Ganga Maa Mandal
Ganga Maa Mandal
Ganga Maa Mandal
Index
Presents
Ultimate Secret on Beyond Organic Farming
1.0 Preamble
It is important to understand that any system we adopt for any area of societys needs be it food,
education, livelihood, public administration or law; should be completely holistic and sustainable;
offering the highest benefits to all included in the system. We have digressed in many ways from
this concept today. Our systems today follow issue based approach rather than an integrated
approach. The issue based approach is discrete in nature hence can not address to our
requirements holistically. Therefore such approaches are failing to be sustainable. Only when the
society wakes up and changes its approach of fulfilling the basic needs to more holistic ways, can
we expect any higher evolution of the collective human spirit today.
Food on one hand is one of the most basic requirements of the human beings and on the other
hand is one of the strongest factor that determines the quality of a societys health. The quality of
health of a society is determined by health of every individual vis--vis his/her interpersonal
relationship in a community and thus, the collective health of his/her surroundings! The word
health includes physical, emotional, social and economical health! If food is the factor
determining such health of a society, it becomes significant to pay attention to the ways we grow
our food.
Since centuries, we have experimented with various farming technologies to grow our food. The
technologies evolved with us through experiments and few of them settled down with us as the
traditional farming techniques and contemporary farming techniques.
When it comes to holistic fulfillment of the societies health, our traditional & conventional
methods of farming have fulfilled some needs but they also caused socio-ecological imbalance in
many ways. Today, the contemporary farming methods have been proving themselves devastating
in terms of lack of nutrition in food, chemical infusion in food, soil fertility, microbial culture in
the soil and the surroundings on a broader platform! Such farming is also leading to exploitation
of natural resources, fights for resources like water and electricity, debts on farmers further
leading to great decline in societys health!
It is time for us to understand the factors contributing to this decline, learn lessons from our past
and present and change our farming methods from destructive farming methods to such methods
which take care of every factor listed above and contribute to our HEALTH as discussed in
preceding paragraphs! More suitable is a farming method which is based on the universal values
of compassion, synergy & service as our traditional farming ways were.
When a system does not have any exploitative agenda to perpetuate, when a system is based on
the vision of service and benefit to all, when a system brings man closer to nature that system
becomes a divine vehicle for true social progress, Natueco is one such system.
2.0 History
Ever since man started cultivating food evolving from his dependence on his surroundings and
hunting, Agriculture practices have continuously evolved to address the growing need for
agriculture produce. The ever growing demand for better productivity is generated not only due
to the growing demand but also due to increasing percentage of the population taking up nonagriculture occupation. Changing eating habits of people added further demand to better
productivity. The situation got aggravated when agriculture land and produce started finding its
place for satisfying other human needs (e.g.; Corn for fuel, land for housing and industries, etc).
The constant search for better farming resulted in the development and promotion of different
farming systems from different parts of the world. For example, Traditional farming, Natural
farming, Bio-dynamic farming, Homa-farming, Organic farming, Chemical farming,
Permaculture-farming, Zero budget farming and Natueco farming. Different systems focused
on different issues.
Of all these different systems, the system of Chemical farming largely dominated many parts of the
world and still continues to do so. This happened mainly due to the market dynamic and the quick
results that can be obtained by Chemical farming. Chemical farming technology was generally
considered to be a good solution to improve the crops after a few years of its introduction by
rectifying the shortcomings in the traditional farming. But even after 40 to 50 years of its
introduction, farmers the World over are still struggling to get any sustainable achievement in
agriculture through chemical farming. They are also facing several problems in the produce due
to the increasing number of pest and diseases, and decreasing soil fertility. It is now being proved
that chemical farming technology is in fact not a good solution for a long term application.
2.1 Agriculture in India
Before British conquest, agriculture in India was a traditional way of life. It was not an economic
activity. In the autonomous Indian village, agriculture was the basic life activity of the people. Its
major function, (if an integrated life activity can at all be analyzed in terms of functions), was to
fulfill their life needs. The needs of the Government, of the market, of the industry were all
secondary to this function.
Agricultural practice was naturally organic, self-sustaining and strengthening the village. An
organic relationship existed between the village and its surrounding forest too. Forest supplied
food to the cattle, clean air for the crop, holding the aquifer of the land, fuel, timber for
implements and construction. Cattle played the prominent role in this agriculture, not only
supplying the manure (transferring the fertility from forest to agriculture) but also the prime
source of drought power. Irrigation for the entire village was largely maintained by village
community by connecting larger irrigation network with the local one.
Exports of agricultural produce such as spices, cotton clothes, medicinal/aromatic product and
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Sandalwood were major items which in turn brought silver and gold into the country.
Comparatively, Indian agriculture was the best among all in this period (Dr. John Augustes
Vodeker 1893). This was the golden period of Indian Agriculture.
The first attack on this self-sustaining agriculture took place in the form of heavy burden of tax
imposed on it by Britishers, altering the farmers relations with his farming land. Very soon the tax
increased to over 50%. This burdened the cultivators heavily and in turn had its effect on the
infrastructure the farming depended on. The forest policy of the British Government came as the
next major attack. In reserving the forest for industries (railways and ship-building), the farming
community was denied the use of forests thereby breaking the organic link between forest and
agriculture. Further, the local irrigation was made to decline by starving it of resources. Indian
farmers were forced to cultivate new crops like cotton, jute, sugarcane, tea, indigo, which were
needed as raw material for industries. This forced agriculture affected the farming community
adversely.
Under the impact of altered land relations imposed by Britishers, the restraints imposed on Indian
Agriculture for well over a century through their forest policy, negative attitude towards local
irrigation and due to forced agriculture etc., the Indian agriculture started losing much of its
vitality. In spite of these adverse situations, the productivity of the Indian agriculture continued to
increase even during most of the 19th century. With so many constraints, at the dawn of
Independence, contribution of agriculture in National GDP was still more than 65%. But with the
negligent attitude of our own Govt towards Agriculture continued after the British rule and as a
result we witnessed a huge decline in its contribution to GDP. By the year 2005, it reduced to only
about 25%.
2.2 Green revolution.
In order to meet increasing food demand and respond to unbalanced demand supply ratio post
independence, Chemical farm inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc were
introduced to the Indian Agriculture with the objective to increase the its yield. This new way of
farming was termed as the Green revolution! The Green revolution package was introduced in
selected pockets in Haryana, Punjab and Western UP. But its impact was felt in the entire country.
Concentration of resources in pockets implied a total neglect of the other regions, the aggregate
rate of growth of our agriculture production reduced as a result. The chemical farming led to the
decline of all traditional technologies and traditional resources.
Perhaps the greatest impact has been on traditional seed varieties. Thousands of traditional seed
varieties, tested and evolved over centuries with the Indian farmers, started disappearing from
market and from farmer families in less than a decade. The high yield seeds tested in some
laboratory for a merely an year or two started finding application in the Indian agriculture
leading to all sorts of diseases and pest attacks on the crops. Simultaneously the soil started seeing
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very high. The least the field area required by a population, the more people can be fed on the same
area of land. Higher the ecological footprints, less number of people can be provided for.
3.2 Food distance (food mile)
Whatever we eat, is generally produced in some place-other than where we live. The distance between
us and that place is defined as food mile. Suppose you live in Madhya Pradesh and the mango you eat
is collected from a tree in Andhra Pradesh, the distance between you in Madhya Pradesh and that tree
in Andhra Pradesh will be the food mile. Generally, it is measured in miles. The longer the food mile,
the more energy is required to supply the food to you.
This energy is acquired by using organic fuel and the increasing use of such fuel is becoming more and
more harmful for the environment. The food supplied from faraway places is also generally more
expensive. So, lesser the food mile, better for you and the environment as well. In simple words, the
more you consume grain, fruit, vegetables, spices and other things produced in your village or
farm, better for you as well as the environment.
4.0 Natueco Culture:
The word Natueco combines two words together, Natural and ecological!
Natueco culture is a way of farming which is based on imitating nature through critical scientific
methods to strengthen the ecology of a farm!
