By: Dr. Satyawan Saurabh
On November 25, 2024, the Government of India launched the National Mission on Natural Farming to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers and promote organic farming among one crore farmers. The National Mission on Natural Farming aims to train and support farmers moving towards organic farming, with a focus on cow dung manure and other non-chemical fertilizers available locally.
However, its integration with urban waste management systems under the Swachh Bharat Mission offers an innovative solution to address challenges in both agriculture and waste management. Farmers practicing natural farming reported yields similar to those practicing conventional farming. In many cases, higher yields per crop were also reported. Since no synthetic chemicals are used in natural farming, health risks and hazards are eliminated. The food has higher nutritional density and hence provides better health benefits.
Natural farming ensures better soil biology, improved agricultural biodiversity, and more judicious use of water with much lower carbon and nitrogen footprints. Natural farming aims to make farming viable and aspirational by increasing the net income of farmers due to reduced costs, lower risks, uniform yields, and income from intercropping. By working with different crops that help each other and cover the soil to prevent unnecessary water loss through evaporation, natural farming optimizes the amount of ‘crop per drop.
India generates 58 million tonnes of solid waste annually, which has the potential to produce 10 million tonnes of organic manure. Despite this, urban composting from segregated waste has not yet been integrated, which could meet the compost needs of 15-20 lakh farmers annually. Unprocessed municipal waste often ends up in landfills near rural areas, leading to environmental degradation and methane emissions. Urban local bodies process only 30-40% of the waste, relying on operational subsidies to keep waste processing facilities functional.
The requirement of organic manure is 2-3 tonnes per acre, much higher than the requirement of 100-150 kg of chemical fertilizers. Transportation costs make organic manure less accessible to farmers despite its low price (₹2,000-3,000 per ton). This model links segregated urban wet waste to farmland, making composting possible directly on farms. It addresses challenges in waste management while promoting sustainable agriculture.
Urban local bodies transport segregated wet waste directly to farms instead of waste processing plants or landfills. Farmers use traditional pit composting methods, mixing wet waste with dung slurry and bio-cultures to produce organic manure within 2-3 months. A city with a population of 1 lakh generates 10-15 tonnes of wet waste per day, which is sufficient to produce 3 tonnes of compost per day for a farmer’s crop cycle. Access to free organic manure on their farms, reducing transportation and input costs. Improved soil health and reduced reliance on chemical fertilizers. Savings on operating subsidies (tipping fees). Increased waste processing efficiency and reduced methane emissions. The benefits are many, including a reduction in landfill waste and associated greenhouse gas emissions.
City-farmer partnerships for solid waste management (SWM) supplied 2,300 tons of segregated wet waste to over 200 farmers, producing 600 tons of organic manure. Reduction in chemical fertilizer use by 50-60 tons. Improved soil health through rigorous testing before and after composting Germany has one of the most advanced waste management systems globally, focusing on a circular economy approach.
Organic waste is separated at source and converted into high-quality compost and biogas. Japan has developed the Takakura composting method, a decentralized composting technique using household waste. The method is widely adopted in urban and suburban areas. Sweden has adopted the bio-cycle farming model, where urban organic waste is used to produce bio-fertilizer and biogas. Singapore has set up community-level composting centers in urban areas to manage organic waste in a sustainable manner.
Incorporate urban wet waste composting into the National Mission for Natural Farming to meet farmers’ compost demand. Decentralized waste management: Promote city-farmer partnerships for local composting solutions. Strengthen farmer training programs in composting techniques and soil health management. Increase waste segregation practices at source through public awareness and investment in infrastructure. Provide subsidies for composting infrastructure on farms. Reduce operational costs for ULBs by encouraging direct waste delivery to farms.
The National Mission for Natural Farming (NMNF) and the city-farmer partnership model represent a transformative approach to address India’s agricultural and environmental challenges. Achieving NMNF’s goal of supporting one crore farmers requires collaborative efforts among government agencies, ULBs, and local communities, ensuring a win-win outcome for agriculture, urban governance, and the environment.
The writer is a poet, freelance journalist and columnist, radio and TV panelist.
