Comparative economic indicators of the farmers practising natural farming vs conventional farming system

Abstract

The present study was carried out in Kanchipuram district of the Tamil Nadu. Paddy is the main cereal crop raised in 47,739 ha of the cultivated area followed by groundnut and pulses.  Farmers following conventional and natural farming are purposively selected in 120 numbers to cultivate Paddy in 436.56 ha among that area and data was gathered from their respective fields. The main aim of this study is to analyze whether natural farming system was economically better with sufficient economic returns to the farmers against conventional farming practices. The study was confined only to major crop of the study area; paddy. The comparative analysis results revealed that natural farming is a viable option for farmers under the prevailing conditions with a significant yield gap and higher benefit-cost ratio against conventional farming in 2021–2022. Efficient use of available natural resources as a key input for farming was found economically attractive enough to trigger wide spread adoption of natural farming systems in the study area.