Natueco has been conceived as a holistic way to meet our farming and food requirements. It
addresses serious issues of a farm like
I) how to stay in synergy with nature without burdening it,
II) how to reduce the dependency on the external inputs to a farm
III) how to work scientifically, within the available resources in the surrounding of a farm,
without harming its ecology and at the same time gaining highest benefits from it.
4.1 Beyond Organic :
The features of Natueco culture distinguish it from the Natural Farming and/or organic
Farming. Natueco Farming can be termed as Beyond Organic Farming
In Natural or Organic farming, farming is done trusting the nature through the empirical wisdom of the
ages. In Natueco Farming, on the other hand, farming is done by knowing nature more and more and better
and better through critical scientific inquiries and experiments. It is an ever-growing, novel, unique,
participatory tryst between man and nature!
Natueco culture and Critical Scientific Agriculture became synonymous words. The major features of
scientific farming were also the basic features of Natueco Culture!
S. A. Dabholkar.
5.0 The Vision
Natueco has the vision to see every farmer prosperous and successful, to see every consumer
healthy and happy and to see Mother Nature thriving in our cultivation. Natueco is scientific in
approach and spiritual in its essence.
When we dont exploit the nature, when we work in harmony with natural laws, when we do not
focus on yield but rather work with an intention to nurture the soil which subsequently nurturers
its produce and hence our health; farming does not remain merely a commercial activity but
becomes a service to the nature and to the society.
This farming science is now being adopted and promoted by many young farmers in both rural
and urban areas who are seeing the benefit of it which are both less resource consuming and more
rewarding in terms of yield and its quality.
The objective behind the promotion of Natueco is to make people understand the difference
between an activity carried out only with the commercial objectives and an activity carried out
with community spirit.
Any activities become self sustainable when people contribute their efforts, share resources, cocreate a product and share rewards rather than competing with each other for exactly this cause!
Our religious places, the temples, mosques, gurudwaras and churches are all examples of how
people unite under a common vision and contribute selflessly for the benefit of all.
Similarly when the farmers unite for the common good of individuals, their families, society, when
the farmers change their farming approach from growing only cash to cultivating food for the
people; the entire society would change for the better. Farming is the core activity of human
society and when this core changes, every other layer will benefit from this positive change.
When the farmer learns to become truly self sufficient in terms of knowledge, resources and
approach; when a farmer learns what he is doing against himself and against the society, he can
undo the harm that has been done in few decades gone by.
The farmer has his first duty towards the mother earth to protect its delicate balance, second duty
towards his family and community to provide sustenance and health and then he has his duty to
offer the harvest of his labor to the world, to provide food in spirit of selfless service and not as a
competitive commercial activity! Such sense of farming makes a farmer richer in far more aspects
than by mere cash!
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Farming is not about getting more yield in whichever way possible or earn more money by saving
time and effort but it is about being able to grow quality produce continuously and sustainably! It
then becomes a service! Service to mother earth, mother nature, fulfilling the need of the
community; it becomes like offering the crop as Prasadwhere all have enough and all share same
blessings without discrimination.
Promoting Natueco is one little effort of ours in the direction to awaken farmers; as they are
unaware of their own exploitation and loss which are being incurred on them due to wrong
farming practices.
When the farmers of India be they from Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra or anywhere in the country
will rise up and refuse to become slaves of the corrupt systems, when the farmers will decide to
work for the highest good of their own community and that of people in the country, much will
change in the society.
Promoting Natueco is one little effort of ours in this direction to awaken farmers!
Let us spread the awareness about being richer by being in harmony with nature by adopting
Natueco farming, by adopting the approach of farming as community service, by adopting the
occupation of natural farming as a philosophy, a way of life and not a mere livelihood activity.
5.1 The visionary
Sri Sripad Dabholkar was the visionary behind Natueco Science! He dedicated 40 years of life in
finding out sustainable solution for the Indian farmers apathy which was consuming the farmer
community in 1960s.
Sri Shripad Dabholkar was a mathematician turned horticulturist who taught Natueco Farming
to the world as an exact science of Farming.
After leaving behind his own family and home he had set out on a journey with a warriors
determination to offer single solution to all the problems of the farmer community. He changed
himself from a mathematician to a botanist, ecologist, environmentalist, horticulturist and a
farmer to reinvent farming as an exact science independent of any individuals farming skills!
Natueco science to him was just one way of integrating these three aspects. His efforts to make
farmers into self directed learning groups(whom he called as Prayog Pariwar) or his stress
on venturism to develop true entrepreneurial farmer or his understanding of the deep connection
between consumer and the producer(which he called prosumership) was all intended to help an
individual integrate his living or lifestyle, his earning or livelihood and his learning (defined as an
ability to grow both inner as well as outer dimensions) into one seamless world resulting into not
only plenty for him but eventually plenty for all, forever".
In his book, Plenty for All he has explained about the Natueco Science and its exactness.
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He was also an educationist or a researcher who understood how to integrate living, livelihood
and learning into one homogenous canvas. He was named as Venturananda after his various
successful community ventures into many fields of life skills and education.
Readers are advised to read this book along with the book Plenty for all.
5.2 Philosophy:
Philosophy of Natueco system is to live and let live with joy, ease and grace!
Natueco is a science of life in and around Farms. Fundamentally Natueco believes that Where
there is Life, there is a flow of Energy. Therefore Natueco also deals with the flow o energy
around a farm indirectly.
Its objective is to create an occupation where learning, living, livelihood, love and laughter ( 5Ls)
is generated along with the work. Working in a Natueco farm is not only about working in a farm
to produce an output but it is about living in symbiotic relationship with the farm and its
surrounding.
5.3 The spirituality:
Natueco is for those who firmly believe in living a life of abundance, fearlessness, love, and believe
in living non-aggressively. Paradoxically, it is also about maximizing the farm output. To
understand this paradox, lets elaborate it further.
In an age where farming is considered as a source of income, Natueco brings home the point that
such activity needs to be holistic and should stem from a larger vision. Mere learning and
practicing a few skills can never be a substitute for this larger understanding and vision for life.
Natueco farming and its practice requires one to draw connections of their life with this culture
and live in sync with the other elements in their immediate environment. The love and the
nurturance provided to the plants in a natural environment creates positive energy and healthy
environment. For instance, healthy soil with balanced composition of elements and microbes
improves not only the health of the plant but also transcends into the life of people interacting
with this environment. Thus, it is not just a science but also a culture, such that it can be
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understood in any local context without any barriers of language, conventional education, region,
etc.
Those who want to learn the art of living, the art of being free and at the same time want to earn
their livelihoods with dignity and non violence can only appreciate and make the best of this
science. And those who look at their farms with only commercial motives may get disappointed
with Natueco farming if they are not ready to change some of their fundamental beliefs about life.
In a nutshell, Natueco is about living a rich life with grace and dignity!
6.0 Natueco Science
Nature has developed its ecology and continues to do so since billions of years, by utilizing its own
resources within their availability; without depending on any external resources and creating an
abundance in its ecosystem. With its abundance, this ecosystem nurtures higher and higher
complexities of life processes throughout their evolution.
Natueco Culture is a scientifically developed Farming system taking clues from this trait of the
nature, aimed towards abundance without external inputs to a farm and keeping the scope of
enhancement of knowledge wide open through individual experiments and experiences!
Natueco Science is a science of harvesting maximum Sunlight available on earths per square foot
of area using farming as a medium. The focus is on conservation of energy than on mere farm
output by weight. It emphasizes optimal and efficient use of soil, water and labor.
The Natures food chain starts with synthesis of carbohydrates in green plants, runs through
various macro and micro consumers and ultimately ends into brown mass of decomposed
organic matter, before releasing its mineral elements in air and soil. All natural aspects, which can
be incorporated in accelerating the biomass production, need to be used to their optimum level to
harvest maximum richness of nature.
Thus, Natueco Farming emphasizes on `Neighborhood Resource Enrichment' by `Additive
Regeneration' rather than through dependence on external, commercial inputs. It addresses the
four main areas for a crop.
i) SOIL-Creat a soil with best primary productivity by recycling the biomass and by
establishing a proper energy chain.
ii) ROOTS-Focus on development and maintenance of white root zones of the plant for
efficient absorption of nutrients.
