Major types of natural fertilizers
Indian agriculture uses diverse traditional and prepared bio-organic nutrient sources.
- Farmyard Manure (FYM): Decomposed mixture of cow dung, urine, animal bedding litter, and leftover fodder.
- Vermicompost: High-grade organic nutrient compost produced through earthworm digestion of farm wastes.
- Jeevamrut and Beejamrut: Fermented liquid bio-enhancers prepared from indigenous cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, and virgin soil.
- De-Oiled Cakes: Neem cake, mustard cake, castor cake, and groundnut cake rich in slow-release organic nitrogen.
- Green Manuring: In-situ cultivation and incorporation of leguminous crops such as Dhaincha and Sunnhemp.
Benefits to soil structure and crop resilience
Natural fertilizers restore long-term ecological balance in agricultural soils depleted by chemical overuse.
- Increases soil organic carbon levels, vital for maintaining healthy microbial food webs.
- Improves soil crumb structure, pore space, aeration, and root penetration depth.
- Enhances soil moisture retention capacity, boosting crop tolerance during prolonged dry spells.
- Supplies a full spectrum of trace elements (zinc, iron, boron, copper) in bio-available organic complexes.
Government support under NMNF and PKVY
The Ministry of Agriculture provides institutional and financial support for natural farming adoption.
- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): Supports cluster formation, organic certification through PGS-India, and input preparation assistance.
- National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF): Encourages chemical-free farming systems along river basins and rainfed tracts.
- Access certification standards, farmer producer organization linkages, and training via the official PGS-India portal.
Official source
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National Centre of Organic and Natural Farming (NCONF) ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is the difference between natural fertilizers and synthetic chemical fertilizers?
Natural fertilizers feed both the soil microbiome and plant through decomposed organic materials, while chemical fertilizers supply synthetic, concentrated mineral salts directly to plants.
Can natural fertilizers fully replace chemical fertilizers?
During transition, integrating natural fertilizers gradually rebuilds soil microbial life and fertility, enabling sustainable yields without chemical dependency over multiple cropping cycles.
How can farmers obtain organic certification under PKVY?
Farmers can form clusters of 20 or more members and register on the PGS-India portal (pgsindia-ncof.gov.in) through their local regional council or agriculture department.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
More Fertilizers & Crop Nutrition guides
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