Study on adoption process and comparative economics of natural and conventional farming in Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Natural farming is a one-of-a-kind chemical-free farming method that helps in preserving and protecting the newlinevaluable natural resources by minimizing the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals. Present research was newlinecarried out to study the adoption process and comparative economics of natural and conventional farming in Himachal newlinePradesh. The study was based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through survey method from newline240 farmers while the secondary data were collected from various published and unpublished sources. Natural farming has newlinebeen since its launch, PK3 Yojana has witnessed success among the smallholder farmers of this hilly State. Natural farming newlinehas gained prominence across all development blocks and districts of the State, despite constraints imposed by the hilly newlineterrain and is being practiced by the farmers in almost all the panchayats of the state. Presently, about 1.71 lakh farmers have newlinestarted practicing natural farming on about 9422 ha of land across all agro-climatic zones of the State. 76.67 per cent of newlinefarmers were following the pattern of mixed cropping farm while 9.17 per cent of farmers were still growing the monocrop newlineunder natural farming system. Overall adoption index was 0.75, indicating that majority of the farmers have partially adopted newlinethe SPNF practices. On an average, farmers had 0.8413 ha/farm in SPNF and 0.7197 ha/farm in CF system and around 60 newlineper cent of total land was under cultivated land in both the farming system. There were five major crop combinations under newlinenatural framing i.e. Maize-pulses, Maize-vegetables, Vegetables-maize-pulses, Vegetables-pulses and Tomato-other newlinevegetables in Kharif season, whereas Wheat-pulses, Wheat-vegetables, Vegetables-wheat-pulses, Vegetables-pulses and newlineCauliflower-other vegetables in Rabi season. Among various components of natural farming inputs, use of Jeevamrit was newlinehighest in all the crop combinations. In Kharif season, under NF, cost C3 newlineranged between Rs. 1,01,447/ha (Maize-pulses