Title: ADOPTION DETERMINANTS, CONSTRAINTS AND FARMERS' SUGGESTIONS FOR COW-BASED NATURAL FARMING

Authors: Riya Parmar, Rachana Bansal and Anjali Pal

Publisher: The President, Society of Extension Education Gujarat

Keywords: CBNF, ATMA (FIGs), odds ratio, adoption determinants, constraints

Volume: 41

Issue: 1

Year: June 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56572/gjoee.2026.41.1.0011

Abstract: The current investigation examines the factors influencing the adoption, constraints encountered and the suggestions given by farmers in relation to Cow-Based Natural Farming (CBNF) in okra and tomato cultivation in Middle Gujarat. Findings indicated that farmers who were relatively young and better educated, as well as those maintaining strong connections with ATMA (FIGs), showed a higher tendency to adopt natural farming practices in the study region. The odds ratio for key variables i.e. age (0.921), education (1.358), family size (0.977), farm size (1.034) and association with ATMA (FIGs) (10.535), indicate the extent to which a one-unit change in these covariates influences the likelihood of adopting CBNF. Among the constraints, farmers ranked the "lack of a specialized market/premium prices for their produce" as the critical issue faced by them, followed by low yield in initial years and high labour utilization, specifically for weed management. Other problems reported by them include tedious and time-consuming process for preparing bio-inputs, limited commercial availability of natural bio-inputs and inadequate consumer awareness, certification and quality standards. To tackle these barriers, farmers suggested strengthening market support, followed by standardizing input preparation methods, ensuring local availability of CBNF inputs, providing practical hands-on training, enhancing government assistance and promoting consumer education regarding natural produce. The study underscores the importance of promoting specialized markets for natural produce, making certification more efficient, and increasing the accessibility of CBNF inputs through appropriate policy measures. By taking these actions, farmers will find it easier and more feasible to implement natural farming on a larger scale.