Factors influencing the adoption of organic farming: a case of Middle Ganga River basin, India

The sustainability of the agricultural system has become a global concern. Although the growth driven by green revolution technology has significantly contributed to making India self-sufficient in food production, the sustainability of the agricultural system has become debatable due to its adverse impact on the environment. Organic farming has become an alternative farming system to improve agricultural sustainability, yet farmers hesitate to adopt it. Therefore, this study aims to (i) identify the factors that affect the adoption of organic farming and (ii) investigate farmers’ perceptions towards its adoption. A total of 600 farmers (i.e., 300 organic and 300 conventional farmers) were randomly selected to conduct a field survey from two districts of the Middle Ganga River basin, India. A binary logistic regression was used to identify the factors that could affect the adoption of organic farming in the region. The results show that region, education, social category, training, farming experience, and monthly household income significantly affect organic farming adoption. Moreover, lack of financial support, lower yield levels, unavailability of markets, and expected low profits in organic farming are significant reasons that discourage farmers from adopting it. Therefore, by identifying significant variables associated with its adoption, the current study’s findings can provide better information for policymakers, which may help them make policies related to increasing the adoption rate among farmers.