Determination of Factors Affecting the Adoption of Integrated Farming System in Dryland Areas of Southern India by Using Supervised Learning Techniques

Abstract

Smallholders of dryland ecosystems continue to live below the poverty line while facing significant economic and social deprivation with decreasing landholding. Most dryland farmers perform conventional disintegrated farming practices due to a lack of knowledge and resource inefficiency. This study investigates the possibility of an Integrated Farming System (IFS) to address the current dryland farming issues and explore various factors affecting its adoption among the farming community. This study aims to apply and compare supervised learning techniques to assess the primary drivers affecting the adoption of the IFS in rural southern India. The study shows that organic fertilizer production, farmers’ age, and involvement in the extension activity are the major factors affecting the adoption of IFS among dryland farmers. The study supports that small and marginal farmers have a high possibility of realizing the higher benefit from IFS. The study recommends that these components be given proper policy consideration in designing and implementing an effective farming system in dryland areas to improve farmers’ income levels.

Unraveling determinants of integrated farming systems adoption for sustainable livelihood and dietary diversity

“…Furthermore, it was observed that in the overall scenario, total livestock units were higher in adopters as compared to nonadopters, which suggested the role of livestock in system integration due to the importance of manure recycling within the farm. Similar observations were reported by Akshitha and Dolli (23). Adoption of integrated farming systems fetched higher income as compared to that of non-adopters due to synergism among different components while reducing the cost of cultivation through resource recycling within the system, which is the basic principle of IFS.…”

“…The study finds that age and education influence the adoption of IFS positively. The age of respondents as a proxy for experience had a significant positive influence on IFS adoption (23,24,35). It is believed that influences adoption by boosting a farmer's ability to "perceive, interpret, and respond to new events in the context of risk" (48).…”

“…Recognizing the various determinants influencing the adoption of IFS technology is crucial for formulating effective policies and ensuring successful implementation. Numerous studies have pointed out that factors like education, landholding, age, and information-seeking behavior positively influence the adoption of IFS (23,24). There are several studies linking integrated farming with dietary diversity in recent agriculture-nutrition frameworks.…”