Adoption Of Organic Farming Practices Research Articles

Adoption of sustainable farming practices in Vietnam: A discourse of the determining factors

To delve into the intricacies of sustainable agricultural practices, our study investigates both the behavioral and non-behavioral factors influencing farmers' decision-making processes. Employing the New Ecological Model (NEP) to capture social factors, our research framework integrates insights from the sustainable livelihood framework, which delineates five crucial types of livelihood capital: (1) human capital, (2) natural capital, (3) financial capital, (4) physical capital, and (5) social capital. This comprehensive approach enables us to incorporate additional non-behavioral factors and their impacts on farmers' decisions. We underscore the pivotal role of farmers' decisions in fostering sustainable agriculture, aligning with seven of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Leveraging survey data collected from 303 Vietnamese farmers, we validate our research framework using two analytical models: Structural Equation Model (SEM) and binary logit analysis. Our findings underscore the significant influence of farmers' risk propensity and concerns regarding food safety and environmental conservation on the adoption of organic farming practices. Notably, farmers' level of knowledge emerges as a critical determinant shaping their inclination towards sustainable agriculture. The study underscores the importance of targeted educational initiatives and awareness campaigns, identifying key determinants such as proximity to green spaces and farm size in shaping farmers' choices towards sustainable practices.

Adoption and Utilization of Organic Farming Practices on Cabbage Production Among Small Scale Farmers in Sheema Municipality

The study focused on assessing the adoption and utilization of organic farming practices on cabbage production among farmers in Sheema Municipality. It specifically looked at; finding out the existing organic farming practices on cabbage production, factors influencing the adoption of organic farming practices on cabbage production among smallholder farmers and suggesting the possible ways of motivating smallholder farmers to increase the adoption of organic farming practices in cabbage growing. The study employed a cross-sectional research design and primary data was collected from 322 respondents. The study used questionnaire and interview guide to collect data. The data was analysed using SPSS version 22.0. The study concluded that there were major existing organic farming practices on cabbage production among farmers. Such as; crop rotation, mulching, cultural weed control and intercropping respectively, use of crop residues and organic fertilizer application. The study also concluded that there were significant factors influencing the adoption of organic farming practices on cabbage production among smallholder farmers which included; land ownership at (p=.002), knowledge on use of organic farming practices (p=.029), limited off and on-farm income (p=.003) extension training services (p=.025) and availability of credit services (p=.024). The study concluded that there were significant and non-significant possible ways of motivating smallholder farmers to increase the adoption of organic farming practices which included; awareness campaigns and emphasis on training workshops on use of organic farming practices was significant at (p=.002), increasing easy access to credit to famers at low interest rate was also significant at (p=.005), subsidization of organic farming materials at a least cost by government was also significant at (p=.001), Capacitating the national extension systems to respond to organic agriculture needs was significant at (p=.000) and non-significant ones were; encouraging collaboration between farmers and trading institutions at (p=.144) trading and marketing organic agriculture products at (p=.590) and establishment of market infrastructures for organic products at (p=.199). The study recommends that; there is a need to develop a cadre of trained and certified organic agriculture professionals to support move towards use of organic farming practices, there is a need to ensure constant extension trainings on organic farming to cabbage farmers to enhance adequate knowledge that would change their negative attitude and perception towards use of organic farming practices and there is a need for credit institutions to lower their interest rate under the government policy to allow most cabbage farmers access credit.

Drivers for the Adoption of Organic Farming: Evidence from an Analysis of Chinese Farmers

Adoption decision is an important topic in organic farming research. In order to understand farmers’ decision-making, it is necessary to delve into the factors influencing their behavior. Some studies have used social psychology models to explore the adoption intention of farmers in specific locations regarding organic farming, but there is a lack of investigation into the differences in driving factors for adoption intention among farmers in the pre-organic conversion (conventional), mid-conversion (conversion), and post-conversion (certified) stages, as well as the examination of the relationship between intention and behavior. This study aims to address this issue by examining the driving factors of Chinese farmers’ adoption of organic farming practices. We established a theoretical framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and applied Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze intention data collected from 432 farmers and behavior data collected one year later. The study found that attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and descriptive norms positively drive the intention to adopt organic farming. In addition to intention being a determinant of behavior, farm size also positively influences behavior. The strength of the impacts of subjective norms on intention and farm size on behavior differs between conventional farmers and conversion farmers. The common driving chain of “attitude → intention → behavior” exists in the organic adoption decision of conventional, conversion, and certified farmers. Our findings suggest that the public sector can attract conventional farmers to transition to organic and stabilize existing practitioners of organic agriculture practices by considering the differences in driving factors when formulating intervention policies.