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iii) CANOPY-Focus on harvesting the sun light by proper plant canopy management for
efficient photosynthesis.
iv) EXTERNAL RESOURCES-Focus on minimizing the use of external resources including
water to reduce dependency on the secondary productivity of the soil.
It maximizes farm output with minimum input in energy terms. Its goal is to maximize carbon or
biomass of the soil (factors of Primary productivity).
In Natueco cultivation harvesting of Sun energy is given prime importance, coupled with nursery
soil built up through use of all the plant parts. In Natueco, one needs to understand the principles
on his own initiatives, continuous innovating with scientific knowledge. Once this attitude is
established, Natueco promises "Plenty for all.
The answers given by Natueco science to our farming and food production needs are indeed
complete and beneficial. Natueco farming teaches us on how to cultivate an integrated view with
the nature & its resources while working in our farms for fulfilling our needs.
6.1 Productivity of a farm:
Productivity of a farm ( also called visible productivity ) is a combined effect of Primary
Productivity and Secondary Productivity and is measured as drymass/ per hectare.
6.1.1 Primary Productivity
Definition : Primary Productivity by is the productive efficiency of land without any external
input.
6.1.2 Secondary Productivity
Definition : Secondary productivity is defined as the incremental productivity of soil achieved over
and above the primary because of external inputs like water, fertilizers, pesticides, transportation
etc.
6.1.3 How to measure Productivity of a farm?
Primary Productivity is measured in terms of output efficiency (dry mass/ per hectare/KL of
water consumed) while Visible Productivity is measured in terms of gross output (dry mass/per
hectare). Hence with more addition of external elements to the soil it is very much possible that
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while Visible Productivity seems to be going up, the Primary Productivity of the soil is going
down.
Natueco Farming enhances the Primary productivity of the soil establishes a firm correlation with
use of energy and water as a resource.
6.2 Key aspects of Natueco
6.2.1 Focus on the mother not the child
When a mother is healthy she looks after the childs need all by herself. A sick mother cannot
deliver healthy babies. The same principle is applied to mother earth and the crop. Therefore,
Natueco farming focuses completely on how best the mother earth can be nurtured and made
strong and healthy. Natueco focuses on nurturing the soil and creating conducive environment for
the best yield to manifest rather than intervening with the nature and disturbing natural rhythm
of crop cultivation.
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Tender leaves
Flowering stage of plants leaves, branches, stem, flower and their roots
9.3 Why do plants need water, if none of the essential elements come from it?
Water is needed to act as a media for exchange of ions between the soil and the roots. Then it
becomes a simple chemical process in which the elements from the soil make chemical
combinations with the Hydrogen ions available in the water, the element in this combination is
then absorbed by the plant and Hydrogen is released back in the soil through root.
10.0 Let us Recapitulate
To put together all that we have elaborated in this book so far,
1. The Primary Productivity of a farm is the KEY FACTOR to determine its quality of the
visible productivity (yield).
2. The soil with good primary productivity helps in harvesting optimum sunlight
3. This helps in efficient photosynthesis in a plant
4. Hence the plant gives better yield with quality nutrients available in the crop.
With these fundamental scientific requirements of a plant, Natueco teaches to create your own
soil. The soil such created helps a farmer to do quality farming irrespective of the soil quality
naturally available in his farm.
11.0 Natural resources available to a farm :
While soil is the principal element of a farm, Natueco science has established a farms relationship
with few other natural resources too which contribute to a farms directly or indirectly.
In all, the natural resources which play important role in the plants growth as well as into a farms
development are :
1. Air
4 main constituent elements of a plant are obtained from Air accounting for 98 % of
plants nutritional requirements.
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Elements
Percentage (%)
Carbon
44
Oxygen
44
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
2-4
2. Water
Acts as a medium to carry minerals to plants through roots.
Acts as a solvent to dissolve minerals as plants take them in dissolved form.
Regulates temperature of a plant.
3. Soil
Serves as a medium for plant growth.
Defines primary productivity of a farm
2 % of elemental requirements of a plant comprising of 96 non-constitutional elements are
supplied by soil.
Supports the microbial activity important for the plants active growth and important for
the symbiotic relations of the nature maintain soils fertility.
4. Sunlight
Required for photosynthesis.
Sun light absorption in a plant and the rate of Photosynthesis are directly proportional to a
plants Leaf area (leaf index and canopy). Hence the amount of food produced by a plant
depends on the plants own foliage which in turn depends on overall growth of a plant.
Controls the different season and hence the temperature.
5. Moonlight
Impacts the movement of water inside every life form.
Harvesting from plants depends on the intensity of moonlight.
(Amavashya: Harvest oilseeds, food grains, etc as water content is minimal).
(Purnima: Harvest of ripened fruits.)
6. Dew
Plays an important role in rain fed farming.
Maintains soil moisture.
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Regulates temperature.
7. Humidity
Directly proportional to water loss through transpiration.
(It is advised to water the plants in the evening because roots in a plant grow at night)
8. Soil Micro-organisms
Decomposition of biomass.
Converts unavailable form of elements to available form.
Manage the porosity of the soil.
Helps in developing humus.
10. Animals
Rodents: Dig the soil and increase porosity and water holding capacity.
Animals: Fastest source to extract potassium and nitrogen for the soil. Animals eat
biomass and excrete within 24 hours. There excreta contains most of the nutrients
required by a plant. (Urine- Nitrogen, Salt, Acids) (Dung- Potassium, Nitrogen, Micronutrient, Microbes).
Earthworms: Soil turner, bring minerals from well below the soil to the top soil to replenish
deficiency. It enriches the soils with enzymes and and bacteria helpful in plant growth.
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Birds: Controls insect and pests on plants, bird droppings act as manure. Propagate seeds
from one place to another.
11. Stones
Used as mulch.
Stone powder provides fertilizer.
Farms with slope towards East ensure effective flow of water in a farm using gravitational
force. ( most of the rivers in our country flow eastward)
Therefore construction of water harvesting structures in a farm are recommended towards
East.
Amrut Mitti
12.1.1 Amrut Jal
Amrut Jal is a solution of water, jaggery, cow dung and cow urine containing a very high number
and diversity of hermetic micro-organisms. The chemical elements present in Amrut jal make the
soil fertile and the micro-organisms increase the chemical and physical qualities of the soil.
Materials required preparing Amrut Jal (the cost of the raw material is also included to give an
idea of requirement as per the individual size of the farm. This costing is applicable if all the items
are to be purchased. If these are available in a farm, the cost reduces further).
:
S.no
Material / Labor
Quantity
Rate (Rs)
1 liter
2.00
2.00
Cow Urine
1 liter
2.00
2.00
Water
110 liter
Jaggery *
50
Labor
ms
1 hour
0.00
40.00
2.00
150
20.00
Rs.
26.00
Cow Urine
Contains urea and other mineral salts.
Acts as insect repellent.
Source of Nitrogen.
Source of acids
2.
Cow Dung
Culture medium containing anaerobic micro-organisms for decomposition.
Source of nitrogen and potassium.
3. Jaggery
Food for the growing micro-organisms.
Used for fermentation to create bacterial life.
Step II Add fine paste of 50 gm of jaggery to the mixture of Cowdung and Cow urine.
Step
III
Step
IV
Step V
Step
VI
Application of Amrut Jal at the rate of 1L per square foot per plant
Year
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Days
15
30
90
180
22
Raw material
Quantity
Rate (Rs.)
Amrut Jal
400 L
0.25
100.00
85 kg (approx)
3.00
255.00
60 liter
0.00
0.00
Sand
10 kg
0.50
5.00
300 gms
50.00/kg
150.00
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Total (Rs.) **
15.00
300.00
675.00
Items
Importance
1.
Soil
2.
Sand
Increases porosity
3.
Biomass
4.
Seeds of different
plants
5.
Amrut Jal
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Fig 3: Pruning
25
Step I
Step II
Chop 100 kg
dry biomass
by 3-4 inches
Soak biomass for
24
hours
in
Amrut Jal
Clean an area
of 12 ft X 5 Ft
Step III
Spread
thin
layer
of
Amrut
Jal
soaked
biomass
in
area of 10 ft
by 3 ft
Step IV
Spread a thin
layer(1/4th of
the biomass
layer) of soil
above it
Step V
Spread
another layer
of
biomass
above the soil
layer
Step VI
Step
VIII
*Turn the heap upside down once every 7 days, ie 4 times in a moth.
