Sustainability analysis of integrated farms in coastal India

Abstract

Integrated farming systems (IFS) have emerged as an effective means to achieve long-term sustainability in smallholder agriculture, particularly in developing countries. IFS can enhance farm sustainability in stressed ecosystems, and their sustainability must be studied to achieve the long-term sustainability of coastal agroecosystems. The study's objective was to assess the sustainability of representative IFS of coastal West Bengal, India, examine the relative performance of social, economic, and ecological dimensions of farm sustainability, find key sustainability indicators, and identify the factors of IFS's sustainability. Another objective of the study was to suggest an indicative farm typology that encompasses a variety of alternative paths to farm viability. Using a composite indicator based on a synthesized indicator framework for small-scale farms, we assessed the sustainability of 140 IFS in coastal West Bengal, India. Farmers on the highly sustainable farms effectively collected and utilized sweet water, produced on-farm biomass, and used sustainable farming practices. These practices, along with the remittances provided by migrant family members, improved agricultural productivity, profitability, and living conditions of farm families. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis identified that farm size, soil fertility, and non-farm income shaped the sustainability of the IFS. However, the pathways to sustainability were differed depending on the farm types. The study also identified the farms that overcame the trade-off among social, economic, and ecological sustainability dimensions. Future research may explore how these farms may be used to achieve ‘strong’ agricultural sustainability in the coastal agroecosystems.