Peningkatan Keterampilan Budidaya Tanaman Organik melalui Pelatihan Pembuatan Pestisida Nabati dan Pupuk Kompos

The majority of residents in Punggur Kapuas are engaged in farming, primarily in horticulture and food crops, making agriculture a pivotal economic sector in the region. However, a significant issue has been the heavy reliance on chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which not only pose environmental risks but also indicate a lack of knowledge regarding sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices. The continuous use of chemical inputs has led to soil and water pollution, as well as disruptions to the natural ecosystem. To combat these challenges, this initiative focuses on training and educating farmers in the production of natural botanical pesticides and organic compost. The project encompasses needs analysis, collaborative design, outreach and training, monitoring, and financial analysis to compare the costs of natural alternatives with chemical inputs. The training component covers two main aspects: the production of botanical pesticides using readily available natural materials such as papaya leaves and garlic, and the creation of organic compost from organic waste. Compost production has a host of benefits, including improved soil fertility and reduced dependence on harmful chemical fertilizers. The method used is by counseling, discussion and direct practice in the field. The outcomes of this initiative include enhanced knowledge and skills among the farming community in Punggur Kapuas regarding the creation of safe and environmentally friendly botanical pesticides, a reduction in the use of chemical pesticides, increased productivity of organic crops, and heightened awareness of the importance of sustainable farming practices. The project has already demonstrated positive impacts, with participants gaining practical expertise in botanical pesticide and compost production. The initiative aims to encourage the adoption of organic farming practices and environmental sustainability, thereby benefiting the local economy and ecosystem. Future efforts may include extension activities, active mentoring, and supplementary skills training to further advance organic crop cultivation and promote sustainability in local agriculture.

Willingness to Adopt Organic Farming Practices among Arable Crop Farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria

Organic farming practices (OFP) are key components of sustainable agriculture. However, the adoption of OFP is not yet widespread. Therefore, this study examined the willingness to adopt OFP among arable crop farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage and proportionate sampling technique was used to select 333 arable crop farmers with the aid of a structured questionnaire. Mean, percentages, Chi-square, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation α 0.05 were used to analyse the results. Fifty percent (50%) of the respondents had high knowledge, and 46.1% had a moderately favourable perception of OFP. The majority (71.5%) were willing to adopt OFP. Inadequate credit facilities ( ˉx=1.79) and lack of access to organic inputs ( ˉx =1.57) were major barriers to adopting OFP. Farm size (r = -0.114), household size (r = -0.180), farmer’s knowledge (r = 0.128), and perception of OFP (r = 0.122) were significantly related to farmers’ willingness to adopt OFP. Arable crop farmers were willing to adopt OFP. They should therefore be equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills through training programmes.

Changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in organic farming practice and abandoned tea plantation

BackgroundThe restoration of conventional tea plantations and the adoption of organic farming practices could impact soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) stocks. This study investigated the soil properties, SOC and N contents and stocks, and their vertical distributions of a secondary forest restored from an abandoned conventional tea plantation and a converted organic tea plantation. An adjacent conventional tea plantation employing similar intermediate farming served as a comparison.ResultsWithin a 50-cm depth, the secondary forest exhibited a higher SOC stock of 115.53 ± 7.23 Mg C ha− 1 compared to 92.1 ± 8.54 Mg C ha− 1 for the conventional tea plantation. No significant differences in N stocks were seen between the two land uses. Significantly high SOC and N contents and stocks were found in the 0–10 cm layer of the secondary forest compared to the conventional tea plantation. No significant disparities in SOC and N stocks were found between the conventional and organic tea plantations within the 50 cm depth (92.1 ± 8.54 Mg C ha− 1 and 10.06 ± 1.01 Mg N ha− 1 vs. 97.47 ± 1.53 Mg C ha− 1 and 9.70 ± 0.10 Mg N ha− 1). However, higher levels of SOC and N contents and stocks were observed at a depth of 10 cm in the conventional tea plantation and below 10 cm in the organic tea plantation.ConclusionsThe C and N inputs derived from high litter production at the top soil strongly contributed to higher SOC and N contents and stocks in the secondary forest. The application of soybean amendments in the conventional tea plantation and the longer tea plantation age of the organic tea plantation influenced their distribution of SOC and N contents and stocks, respectively. Reverting a conventional tea plantation into a secondary forest contributed to C recovery and reaccumulation. The conventional tea plantation, employing similar intermediate farming practices, increased SOC and N contents and stocks in the surface soil compared to the organic tea plantation. However, adopting organic farming did not significantly increase SOC stocks compared to the conventional tea plantation.