Step IX
*While turning the heap, point should be kept in mind not to harm the microbial culture
born inside the heap. Therefore the heap should be turned softly.
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2. Seed Sowing
Following types of seeds should be sown on the Heap according to the six rasas (shadras) of
Ayurveda:The seeds of six tastes (shad rasa ) are as follows Sweet
Fennel seeds
Pungent
Chilies
Bitter
Tangy
Ambadi, tomatoes
Acerbic
Guarphali
Salty
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Step I
Step II
Step
III
Spread inch
of soil above
the heap
Soak the 6
types of seed
in Amrut Jal
for 2 hours
Spread
seeds
and
lightly
hands
the
evenly
press
with
Spread
soil
above it, about
double the size
of the seed
Step
IV
Sprinkle Amrut
Jal to moisten
the soil
Step V
Step
VI
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2.
Step I
Step II
Step III
Step IV
Step V
Spread
the
soaked
residue over
the heap
Step VI
Turn the heap. Continue turning once in a week for one month
Amrut Mitti will be ready for use after 140 to 150 days since the start of the process
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Pruning
1st
2nd
3rd
% pruning
25
25
95
Application of Amrut Mitti: Amrut Mitti is applied at the rate of 4L per sq. ft.of canopy
What should be done to keep the Amrut Mitti fertile?
On harvesting the produce of this Amrut Mitti, the excess biomass should be mulched over it.
After every three months, ash should be mixed in the Amrut Mitti at the rate of 30 grams /
square foot.
Amrut Mitti should always be kept covered with live cover. If there is scarcity of water, Amrut
Mitti should be made in the shade and kept covered with dry grass, polythene, paper or stones,
to reduce evaporation.
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The organic waste has not been chopped properly into fine pieces of 3-4 inches.
Enough moisture has not been always maintained in the heap.
Excess or less layers of organic waste have been laid on the heap.
Micro-organisms have died due to not having mulch (cover) the heap.
Living Micro-organisms have died due to obstacles in the flow of air in the heap.
Excess of water makes the heap sticky inside. Micro-organism cannot work in these
circumstances.
Decomposing is slow due to lack of nitrogen in the heap. Need to increase Amrut Jal.
There is an excess amount of fiber in the biomass.
After taking yield produced in the soil, all the left over biomass should be used as a cover on it.
After every three months ash should be mixed in it at the rate of 30 grams in every square foot.
It should always be kept covered with live cover. If there is lack of water, then the heap of
Amrut Mitti should be kept covered with dry grass, polythene, paper or stones, so that less
water evaporates.
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Production from Amrut Mitti soil is as under by many farmers from different parts of the
country.
s. no
Produce
Quantity
Rice
40 quintals/acre
Wheat
30 quintals/acre
Soya bean
20 quintals/acre
Ground nut
24 quintals/acre
Tomato
120 tons/acre
Sugar cane
100 tons/acre
Coconut
400 fruits/tree/annum
Grape
16 tons /acre
Banana
45kg/plant
10
Papaya
180 kg/tree/annum
11
Potatoes
40 tons/acre
Natueco science is emphasizes on understanding the nature and its web of relationships;
and using our understanding to intervene intelligently to help nature by enhancing its
processes to become more efficient and effective for a plants growth. A true Natueco
farmer must strive to understand the underlying principles behind the processes as
importantly as the steps and method of each stage of Natueco farming.
12.2
Knowledge base
Natural Intelligence
All life embodies an evolutionary intelligence embedded in its very DNA. It is this intelligence
which tells each cells how to grow, where to grow, when to grow, what to grow into. When the
balance of this intelligence is disturbed, then immunity of the plant is reduced leading to diseases.
It is this Natural Intelligence inherent in the Plant Kingdom that we seek to harness, nourish and
manifest through the Art and Science of Natueco Farming.
32
Demystification of Science
Demystification of science is generally used synonymously with traditional and local knowledge to
differentiate the knowledge developed by and within distinctive indigenous communities as
compared to international knowledge (sometimes incorrectly called the Western knowledge)
system generated through universities, government research centers and private industry. In India
few people understand the science of plants. These include students who complete their
institutional study and want to become a professional and handful people who have
comprehended plant science but do not adopt farming as profession. Today the bridge of
Knowledge is one way, our indigenous knowledge is not transferred to universities and knowledge
with universities is not transferred to demystified indigenous knowledge.
33
Natueco Science is indegenious to the nature and the farmer community. No expert from some
school or university is required to teach this knowledge to a farmer. It is generated by individual
experiences of a farmer. And such individual knowledge with the freedom to experiment is then
shared across the Natueco farmers groups which are called as Prayog Parivaar by shri
Dabholkar. The prayog parivaar become guides, mentors, helpers of each other and move in sync
with each other and with the nature. This way the Natueco Science gives rise to De-Schooling;
arriving at the concept of knowledge by Practice, education by experiments, learning with natural
instincts!
Natueco Farming -Energy to Energy Relationship
There is a srong correlation between a Natueco Farm output and the use of natural resources and
use of energy in a farm.
Symbiotic Relationship with Nature & Ecology.
Believes that the Natures intelligence is most superior, so we must develop farming from
mimicking Nature.
Follows the principles of eco-system networking of nature.
34
Childhood:
Puberty:
Youth:
Maturity:
Root Development.
Vegetative growth.
Branching.
Flowering and fruiting.
35
Old age:
Use
1 gm
Plant metabolism
1-2gm
Vegetative growth
1gm
Fruiting
Desired output can be obtained with knowledge of timing and place of storage of
food/energy.
5. Plant biochemistry
Understanding plant chemistry.
Creating a micro-environment / climate which resemble a forest and understand the inter
element chemical relationship.
Management
Soil
Roots
Canopy
36
37
MINIMUM
EXTERNAL INPUT
ASSURED,
CALCULATED &
RECORD YIELD
AMRUT JAL
SOIL
MANAGEMENT
AMRUT MITTI
CANOPY
MANAGEMENT
ROOT
MANAGEMENT
SEED
TREATMENT
NATUECO
FARMING
PRUNING
NURSERY
NATURAL
RESOURCES
38
12.3
Seed Treatment
Seed Treatment is a process to ensure maximum germination and provide in situ total Nutrition
for optimum growth of plants so that its produce is full of nutrition and vital energy.
Materials Required
1. Seeds to be planted.
2. Four different varieties of seeds (mixture of dicots & having less canopy and height then main
seed).
3. Fresh cow dung.
4. Termite soil.
5. Ash
6. Amrut Mitti / soil of the field in which seed would be sown
7. Cow urine
Importance of above materials
(a) Volume of four different seed should be equal to that of the main seed
These seeds are taken as they have complementary effect on main crop.
It helps the main plant by providing nutrients to it.
Of the 4 seeds;
Oil seeds: Provides Nitrogen, elements and vital energy.
Coriander: Resistant power, repellant to insect, high availability of micronutrients
Fenugreek: Nitrogen fixation + KADURAS + Iron
Bengal gram (CHANA): Nitrogen + amino acid; weed repellant as it contains acid.
Onion: Tikha Ras plus Sulphur + enzymes
Tomato (KHATA): Potash from leaves
Till or Muster
(b) Amrut Mitti / soil of the seed
The seed will have an experience of growing in the soil in which it has to grow.
39
( c)
It will become aware of the PH and the deficiency of the soils nutrition.
Termite soil
It is used as binding agent, it bind the seeds, cow dung and ash.
Note: - If termite soil is not available then it may be replaced by clay soil.
Steps I
Process
Mix the four different seeds + 2
part of fresh cow dung + 2 part
of ash + 2 part of termite soil.
Steps II
Steps III
Steps IV
seed balls they convey their positive feelings and emotion. The seed also gets the message of the
family and behave accordingly and will germinate with full energy and nutrition, thereby fulfilling
the nutritional need of the farmers family and consumers (This important aspect is ignored by the
modern university scientist!).
