Empowering marginal and small-scale farmers in Tamil Nadu, India through sustainable organic farming: a pathway to livelihood security

Agricultural researchers have identified low-external input sustainable agriculture as a preferred development approach to address food security challenges. Recent years have seen the introduction of several sustainable agriculture systems, including integrated, agroecological pest management, and particularly organic farming. This study evaluates the impact of training interventions on the adoption of organic farming practices among beneficiaries. Significant increases were observed in the preparation of organic inputs (68.88%), vermicompost production technology (71.85%), seed treatment with biofertilizers (67.40%), organic pest and disease management (58.14%), organic seed production (31.48%), organic certification and marketing of organic produce (14.81%), and value-added products in organic farming (12.96%). The effectiveness of the training is attributed to the provision of practical knowledge, demonstration of benefits, skill development, and heightened awareness of organic farming practices. Adoption levels were recorded as 60.37% at a low level, 22.60% at a medium level, and 17.03% at a high level. Collaborations with stakeholders such as Theni Coconut Producer Company Limited, Agribusiness Department at TNAU, and the Department of Agriculture and Horticulture in Theni aim to further enhance income generation and livelihood security for farmers.