Assessment and Mapping of Micronutrient Cation Distribution in Agricultural Research Station Soil: A Geospatial Approach

Aim: The objective was to construct fertility maps of the area, specifically focusing on micronutrient cations. The research aims to provide valuable insights into the spatial distribution of micronutrients, aiding in the development of targeted agricultural practices and informed decision-making.
 Study Design: Soil sampling, soil analysis and soil mapping.
 Place and Duration of Study: Agricultural Research Station, Ummedganj-Kota in 2019 and 2020
 Methodology: The study involved the collection of 300 soil samples, with precise coordinate’s locked using GPS technology. Soil variability maps for soil micronutrient Zn,Fe, Mn and Cu were generated by using Arc GIS 10.5 on the basis of latitude and longitude of sample site by using hand GPS device and analyzed sample data. 
 Results: The available-Zn of the soils ranged from 0.03 to 4.39 mg kg-1 with a mean value 0.61 mg kg-1, the soil falls under low (64.67%) to medium (30.33%) in available Zn. The available-Fe of the soils ranged from 1.09 to 12.54 mg kg-1 with a mean value 4.29 mg kg-1, the soils fall under low (58.00%) and medium (31.67%) categories for available Fe. The available-Mn of the soils ranged from 2.27-22.31 mg kg-1 with a mean value 5.74 mg kg-1, the soils of the farm falls under medium (28.33%) to high (69.34%) in available Mn. The available-Cu of the soils ranged from 0.32-2.25 mg kg-1 with a mean value 1.09 mg kg-1, the soil comes under high (57.00%) and very high (30.33%) categories for available Cu.
 Conclusion: Spatial variability map it was found that a high amount of Zn, Mn, Fe present in the soil of field number 14 and 12A compared to other fields. The possible cause behind this may be due to adoption of organic farming practices in field number 14 and execution of integrated farming system modules in field number 12A from some year.

Experimenting with a green ‘Green Revolution’. Evidence from a randomised controlled trial in Indonesia

Decades of intensively applying Green Revolution technologies came at environmental costs, i.e. degraded water and soil quality as well as a loss of biodiversity. This has led to an increased interest in organic farming, yet it remains a marginal activity in many countries. Previous studies highlighted information as an important driver of technology adoption, but little is known about the effect of removing information constraints in the context of organic farming. This study focuses on the role of information provision and training for the adoption of organic farming practices in Indonesia. We use a randomised controlled trial (RCT) complemented by qualitative research methods to identify the impact of a three-day hands-on training in organic farming for smallholder farmers. We find that the training encouraged farmers to experiment with organic inputs and positively affected farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of organic farming. Overall, our findings suggest that intensive training is a promising policy tool to enhance the use of organic farming practices. Interestingly, we find that farmers were motivated not only by the price premium, i.e. the price difference between organic and conventional products, that is associated with organic products but also by the prospect of improved soil quality.

