Archive · 1 Jan 2026
Farmers Reduce Fertilizer Use, Increase Earnings
Farmers in India are using less fertilizer and earning more money.
A program called N-Balance helps them figure out exactly how much fertilizer they need.
This saves them money and helps the environment.
The program started in 2023 and now includes 50,000 farmers.
Special trainers, called Climate Smart Entrepreneurs, teach farmers how to use less fertilizer without losing their crops.
Farmers like Manoj Kumar Kushwaha have seen their costs go down while keeping their harvests the same.
The program also collects important data to help farmers in the future.
It's a win-win for farmers and the planet.
50,000 farmers across Maharashtra, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu are part of the N-Balance program to reduce fertilizer use.
Farmers like Manoj Kumar Kushwaha have reduced fertilizer application from 2.5 kg to 1 kg per kattha, saving costs while maintaining yields.
The program uses Climate Smart Entrepreneurs (CSEs) to build trust and provide personalized advice to farmers.
EDF's intervention is guided by science, equity, and economics, ensuring sustainable and scalable solutions.
The program aims to create a massive, granular dataset to design customized advisories for farmers at a larger scale.
- Who
- Farmers in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Climate Smart Entrepreneurs (CSEs)
- What
- A program to reduce fertilizer use and increase farmer earnings through precise nitrogen balance calculations
- When
- Started in 2023, ongoing until 2025
- Where
- Maharashtra, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu
- Why
- To reduce financial burden on farmers, protect the environment, and secure yields
- Farmers Involved
- 50,000
- States Involved
- Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu
- Fertilizer Reduction
- From 2.5 kg to 1 kg per kattha
- Program Start Year
- 2023
- Program End Year
- 2025
- Key Organizations
- Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), PRADAN, SSEVS, ITC, Shakti Sugar, Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth
- Climate Smart Entrepreneurs Trained
- 2,000
- Agricultural Entrepreneurs Covered
- 8,000