Natural farming and crop diversification can help farmers cut cultivation costs, improve soil fertility, strengthen farm resilience and build more sustainable and profitable farming systems.
Giving priority to natural farming, the chief minister has been encouraging such farmer-led initiatives, with Palnadu farmer Gudipalli Nagabhushanam emerging as an example of how sustainable agriculture can transform the fortunes of even a tenant farmer.
Nagabhushanam, a farmer from Lingamguntla village in Palnadu district, has been practising natural farming for the past four years. Working on a two-acre leased farm, he has reduced his dependence on chemical inputs and adopted diversified cultivation, primarily growing papaya along with brinjal, okra, tomato, bitter gourd and other vegetables.
The diversified cropping system provides him with multiple sources of produce and income at different stages of cultivation. It also helps maintain biodiversity, conserve soil moisture, improve soil health and support natural pest management.
Before switching to natural farming, rising expenditure on external agricultural inputs, declining soil fertility and uncertainty in crop production were major concerns for Nagabhushanam. He gradually shifted towards chemical-free cultivation and found improvements in soil condition, crop growth and the economics of farming.
Naidu was at Nagabhushanam’s natural farming field at Lingamguntla village on June 20. He interacted with the farmer about his four-year experience and inspected the papaya orchard and associated crops.
The CM appreciated his efforts and described farmers adopting such practices as role models for sustainable agriculture. Naidu discussed matters like crop diversification, biodiversity, soil fertility, moisture retention and natural pest management.
Nagabhushanam has further diversified his livelihood by setting up a traditional oil extraction unit. The unit produces cold-pressed oils from groundnut, sesame and coconut using natural methods, providing an additional source of income and creating opportunities for value addition.
Between June 2025 and August 2026, he invested `90,000 and earned a net income of `2.20 lakh from agricultural produce and cold-pressed oils over 14 months. This, according to the information provided, represents about three-and-a-half times the initial investment.
Natural farming has helped Nagabhushanam reduce dependence on chemical inputs and cultivation expenditure while improving soil fertility and crop growth. His experience demonstrates that crop diversification and value addition can strengthen the economic resilience of tenant farmers.
Nagabhushanam now hopes to inspire fellow farmers to focus on soil health, diversify crops and reduce dependence on chemical inputs while producing healthy and nutritious food.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