Promoting organic food production through flagship regions

AbstractMitigating the environmental impact of agriculture is a major issue in negotiations on the future of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy. Organic farming is commonly put forward in these discussions as a promising way to reduce the negative environmental impact of agriculture. Consequently, different promotional strategies aiming at the adoption of organic farming practices have been developed. In 2013, the German federal state of Bavaria initiated an innovative programme that resulted in ‘organic flagship regions’ being appointed in the years that followed. These regions are allocated support with the main goal of motivating farmers to switch to organic production. By applying a difference-in-differences estimator, we evaluate whether the programme has achieved its aims, i.e. whether more farmers have adopted organic farming practices within the flagship regions as compared to farmers outside such regions. The Theory of Planned Behaviour provides the conceptual framework to identify the main factors influencing a farmer's decision to go organic. Our results suggest that the programme fails to motivate farmers to switch to organic production and that there is a need to more effectively target decision-influencing factors.

A Goal-Frame Approach on the Adoption of Organic Farming Practices

A Goal-Frame Approach on the Adoption of Organic Farming Practices

Contributing and Influencing Factors on Organic Agriculture Practices by Farmers in Tamil Nadu, India- An Analysis

The goal of this study is to find factors that influence the adoption of organic farming. The study’s objective necessitates the selection of an organic agricultural district. The study was conducted in Tamil Nadu’s western region on purpose with 180 farmers. The most effective elements found in the current study to determine the factors affecting the adoption of organic farming in Tamil Nadu are Organic farm perception potential (Prime factor) with Eigenvalue 3.854. Since, organic farming experience (X5), scientific approach (X12), animal ownership (X13), perceptions of organic manure utilization (X15), and perceptions of organic farming profitability (X16). With the highest factor loading of the above-mentioned factors of 0.689, 0.602, 0.206, 0.591, and 0.613, it has a stronger influence on the amount of adoption of organic farming practices in Tamil Nadu’s Western zone. As a result, farmers should be motivated and educated about the benefits of organic farming through extension and research institutes, not only to improve income but also to modify their behaviour and perceptions about new agricultural techniques.

Organic Farming Lessens Reliance on Pesticides and Promotes Public Health by Lowering Dietary Risks

Organic agriculture is a production system that relies on prevention, ecological processes, biodiversity, mechanical processes, and natural cycles to control pests and maintain productivity. Pesticide use is generally limited or absent in organic agroecosystems, in contrast with non-organic (conventional) production systems that primarily rely on pesticides for crop protection. Significant differences in pesticide use between the two production systems markedly alter the relative dietary exposure and risk levels and the environmental impacts of pesticides. Data are presented on pesticide use on organic and non-organic farms for all crops and selected horticultural crops. The relative dietary risks that are posed by organic and non-organic food, with a focus on fresh produce, are also presented and compared. The results support the notion that organic farms apply pesticides far less intensively than conventional farms, in part because, over time on well-managed organic farms, pest pressure falls when compared to the levels on nearby conventional farms growing the same crops. Biopesticides are the predominant pesticides used in organic production, which work by a non-toxic mode of action, and pose minimal risks to human health and the environment. Consequently, eating organic food, especially fruits and vegetables, can largely eliminate the risks posed by pesticide dietary exposure. We recommend ways to lower the pesticide risks by increased adoption of organic farming practices and highlight options along organic food supply chains to further reduce pesticide use, exposures, and adverse worker and environmental impacts.

Factors impinging fruit farmers adoption of organic farming practices in Johor, Malaysia

A Malaysia Organic (myOrganic) Program is being promoted in Malaysia as a strategy to raise small-scale producers’ income, protect the environment, and reduce food imports. However, from almost 144, 843 fruit farmers in Malaysia, only 63 farms received myOrganic certification. Unfortunately, Johor is the second-lowest state of myOrganic recipients even though they have the highest number of fruit farmers. Thus, this study aims to determine the factors impinging the organic farming practices adoption by fruits farmers in Johor, Malaysia. The quantitative research design was employed, and the questionnaire is structured based on a combination of Theory Planned Behavior (TPB) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The probability sampling was employed by using simple random sampling technique that involved fruits farmers in Johor. SPSS version 25.0 had been used to analyse the data using descriptive analysis. Findings from this study showed moderate mean score for organic farming practices adoption (M= 2.597), perceived behavioural control (M=3.212) and perceived usefulness (M=3.499), while high mean score showed by attitude (M=3.711) and perceived ease of use (are M=3.860). This study is significant to the government, researchers and farmers to understand the factors and importance of organic farming practices adoption.

