CHENNAI: An international research paper has brought fresh attention to Tamil Nadu's integrated farming models, as it has identified the state as one of the most suitable regions in India for scaling up diversified and climate-resilient agricultural systems.
Published in Scientific Reports, the study said integrated farming practices adopted in Tamil Nadu, particularly in coastal and delta districts, have demonstrated improved farm income, resource-use efficiency and long-term sustainability compared with conventional monocrop agriculture.
The paper examined Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) in coastal eastern India and cited Tamil Nadu as a successful example of diversified agriculture capable of addressing climate-related risks, shrinking landholdings and rising input costs.
According to the study, integrated farming combines multiple agricultural activities, including crop cultivation, dairy farming, fisheries, poultry rearing, mushroom production and organic resource recycling within a single farm ecosystem. Researchers said such models reduce dependence on external inputs while ensuring continuous income generation for farmers.
The report specifically referred to integrated farming experiments in Thanjavur, where agricultural models combining cropping systems, horticulture, dairy, fishery, poultry, goat rearing and vermicomposting improved productivity and resource-use efficiency.
Researchers observed that integrated farming systems are particularly relevant for coastal regions vulnerable to cyclones, salinity intrusion and erratic weather conditions. The paper stated that coastal states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal possess favourable agro-climatic conditions for expanding these models on a larger scale.
The study analysed data collected from 208 farmers across coastal districts, and found that farmers adopting diversified farming systems recorded significantly better economic outcomes than those dependent solely on crop cultivation.
It identified institutional credit, education, labour availability and market connectivity as key factors influencing the adoption of integrated farming systems. The report noted that access to institutional credit alone increased the probability of adopting integrated farming by nearly 29 per cent, while market connectivity improved the adoption probability by over 21 per cent.
Researchers also found that integrated farming systems generated higher net returns by improving resource recycling and reducing production costs. Models integrating crops, livestock, fish farming and mushroom cultivation emerged as the most economically efficient among small and medium farmers.
The paper further stated that integrated farming aligns with multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty reduction, food security, climate resilience and sustainable agricultural production.
The report recommended targeted policy measures such as easier institutional loans, region-specific extension services, farmer training programmes and improved market infrastructure to accelerate adoption of integrated farming practices in coastal regions.