Understanding Farmers’ Attitudes towards Natural Farming Adoption in Tarai Zone of Uttar Pradesh

Yogesh Kumar; N R Meena; R. K. Doharey; Prateek Kumar; Ritesh Singh; Kumar Sonu

doi:10.48165/IJEE.2026.623RN05

Authors

Yogesh Kumar Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P., India
N R Meena Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P., India
R. K. Doharey Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P., India
Prateek Kumar Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P., India
Ritesh Singh Guest Faculty, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P., India
Kumar Sonu Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P., India https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7922-4609

https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2026.623RN05

Keywords:

Attitude, Natural farming, Tarai zone, Adoption behavior, Motivation, Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

Natural farming, as a chemical-free and ecologically integrated approach, is increasingly recognized as a sustainable alternative for smallholder agriculture in India. The present study was conducted during 2025–26 to assess farmers’ attitudes toward natural farming and identify the socioeconomic and psychological determinants of those attitudes in the Tarai zone of Uttar Pradesh, India. An ex-post facto research design was adopted. A total of 450 respondents were selected through multi-stage stratified random sampling from four districts of the Tarai zone. Attitude was measured using a modified scale developed by Zala and Kalsariya (2022), and Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were employed to identify significant predictors. Correlation analysis revealed that landholding (r = 0.405) and annual income (r = 0.439) were significant positive correlates, while age (r = −0.331) and farming experience (r = −0.306) were significant negative correlates. Regression analysis indicated that landholding, social participation, risk orientation, achievement motivation, and economic motivation were significant positive predictors, collectively explaining 69.86 per cent of variance in attitude. The study concludes that targeted extension strategies strengthening land resource utilisation, social participation, risk-taking ability, achievement motivation, and economic motivation are essential to accelerate natural farming adoption in the region.

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