Adoption of organic farming practices in the rural household of South-South, Nigeria—a case study

Comparative analysis of organic farming practices among farmers in South-South, Nigeria, was carried out. A review of previous studies on organic farming practices showed that little effort has been made by researchers to capture South-South agricultural zone. There is scarcely any empirical data on organic farming practices used by crop, livestock, and fish farmers in the study area. This has created a gap in knowledge which the outcome of this study intends to bring out. This study did not only determine whether there is difference in organic farming practices among farmers in the different states under study but assessed the farmers level of awareness and use of organic farming practices, and relationship between the level of use of organic farming practices and the farmers’ socio-economic characteristics. Multistage random selection technique was used to select rural household farmers engaged in fish, livestock, and crop production. A sample of four hundred and eighty farmers was used. Organic farming practices among crop farmers included the use of farmyard manure ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.79), inter cropping ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.58), mulching ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.50), and spot bush burning ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.50). The organic farming practices among livestock farmers were access to fresh drinking water ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.77) and adequate feeding ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.65). Fish farmers engaged in the use of three organic practices: eco-friendly design ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.56), site being far from polluting substances ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.57) and pond protection from predators ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 2.70). There were significant differences in the farmers’ level of use of organic farming practices based on their states of origin (Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, and Delta). Education, age, and income were the socio-economic determinants of the level of use of organic farming practices. It was concluded that farmers’ in Akwa Ibom state engaged more in the use of organic farming practices, followed by Bayelsa state and the least is Delta state.

Can Training Enhance Adoption, Knowledge and Perception of Organic Farming Practices? Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Indonesia

In many parts of the world, several decades of intensively applying Green Revolution technologies came at environmental costs, i.e. degraded water and soil quality as well as a loss of biodiversity. This has led to an increased interest in alternative farming systems such as organic farming, which is commonly perceived as more sustainable. Despite many initiatives to promote organic farming, it remains a marginal activity in many countries. Widespread uptake of organic farming requires a better understanding of the drivers for and barriers to its adoption. Previous studies highlighted information as an important driver of agricultural technology adoption. Yet, despite the variety of programs studied, little is known about the role of removing information constraints in the context of organic farming. In this paper, we focus on the role of information provision and training as one driver for the adoption of organic farming practices in Indonesia. We use a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to identify the impact of a three-day hands-on training in organic farming on smallholder farmers' adoption and knowledge of such practices as well as on their perception towards organic farming. We find that the training intervention had a positive and statistically significant effect on the use of organic inputs. We further find positive and statistically significant treatment effects with respect to knowledge about and perception of organic farming. Overall, our findings suggest that intense training is a promising instrument to increase the uptake of organic farming.

Constraints in the Adoption of Organic Farming Practices by the Farmers in Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu

Constraints in the Adoption of Organic Farming Practices by the Farmers in Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu

Compliance of Agricultural Practices Used in Family Farms With Those Recommended in Organic Farming

Abstract This research intended to evaluate to what extent the managers in family farms tend to adopt practices of organic farming and identify the possible factors that might be associated with those choices. For that, a survey was undertaken in Portuguese and Spanish municipalities. The participation, by direct interview, was voluntary and 125 valid responses were obtained distributed as: 30 in Viseu (PT), 30 in Braga (PT), 30 in Barcelos (PT), 16 in Pontevedra (SP) and 19 in Padron (SP). For the treatment of the data, basic descriptive statistics tools were used in combination with crosstabs and chi square tests. Also tree classifications were conducted following the Classification and Regression Trees algorithm. In all tests a level of significance of 5% was considered. The results identified factors that influenced the behaviour of the managers in family farms towards an approximation to organic farming practices, which were the level of education and municipality, found as major determinants of the level of compliance with organic farming practices. Also, other factors like age or gender influence, although to a lesser extent, the compliance with organic farming. These results were the same for the chisquare tests or the tree classification analysis, and they thus indicate that improvements could be achieved towards a more expressive adoption of organic farming practices if planned to target the influential factors identified.