When a seed germinates, it indicates entrance of life into the seed. When the seed is enclosed in soil
(as in seed treatment) , the microbes can learn about soil and communicate to its environment about
deficiencies as it is the question of seeds survival. This is very supportive for the plant growth.
Seed support each other to grow main seed to avail nutrition from the soil. When society consume
these crops, growing and support each other, the World can feel Vasudev kutumbakam.
12.4
Biodiversity
Bio= Life
Diversity=Variety
Biodiversity is variety of life in a given ecosystem and their essential interdependence/ interaction
for sustainability as a whole. The variety of life on Earth and its biological diversity is commonly
referred to as biodiversity.
The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in
these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs
are all part of a biologically diverse Earth.
Essence of Biodiversity:
Biodiversity in farm indicates that flora & fauna are working with each other, helping each other
in natural and holistic way. Every one lives for helping each other in an symbiotic environment.
For instance cow eats bio waste of farm and offers urine and dung which helps soil enrichment to
spawn more life in soil which in turn helps flora and fauna of the farm. This is an example of
natures cycle.
If we can relate the pattern of biodiversity to human society, joint families can be the example of it.
A Joint family has biodiversity ie variety of relationships of different people in a family; offering
love and performing duties of different inter personal relations, working for each other,
41
benefitting each other and supporting each other. In contrast is the relationship pattern of a
nuclear family.
This example depicts comparison between a farm with biodiversity in its produce and a farm of
which cultivates is mono crop. In a farm with no biodiversity, there is an deficiency of natural
emotions with among all the natural elements of a farm hence the flow of energy is hindered in
one of the other. Emotionless farming technique also gives rise to violence in the form as basic as
destroying microbial quality of the soil and surrounding thence interrupting the cycle of the
nature. Such energy deficient farm produces crop which in turn is deficient in energy.
In our Puranas food is considered to be basic building block of life. If this block is energy deficient,
the flow of energy is disturbed in its consumer too. Hence it is said that
JAISA ANN VAISA MAN ( mind is developed of the same universal qualities as that of the food we
consume)!
Importance of Biodiversity:
Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, has
an important role to play.
For example,
When a big tree falls, their dry leaves become available as food to Microbes and Earthworms in
the soil. The Earthworms work round the clock for their lives but their life processes contribute to
their surroundings. They eat soil and dry leaves of trees and excrete. Their excreta is rich in
Nitrogen. They also bring nutrient from deep down the soil to the surface. These enriched
nutrients manure the plants of short life span (Alpjeevi i.e. seasonal / annual plants ) that grows in
refuge of the plants of medium life span (Madhyam jeevi i.e. bi-annual plants ). The life and death
cycle of Alpjeevi and MadhyamJeevi plants create manure for plants of Long Life span ( Deergh
Jeevi i.e. perennial plants ). The seasonal plants also create a constant food supply for the
earthworms in the form of dry biomass after their season gets over. All these plants offer food to
human beings, birds and animals and the cycle of the nature continues.
Hence the mention in our Puranas:
JAISA AHAR VAISA VICHAR = JAISE VICHAR VAISE KARMA = JAISE KARMA VAISA FAL
If we allow our farms to flourish in sync with the nature, we too become a part of this
universal phenomenon and hence can generate a feeling of VASUDHAIVE KUTUMBAKAM
(Whole world is my family).
Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms
Healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters
43
Objectives
Fulfill the nutritional need of underprivileged families by optimum utilization of neighborhood
resources.
Materials required
1. Land of 30 ft diameter i.e. (710 sq. ft.)
2. Seeds / seedlings
3. Amrut Mitti heaps 8
4. Biomass for mulching 200 kg
5. Amrut Jal @ 1 L / ft. i.e. 710L
Timeline
1. Within 3 months it starts producing
2. It takes about 1 -1.5 years to become fully productive.
44
Fig: Pictorial representation of Ganga Maa Mandal with crops undertaken and layout with bio-diversity.
45
Step II
Dig a disc shaped pit of 2 ft deep and 6 ft diameter-apply ash at bottom- moisten the pit with Amrit
Jal
Step III
Fill with No.3 biomass (more fibrous) like sugar cane begesse, coconut fiber, groundnut shell, etc that
has been soaked for 24 hours Amrut Jal, leaving 2 inches at top-fill the space with Amrut mitti.
Step IV
Fill its outer circumference with Amrut Mitti up to 1 ft and 1.5 wide.
Step V
Step VI
Crops
Banana
Papaya
Turmeric
Maize
Quantity
4
4
8
16
Total Production
140 kg
320 kg
8 kg
32 cobs
Nutritional value
Carbohydrates, Iron
Carbohydrates, salts, Vitamins
Blood purifier
Starch
Quantity
Total Prod.
Digestive disorders
Cough, cold; increase vital energy
Herbal tea
46
PART 2
1.
Methi
2.
Spinach
PART 3
1.
Chilli
2.
Sweet Potato
PART 4
1.
Arhar
PART 5
1.
Tomato
2.
Carrot
PART 6
1.
Coriander
PART 7
1.
Cow pea
1 kg / week
1 kg / week
3 kg/month
1 kg / sq ft
Vit. A
Starch
3 kg/season
Protein
3 kg /sq ft
1 kg / sq ft
Salts, Vit. C
Vit. A and iron
1 kg / season
Protein
Crops
Quantity
Total Prod.
Potato
Gram
Starch
Protein
Radish
Turnip
1 kg / sq ft
Calcium
Iron
Safed Musli
Brahmi
Wakhand
Nirgundi
Kapur Tulsi
Energy
Hair and memory tonic
Headache
Body pain
Resistance power
Adusa
Ram tulsi
Ajwain
Satawari
Ginger
500gm/plant
Cough digestion
Resistance power
Digestion
Energy
Cough and cold, spice
Kadu kadyatu
Aleovera
Panphutti
Aswagandha
Lendipepper
Gunj
Anti-malarial
Wounds, burns, skin , ulcers
Kidney Stone
Fitness
Milk indigestion
Throat dryness
47
1.
2.
PART 7
1.
2.
Sugarcane
Colocasia
5 kg/plant
Sucrose
Starch
Onion
Garlic
Spice
High blood pressure and
4. Pathways- each pathway comprises of eight vegetable plants for daily use i.e. each pathway
for a day.
S.
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Crops
Quantity Total
Production
Cucumber
8
3kg/week
Bottle Gourd
8
3kg/week
Sponge Gourd 8
3kg/week
Cow pea
8
1kg/week
Kundru
8
1kg/week
Bean
8
1kg/week
Brinjal
8
3kg/week
Nutritional value /
Benefits
Roughages
Salts, Vitamins
Salts, Vitamins
Protein
Salts and Vitamins
Proteins
Protein, calcium, vitamin
Financials
S. no. Items
1
Amrut mitti Heaps
2
Biomass for mulching
3
Amrut Jal
4
Seeds
5
Labor
days
(Clearing,
Total Rs.
layout,
Quantity
12
100
6000
model 5
Rate (Rs.)
675
3
0.25
150
Total (Rs.)
8100
300
1500
200
750
10850
48
Fulfill the Nutrition and Calories value needed by a 5 member family for a healthy life.
Fulfill all other farm related requirements of a 5 member family.
Raise the living standards of marginal farmers to a middle class level.
Ensure marginal farmers live a life with equality, prosperity and freedom without being
exploited.
55 g
20 g
Cholestrol
Sodium
Potassium
Total Carbohydrate
Fiber
Protein
300 mg
2300 mg
4700 mg
300 g
25 g
50 g
2. Matured green leaves harvest only 1% of it, so 100 sq. ft. for one meal.
3. Apart from food, family needs firewood, cloth, oil etc. This requires 1400 ft2/person. Total
7000 ft2..
4. Shelter and water each requires 1000.ft.2.
5. Storing place and place for play 500 ft.2 for each, total 1000.
Grand total of 10,000 sq ft. or Ten Guntha
Allocation of 10 Guntha
S. No.
Crops / Use
1.
1.0 Guntha
House
2.
0.5 Guntha
Store room
3.
0.5 Guntha
Free space
4.
1.0 Guntha
Pond
5.
2.0 Guntha
6.
1.0 Guntha
7.
