Improving smallholder farmers’ gross margins and labor-use efficiency across a range of cropping systems in the Eastern Gangetic Plains

•Conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification participatory research.•Reduced both labor use and production costs by 40%.•Increased gross margins by up to 25%.•Reduced drudgery for women and youth who do the majority of menial, laborious tasks.•Results applicable for a wide range of smallholder farming communities.