Factors affecting the adoption of organic rice farming: the case of farmers in M’lang, North Cotabato, Philippines

Sustainability, especially in agriculture, has been a growing concern worldwide. In the Philippines, self-sufficiency in rice production has been a major goal. Thus, increasing and intensifying production lessens the focus on sustainability policies. Nevertheless, there are still movements and efforts to counteract the adversities brought by industrial and intensive agriculture such as the development and promotion of sustainable farming systems including organic farming. Thus, this paper attempts to identify the factors that could influence the adoption of organic farming practices in rice production. Using probit regression, with dichotomous outcomes, the likelihood of organic rice adoption given the factors was estimated. Results indicate that females, farmers with higher education levels, those with longer experiences in rice production, small landholders, and those with low-cost per hectare have higher likelihoods in adopting organic rice farming. Moreover, the importance of extension services, NGOs, and private institutions in the intensification of organic production was also seen.

Awareness and adoption of organic farming by the vegetable growers

The present study on awareness and adoption of organic farming by the vegetable growers was conducted in the year 2016-2017 in Amravati district. The relationship of the selected variable i.e. training received, possession of livestock, extension contact and innovativeness was found to be positively and highly significantly at 0.01 level of probability. The variables age, education, experience in farming, land holding, annual income showed positive and significant relation at 0.05 level of probability with awareness. The variable risk preference showed positive and non-significant relation with awareness possessed by the respondents. Regarding adoption, the variables i.e. age, training received, land holding, extension contact was found to be positively and highly significantly at 0.01 level of probability. The variable like education, experience in farming, annual income, possession of livestock, innovativeness showed positive and significant relation at 0.05 level of probability. Whereas the variable risk preference was found to be negatively non-significant relationship with adoption of organic farming practices. The majority of vegetable growers faced constraints in adoption of organic farming practices were non availability of organic material, low rates for organic vegetable, high labour wages, lack of timely finance, lack of subsidy on organic material, fluctuation in market rates, respectively, lack of guidance from extension personnel, lack of organic vegetable storage facilities, lack of awareness about organic farming practice, no guarantee of payment received from merchant, complicated method and lack of interest, respectively.

CASHEW INDUSTRY IN INDIA

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) often referred to as ‘wonder nut’, is one of the most valuable processed nuts traded on the global commodity markets and is also an important cash crop. In India cashew is cultivated an area of 9, 23,000 ha with production of 613,000 MT and productivity of 0.7 MT/ha (Indian Horticulture Database, 2010). Maharashtra is leading in cashew production (198,000 MT) with 32.3% share. It is cultivated widely throughout the tropics for its kernels. In India, it is grown in the west coast, east coast and in a few plain areas in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. The highest productivity is noticed in Maharashtra. India is the largest producer of cashew in the world with 25.52% share in world production. In India each metric ton of raw cashew seed produced and processed, yields about 230 kg (23%) of exportable grade kernels. Cashew generates employment in the processing and agrarian sector of India employing over 3 lakh persons with more than 95% of them being women (DCCD, Cochin). Cashew is mainly cultivated in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The global area harvested under cashew increased by 665%, from 516,550 ha in 1961 to 3,953,175 ha in 2007 (FAO). The annual growth rate during this period was 4.55% with variations ranging from 8.22 to 20.08%. India is the premier exporter of cashew kernels and earns a sizeable amount of foreign exchange. India is the second largest exporter after Vietnam, accounting for 34% of the world’s export of cashew kernels. During 2009 India exported 446 million kg of cashew kernels. The cashew tree plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of the dry regions, the cashew tree is multi-functional: apart from exportable cashew nuts, it supplies timber, firewood, medicines, fodder, etc. By-products from cashew offer opportunities for development of local industry, the world market for cashews is dynamic, with sustained growth rates of approximately 10% per year and the nuts produced could receive the “organic” label as they are chemical free and get premium price. Various value added products such as juice, fenny, wine, dried cashew apple, syrup and jam can be prepared from cashew apple which paves the wave for the development of cashew based industry and economic development of our country. In major cashew growing areas of our country, natural farming is followed. It is estimated that not more than 20% of cashew holdings in India use chemical fertilizers or pesticides (Sivaraman and Hubballi, 2002; Shalini Yadav, 2010). This facilitates adoption of organic farming practices over a period of time without additional efforts. Thus, there is a vast potential of bringing these areas under organic farming practices to exploit the available marketing avenues.