1.0 Guntha
Vegetables
8.
0.5 Guntha
Cotton
9.
0.5 Guntha
Spices + Herbs
10.
1.0 Guntha
Fruit crops
11.
0.5 Guntha
12.
0.5 Guntha
50
Financials
S.
No.
1
Items
Quantity
Heaps (nos)
52
Rate
(Rs.)
450
2000
Amrut Jal
Total (Rs.)
23,400
6,000
-
5200
0.25
1,300
10,000
0.25
2,500
12
150
1800
35,000
Note:
a. This excludes the cost of seeds, pond, house and store room.
b. This costing is applicable if all the items are to be purchased.
51
Live
Fig:Fen
Pictorial representation of 10 Guntha with crops undertaken
52
Crops
Drumstick
Gliricidia
Jatropha
Methi Neem Curry Patta
Tomato
Bamboo
Vetiver Grass
Bottle Gourd
Castor
Kadu Kadyatu
Turmeric
Ginger
Marigold
Rose
Tulsi
Lemon grass
Arhar
Ambadi
Gunj
Wakhand
Panphuti
Adusa
Aleovera
Spacing (ft.)
10
5
5
10
4
10
2
10
10
5
5
5
2
5
5
5
5
5
10
10
10
10
10
53
12.6 Database
Self Education through Documentation (De-schooling)
Incredible brain can take from rags to riches, from loneliness to popularity and from
depression to happiness and joy if it is used properly. If you do the right things in right
way,
you
will
get
whatever
results
you
desire.
Unknown.
Documentation is essential for success. Usually farmers do not document their farm input vis--vis
farm output. This trend stops them from learning from mistakes and hence stops them from
evolving.
Farmers can self-educate by documentation. It helps to avoid/repetition of mistakes, data helps to
go take corrective actions. Natueco Science says when farmer understand plant physics, plant
physiology, plant chemistry, plant geometry, plant biology - he understand language of plants.
When plants get their requirements as per their needs plants grow well and yield better produce.
Documentation of plants growth vis--vis the farms input, farms output vis--vis farm input, yield
per plant, relation of canopy size with its yield etc helps a farmer learn from his own farm. Also
the farmer can shrare his experience with Prayog parivar to create a bigger database.
Suggested Format for Data collection for Grains/ Root crop/ Vegetables
s.
no
Cro
p
Area
( M)
L.
Prep
.
Cost
Seeds sowing
Dat
e
qty
Cost
Fertilizer
qty
Irrigation
Cost Date
1
2
3
4
5
Total
54
Cost
Harvest
Misc
.
Date cost
Cost
Input
Cost
(A)
Produce
qty
Valu
e (B)
Prod
seed
5. Maximizes yield, healthier plant which in turn makes it less susceptible to pests and disease
6. Maximizes nutrition to family by diverse and multi-crop pattern of cultivation
7. Less water intensive- rain fed and needs as much as we (humans) consume for personal
use
8. Dramatically reduces our eco-footprint and food-miles-good for environment
9. Aligned with natures 3 cycles- of matter, energy and life.
10. Increases biomass through perfect management of Sun, soil, plant and man.
11. A dignified way to help an individual shift from total dependence on external inputs to self
dependence..
12. Shock absorption against ecological and pest disasters- due to multi-cropping and crop
diversity
13. Combination of age old natural farming and modern scientific intervention
14. Highly integrative-reduces sense of duality.
15. It emphasis primary productivity.
16. It fulfils 5 L concept comprising living, livelihood, learning, love and laughter.
Advantages:
56
We derived a false sense of pride from the visible productivity of the farm without realizing the
apathy of soils primary productivity!
In the beginning with such conventional farming, the Visible Productivity can be easily increased
by external inputs. However, over a long period of time it impairs farms Primary Productivity
and gradually we start seeing a decline in the Visible Productivity even though external inputs
are the same.
Natueco Sciences focuses completely on the Primary productivity of a farm and concentrates
around enriching the soil in its carbon value. In other words, it is a way to increase the dry mass
output per hectare per kilolitre of water consumed.
In the beginning of understanding, this seems to be a very subtle factor but is an extremely
important point because the Suns energy can only be harvested optimally if the dry mass output
is maximized.
If land is harvested at its most optimal levels of Primary Productivity, it WILL give maximum
yield per hectare FOR EVER with the least input cost! Thus such farming becomes viable
financially.
With increase in the primary productivity, dependence on the external resources reduces
gradually; helps the farmer to create a knowledge base and data base of experience, create his/
her own seed bank and hence such farming becomes sustainable for a longer period of time.
The markets of the supplements for conventional farming unfortunately do not offer anything to
enhance the Primary Productivity of a farm.
57
Natueco Farming
Natural Farming
It is nature friendly
It is nature glorifying
Objective
Process
To locate feeder root zone, start digging from outer circle of the canopy towards the tree, 6
inches breadth and 1 feet depth.
When feeder root zone is located, dig a trench 1x1 feet for 1/4th circle of the tree canopy.
Cut those feeder roots which are exposed in the trench. Moisten the pit with Amrut Jal and
Apply ash on the cut feeder roots as antiseptic to the roots.
Fill the pit with Amrut Mitti and again moisten the surface of the trench.
Mulch the trench with biomass (No. 3*) dipped in Amrut Jal.
59
After two months, carry out the same process on the opposite side of the plant circle and
then after four months left or right side of the plant. At six months the remaining side.
After a year this process can be done 1 foot further towards the canopy, but this time the
whole circle can be done.
On the place where root treatment takes place, the shadow loving crops can be grown.
* No.3 biomass, which has the capacity to absorb 50% water of its own weight.
* In the rainy season this process of root treatment can be done at 15 days interval.
16.2 Pruning
Pruning is a post plantation management technique conducted to reduce the maturity time of a
plant and also for canopy management to get more productive vegetative growth to increase the
production from the plant in quantity and quality. Pruning also helps to prolong the yield
duration.
Benefits
Increase the productivity of the plant.
Maintain health and quality of plant and fruits.
Remove the dead, non productive and diseased branches.
Give specific shape and height to the plants/trees.
Regeneration of old plant.
Develop secondary and treasury branch earlier to have fruits on time.
Manage production with respect to market demand
Materials Required
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Secateurs
Saw
Cow dung,
Cow urine
Ash
60
Pruning
Time after
germination
Height/No.
of nodes
Pruning at nodes
from top
1.
2.
3.
34 days
50 days
59 days
13 nodes
13 nodes
6 nodes
At 5th node
At 5th node
At 5th node
Ensure 2nd and 4th branch gives fruit and 1st and 3rd leave for vegetative growth. Same procedure
can be followed in every plant.
Provide ash in 30th days 10gms to maintain the nutrition taken by the plants to the soil.
61
Stage of pruning
At flowering stage
Prune at
Just above the flowering node.
Fig:
Pruning
3. Pruning of Chilli
S.No.
1.
2.
Stage of pruning
45 days after germination
After harvesting
Prune at
30% from the top
70% from the top
4.Mango
62
in
tomato
63
A Humidity Chamber is a structure made of plastic sheets, bamboo, bricks and Amrut Mitti to
facilitate growth of plants. As the polythene is transparent, sunlight enters the Chamber. It heats up
due to incoming solar radiation and carbon dioxide released by the plants. Along with this, internal
moisture turns into vapor during day time and falls back as dew when the external temperature
reduces during the night. This reduces the requirement of water. The warmed structures and plants
inside the humidity chamber re-radiate some of their thermal energy in the infrared spectrum, to
which plastic is partly opaque, so that this energy is also trapped inside the chamber. The primary
heating mechanism of a humidity chamber is convection. This principle is the basis of the autovent
automatic cooling system. Although heat loss occurs due to thermal conduction through the plastic
and other building materials, net energy increases inside the chamber.
This entire process results in activating the plants in the chamber.
A Humidity Chamber
1. Is a nursery which can be made with very little water and space (10 foot long, 4 foot wide, 4 foot
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
height).
Is a nursery in which a seedling can be kept under excessively humid conditions supplied with
fresh air.
Is a moist chamber where there is very little transpiration from the leaves and increased foliage
growth.
