Editing Masanobu Fukuoka (section)

==Natural farming==
{{Main|Natural farming}}

Fukuoka called his agricultural philosophy {{Nihongo||[[:ja:自然農法|自然農法]]|shizen nōhō}}, most commonly translated into English as "[[natural farming]]".<ref name="One–Straw_Translator's_Notes">{{nihongo3||自然農法-わら一本の革命|Shizen Nōhō: Wara Ippon no Kakumei|1975, in Japanese}}. Translated and reinterpretated in 1978 under the title ''The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming''.</ref> It is also referred to as "the Fukuoka Method", "the natural way of farming" or "Do-Nothing Farming".

The system is based on the recognition of the complexity of living organisms that shape an ecosystem and deliberately exploiting it. Fukuoka saw farming not just as a means of producing food but as an aesthetic and spiritual approach to life,<ref>''Linking foresight and sustainability: An integral approach''. Joshua Floyd, Kipling Zubevich Strategic Foresight Program and National Centre for Sustainability, Swinburne University of Technology</ref>{{Page needed|date=June 2017}} the ultimate goal of which was "the cultivation and perfection of human beings".<ref>''Agriculture: A Fundamental Principle'', Hanley Paul. Journal of Bahá'í Studies Vol. 3, number 1, 1990.</ref>

The four principles of natural farming are that:<ref>''The One-Straw Revolution'' by Masanobu Fukuoka, New York Review Books. Published 1978, 2009 edition, pages 33-34</ref>

* human cultivation of soil, [[plowing]] or [[Tillage|tilling]] are unnecessary, as is the use of powered machines
* prepared [[fertilizer]]s are unnecessary, as is the process of preparing compost
* weeding, either by cultivation or by herbicides, is unnecessary; instead, only minimal weed suppression with minimal disturbance should be used
* applications of [[pesticide]]s or [[herbicide]]s are unnecessary