced by 50%)

Reasons:

Lack of microbes in the soil
Shock of transition from chemical farming

Rahul’s solution:

Increased dung feed: 200 litres/acre of Jeevamrut (every 15 days)
Fungal control: Neem + garlic spray (at 10-day intervals)
Be patient! Production increased by 120% in the second year

Challenge 2: Water scarcity (especially in summer)

(30% of Rahul’s crop dried up in 2021)

Mistake: Mulching was not done

Challenge 3: Pest attacks (especially during monsoon)

(Rahul’s 2022 tur dal got spoiled by 70%)

Traditional method:

Neem oil (₹200/expensive
Rahul’s 2025 pesticide recipe:
5 litres of pesticide:
2 litres of cow urine
1 kg neem leaf powder
200 gm garlic
50 gm chilli powder
Spraying: 15 days apart

Result: Pest control successful 90%, cost ₹35/litre

Challenge 4: Lack of market access

(In 2021, Rahul had to sell his organic wheat at the normal price.)

3 Practical Solutions:

Join FPO (Rahul joined in 2023 and now gets ₹60/kg)
Get APEDA Organic Certification (Link)
Sell directly to customers.
Social Media (Rahul’s WhatsApp group: 200+ customers)
Sell on the farm itself (“Rahul Organic Farm Store” in Indore)

Conclusion

In 2025, Zero Budget Natural Farming in 2025 has become a necessity, not just an option. When my friend started ZBNF after BSc Agriculture in Indore, not only did his life change, but his farm became a model farm. Today, he is getting government support, awards, and respect, without any chemicals, just by working together with nature.

You can also start. Make it Jeevamrut, dedicate a corner of your farm for ZBNF, and see the change yourself.

👉 By starting ZBNF, don’t just do farming; become a part of a revolution.

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