Controls key factors like temperature, light, water and atmosphere.
Can be used to overcome the poor growing qualities - such as poor light levels, seasons, or soil
infertility- thereby improving food production in marginal environments throughout the year.
Can be used to grow saplings faster. Aromatic plants and the those that favor shade such as
coriander, mint grows faster in it. Saplings (plants fit to sow) can be made from the seeds in it.
Items
200 Gauge black polythene
Bricks
150 gauge White polythene
Amrut Mitti
Sand
Amrut Jal
Bamboo strips
Labor
Total
Quantity
4 x11 feet
80
14 x 8 feet
80 lt. (32kg)
32 kg
50 lt.
1
day
Rate (Rs.)
20/kg
3 each
30/kg
0.75/lt.
0.25/lt.
10 each
150/day
Total (Rs.)
60.00
240.00
90.00
60.00
10.00
12.50
10.00
150.00
632.50
Fig.1
Fig.2
Fig.3
Fig.4
Method of building
Step I
Step II
Place the 10 foot long and 4 foot wide black polythene of 200 gauges on the leveled ground to prevent
absorbing water from the soil, due to this moisture will be maintained.
Use the bricks to line the boundary around the polythene to stop Amrut Mtti from draining out.
Step III
Step IV
Step V
Fix both ends of the bamboo strips of at five places of the chamber
To bind these sticks strongly, 10 foot long bamboo, split in the middle is placed and tied to each
other in five places- one in the middle and two on either side.
Step VII 12 foot by 8 foot transparent polythene of 150 gauge is laid on this structure of bamboo sticks. The
pavilion is sealed by placing bricks along its border
Step VI
65
17.0 Conclusion
Natueco Farming is a component of a larger and deeper thought-process. It is essential for a
Natueco farmer to create an understanding of this larger vision and understand how Natueco
farming fits into this greater picture. In fact, Natueco Science is a holistic science concerned with
farming integrating other sciences with it, aiming at a final integration of living, livelihood and
learning. In the book plenty for all written by Sri Dabholkarji, one can read about the Science of
Direct-Learning, (experiential and de-schooled); about the Science of Venture and
Prosumership( concerned with the relationships and societal spheres) and about the Science of
Energy Economics and eco-economics vs monetary economics.
Natueco Science is about Life, it is a wholesome science which wants to include rather than
exclude, which wants to integrate all the sciences rather than compartmentalize; it aims at
generating a dynamic overall understanding that everyone can enrich through their own directlearning. Natueco Science is thus concerned with Oneness.
When we farm with love and concern for all forms of Life, our experience becomes deeper, we
open our hearts to understandings that normally evade us in daily life. We observe, we understand
our relationship with Nature, our being Nature. Natueco farming is thus envisioned to produce
not only material but also spiritual abundance.
Love and concern are key concepts in Natueco Farming, without these there is no Natueco as such.
Farming with consciousness is essential to bring about the transformation of the Self. With
consciousness our work becomes a sacred activity and with consciousness we have the power to
transform ourselves, and eventually our communities and the world we live in. If we act
collectively with consciousness, we can find solution for todays problems, we can reduce the
selfishness, the greediness and violence. More than this, global warming is known to be
irreversible, but the Truth is that by working consciously and collectively we can reverse its ill
effects without any doubt.
The Natueco farming system is a farming practice which involves effective and efficient use of the
available resources within the farm vicinity to enhance and enrich the ecosystem without
exploiting it, thus making a farmer prosperous with equality and liberty.
Natueco Farming Science is a (healthy) way of farming through scientific methods by using less
space, less water and natural resources from surrounding areas in accordance with changes in
66
the environment. Its aim is the protection of environment and the prosperity of the peasant
families. This method is developed by combining old/new natural methods and scientific methods
of agriculture. It has resulted in more and better yield at lesser cost.
The message of Natueco is -Farm yourself; your own transformation can only lead to a world
transformation.
Natueco science stresses on understanding nature and its web of relationships. Then,
using our understanding to intervene intelligently to help nature by making its processes
more efficient and effective. A true Natueco farmer must strive to understand the
underlying principles behind the processes.
Our world is facing unprecedented challenges ranging from poverty to Global warming. Natueco
farming can provide prosperity, joy and livelihood even to the poorest.
Soil is the most critical factor in farming and Amrut Mitti and Amrut jal has been scientifically
tested for superiority. This improved soil content will not only increase yield (quantity) but also
improve quality. Even in case when the quantitative improvement is stagnated, one can be sure of
qualitative improvement (increased nutritional value) in the produce. Increased nutritional value
will not only support good health of our society but also reduce food demand as we will be fulfilled
with lesser food intake.
While all these benefits are outcome of Natueco farming, it is very important to re-state that
farming should not merely be an act of money making. Only then true benefits of farming will
come about. If profit is the sole yardstick of farmers, Natueco farming will not attract him beyond
a point.
Soil, plants, microbes, birds, animals all help us in growing food, without knowing it as a great
work. They just do what is natural for them and give their service as offering to nature. They all
co-exist happily. In spite of our immense brain power, human beings do not do things as offering
but rather for selfish motives. Human beings have been gifted with capacity to reduce the entropy
in nature but we have done exactly the opposite. We must learn from nature, mimic nature and
live in co-existence with all living and non-living entities of universe.
In this book we have tried to share various concepts, ideas and processes related with Natueco
farming. The account in this book is not by any sense close to completeness. Farming is as vast as
life. Itll take volumes to cover the science and processes of farming, there is endless depth to it. In
a farm, life is abundant, so many worlds exists. A true farmer must be a continuous learner
because theres no end to learning. This book is just the beginning, as we spend more time with
nature, itll unfold its mystery and poses many new questions. This is why Natueco looks at
farming as a lifestyle for evolution of human consciousness.
Natueco farming does offer an opportunity, an invitation to start living a life of health, happiness
and non-exploitation.
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Only when we understand the deeper sense of life and nature, can we really make right use of
various processes of Natueco farming which is nothing but mimicry of nature. Its unfortunate
that farming has reduced only to a non-glamorous way of making money. Farming is a way of
life, which can help in realizing the true purpose of human life which is the knowing who we are
and living joyously.
Natueco Farming - the challenge
The success of the Natueco Farming depends solely on the interest and dedication of the farmer to
work with awareness and consciousness for his betterment in the society.
18.0 The way forward
Natueco is growing to become an inspiration for the coming generations of farmers. Natueco is
taking its mission forward by reaching out to many farming communities, by also offering urban
people support and resources on farming for their own day to day needs. Farming should be seen
in a new light of awareness about our needs and natures working, and Natueco is doing that with
its every growing community and its relentless work.
18.2 Context
Natueco culture compels us to ask some very fundamental questions to ourselves; even if they
appear irrelevant or unrelated in the beginning but as we begin to understand the whole picture,
we will start realizing the image.
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Who are we? What is the purpose of Human life? Are we and how are we related to rest of the
nature? What is our natural food? Is agriculture natural way of farming at all? How did
agriculture start? What kind of conduct will bring peace and happiness in us and our
environment?
There are no definite answers but all that we human do, including farming, must lead us to a way
of life that addresses or supports the search of the fundamental questions.
18.3 Ask question to yourself before you adopt Natueco in your farms.
If you find any of the reasons listed below are one of the answers to your question, you
have the right mindset to adopt Natueco farming!
21 reasons why I want to be Natueco Farmer?
1. It is a non violent way of growing food-No tilling and digging.
2. No external additives or pesticides are required
3. The soil nourishes itself while growing food-the method imitates natural process of top soil
creation.
4. Becomes Less laborious after 3 years of starting, unlike conventional farming
5. Maximizes yield per plant. This happens with improved health of a plant which in turn
makes it less susceptible to pests and disease
6. Maximizes dry matter/sq ft of available land. Makes business sense. More for less.
7. Maximizes nutrition per family by diverse and multi-crop pattern of cultivation
8. Least water intensive-just rain fed and as much as we consume for personal use
9. Overcomes an important constraint-a need to have good quality of top soil on existing
land. i.e. The results of the Natueco are independent of the soil type (produces same results
in clayey soil as well as sandy soil).
