Anantapur dist turns to natural farming amidst drought challenges

Anantapur : Farmers in the district are hesitant to switch to alternative crops due to erratic rainfall in this area, which fluctuates between excess and deficit during monsoon. Unavailability of seeds for these crops exacerbates the situation.

While heavy rains began in mid-August, the officials approved distribution of 27,907 quintals of alternative crop seeds, including fenugreek (21,791 quintals), pesarlu (1,501 quintals), alasanda (3,253 quintals), sorghum (973 quintals), korra (369 quintals) and millets (90 quintals). However, delay in finalising seed prices have slowed procurement, leading farmers to worry about the soil drying out before sowing.

Weather patterns have been unpredictable, with Anantapur receiving only 20.5 mm of rainfall in September, well below the normal 110.9 mm. August saw an unusually high rainfall of 210.8 mm, 230% more than the normal 83.8 mm, while July recorded only 24.4 mm, which is 61.8% lower than the expected amount. June, on the other hand, brought a significant 147.7 mm of rain, far above the normal 61 mm.

Shift to Polycropping and ZBNF

Farmersin Anantapur are gradually transitioning from traditional groundnut monoculture to Polycropping under Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) practices. Currently, 60,000 hectares are under ZBNF cultivation, with plans to increase this to one lakh hectares.

Initially, farmers were concerned about potential yield reductions under ZBNF, but more are adopting the method as they see improved outcomes. Since 2016, 4,263 hectares have been converted to ZBNF, with nearly 10,000 farmers embracing natural farming.

ZBNF promotes Polycropping, and as a result, groundnut is no longer the sole crop in many villages. For instance, in Rajapuram and other villages, groundnut is grown alongside tomato, chili, onion and castor. Some farmers are also experimenting with sweet lime, pomegranate and pigeon pea. This diversification helps protect crops from drought and ensures more consistent income, reducing migration from the district.

Farmers practicing ZBNF report healthier soils and better crop survival rates due to techniques like mulching and application of natural fertilisers like ghana jeevamrutam and drava jeevamrutam. For example, farmers in villages like Abbedoddi and Gollaladoddi, where ZBNF is practiced on smallholdings of 0.80 to 2.02 hectares, report improved crop yields and resilience even during dry spells.

However, migration remains an issue for farmers without adequate water resources. Some believe that integrating ZBNF with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) could provide additional support, especially with labor costs for constructing farm ponds.