10. Dramatically reduces our eco-footprint and food-miles-reducing carbon footprints.
11. Is perfectly aligned with natures 3 cycles- of matter, energy and life.
12. Increases biomass thru perfect management of Sun, soil, plant and man.
13. The only occupation to set a man truly free-free from being a slave of an employer
14. The only dignified way to help an individual shift from dependence on external inputs(like
job, government help, infrastructure etc) to liberation and Swaraj in real sense
15. Provides shock absorption against ecological and pest disasters because of multi-cropping
and crop diversity
16. The best combination of age old natural farming and modern scientific intervention
17. Not an esoteric or theoretical concept and leads to wholesome and spiritual experience
18. Possible to develop new ventures and non-exploitative entrepreneurship abilities
19. Generates a natural healing climate where automatically harmony and love evolves and
greed or selfishness dissolves.
20. Highly integrative-reduces sense of duality. It is a highly spiritual practice.
21. Helps the farmer unlearn old mono-culture ideas and traditions which no longer are
useful. A perfect way to de-school ourselves.
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Dabholkarji came from a middle class family, had seven brothers and five sisters living together,
father was a well known High court lawyer and mother was very cultured and considerate Indian
woman. Since his young age Dabholkar ji believed more in his own experiences and expressions,
rather than academic way of building his character.
In 1942 he was a university student preparing for science graduation. The 1942 quit India freedom
movement made him feel strongly to build his individual academic career. In that period Dabholkarji
used to walk among the people in the countryside and also lived with them and tried to cultivate a
small organization called Shastra Siddhi Sadhanalay with an aim let us share and serve science
so that science can serve us with its blessings.
With this vague vision he undertook various graduate level studies. Physics, Chemistry and
Mathematics were course subject but he was always interested in Agricultural sciences, Biology and
especially Botany. With this subject he also got interested in Physiology of plants and studied
different social sciences: Sociology, Political science, Economics, Philosophy and Anthropology.
By the time our nation was a free sovereign Dabholkar ji got post graduation in Mathematics. After
completion PG he had a great opportunity to start Open Self Study Courses in different subjects.
This endeavor of different open courses was operated by Dabholkar ji single handedly. It soon
became very popular. With this early success, his passion for exposing own self to different life
situation increased. During this period he used to take long holidays and go to unknown places
where he lived the life of a tramp and moved on foot like a Sanyasi among the people of villages
with a different mother tongue and environment.
All these form of varied experiences and experiments enriched his life. He began to realize that
knowledge abounds everywhere in such a varied form that it is difficult to consolidate it in any
system. After some time he rapidly began to lose interest in his own activities in the open courses.
He closed entire open activity system. It took one full year to close these activities because of
various types of personal, social, structural, administrative, economical, and emotional involvements
which had to be dissolved in a detached manner.
In 1958 he was a free-lancer again, free to move and get involved in any field of life. He joined
Mouni Vidyapeeth. After spending three to four years here, he felt very familiar with the complex
mode of educational activities and got actively engaged in various types of extension and teaching
activities.
However, he began to get disillusioned about the thesis of bringing a change in our complex rural
life through various institutional activities and training. He formed an opinion that in whatever way
the institution may work, the structured curriculum of the system kills all the germs of creativity and
originality. During this thinking he initiated some activities and experiments in the institute.
Dabholkar ji had love for experimenting with plants since early childhood. He was successful in
growing prize pumpkin in a small earthen pot of about one and a half liter capacity, that the neighbor
used to call him Pumpkin Doctor. His desire for experimenting with the plant kingdom continued
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with the rural surrounding of institute and in campus with living quarters and a small open space
around each home.
This small space became an experiment ground for studies in Agriculture, Horticulture, Sericulture,
poultry, Goat and Rabbit rearing, soil fertility building, new techniques in wasteland development,
and so forth. All these experiments were aimed at a farmer who is living a life below poverty line in
the country and is living at a level of disinvestment, and who has no other resources than his own
free labour and the dry waste-land that he has at his disposal. During these experiments, Dabholkar
ji realized that so called packages of agriculture practices, professed agriculture extension agencies,
were out of place in such a dire conditions. The whole process needed a new approach towards the
application of scientific principles and techniques with minimum or no external resources available.
Dabholkar ji then started work on new approach in which exciting results began to be visible from
the very first year of experiments. In a very small area of nearly one thousand square feet, he was
able to grow a variety of fruit plants. He grew good bunches of grapes on one cubic feet soil, 30
lemons in 20 liters of soil, pineapples, guava, pomegranate, papaya, Drumstick, Custard apple on
terrace in polythene bags and even mango. Along with this, he grew a variety of vegetables too.
The whole place which used to be a barren waste-land, became like a forest of fruit plants, all
healthy, all productive and all taking their nourishments from the symbiotic built- in-aggregate from
the garden waste. To this space, he also added poultry, goat, rabbit, and sericulture. This small
garden became a sensation to everyone in the locality and to anyone who came for training or a
study course in the institute. About thirty people used to visit the work every day to discuss and
understand the approach; and used to leave their address, in a hope to join the courses on the
subject if started at this place.
The then popular Marathi magazine called Kirloskar offered to publish Dabholkarjis experiments
to bring these ventures to the common man. In January 1966 first issue was published and it
created sensation among the people. This magazine had the highest circulation among the Marathi
intellectuals and middle class readers, and among many farmers and active village workers. The
article received a tremendous response! it was a novel situation to deal with, 10,000 letters were
received on first issue. In November 1966, in the Diwali special issue, Dabholkar ji wrote an article
explaining a new design to organize a network of information on his ventures; he called this network
Swasharya Vikas Mandal, meaning self -help and self- reliance. This was created to build new
creative constructive possibilities in the ventures by working in ones own real life situations. The
nature of such a knowledge communication network became clear only after its actual trial in the
field. Each person was expected to have communication at least twice in every month and was
expected to give a ready procedure to others to conduct those trials.
After the success of this network, Dabholkar ji started a new network of learning exchanges. Five
hundred participants came forward to work on the new network. They were of different age groups,
of both sexes, of different professional and social standings. There was no syllabus, no regular
printed matters to send. They worked in one of the several venture groups like grape cultivation,
poultry rearing, vegetable production, wasteland development and so forth. For this purpose
Dabholkar ji introduced participants having common interests to one another. This cross
communication relay created a further feeling of belonging and togetherness in the entire group. The
network thus began to function by mutual correspondence and feed-back, and then began to
express as a unit by sharing and caring for the common experimental involvements in the group.
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To make this system active and dynamic, a telephone exchange-like-directory method was
introduced. By looking at a particular code number of the network activity one could contact the
desired set of addresses.
For example: They found that any code number of 7 or 8 digits will be enough to maintain a free
ready reference with all for any type of desired learning exchange.
Eg : in the grape cell activity there were various levels of real life situations that could be classified in
ten groups.
1.With verdana space to grapes
2. With kitchen garden and meager resources
3. With small farm but no resources
4. with a good farm but adverse climate etc.
All these numbers could further be suffixed to make them more systematic. The digit in the units
place was relating to a real life situation. Thus number 24 meant 2 for kitchen gardening and 4 for
availability of less water (for two months in a year). The suffix 4 helped to denote how the group 2 is
further qualified. The meaning of each of these digits would be given on a separate page elsewhere
in the directory.
The next digit in the tens place would denote credit unit situation, say (2)64 is the number, no. 6 in
this place speaks (from corresponding reference list) of non availability of fertilizers in the locality
then a credit to get over that difficulty would arise when he would be venturing in the cell.
Now the umber (2)64 could be easily read as the ventures where the provision of fertilizer could be
made to the participants of kitchen gardeners who in their locality had to face water problem in
summer.
Thus this post box cum directory number could make the choice system work as a telephone
exchange system helping one another to build up direct communication in the form of any
institutional communication in a cell. Moreover as this was a voluntary collaboration, no problems of
paying or charging fees also arise.
Dabholkar ji called this entire activity a Cell activity and the whole system of network was called as
Prayog Pariwar. The old name Swasharya Vikas Mandal was now replaced with this new
name. The word Prayog signifies experiments and the word Pariwar signifies sense of
belongingness and togetherness till the successes is achieved.
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