Constraints of bio-based farming system: a study in hooghly & south 24 parganas districts of south west bengal

To cater the demand for rapidly growing population, Indian agriculture was mainly based on synthetic based modern agriculture. In-spite of drastic positive change, this chemical-based agriculture was highly criticized from environmental point of view. Organic farming, low external input and sustainable agriculture (LEISA), Bio-Based Farming System (BBFS), bio-dynamic farming etc. are some of the practices having same objectives being practiced in developed and developing countries, recognized as the best alternatives to conventional chemical farming. The growing demand for non-chemical agriculture are in top priority for maintaining soil fertility as well as soil health for sustainable agricultural production. Farmers practicing organic farming are facing constraints during conversion from chemical base to non-chemical agriculture: like non-availability of readymade input output markets, absence of skill, awareness, price premium etc. The idea of this present study has been conceived with the objectives of building authentic database regarding demographic profile of the farmers, practicing bio-based farming system and constraints they are facing while practicing this in South West Bengal. Randomly selected two districts of south West Bengal, from which, two blocks also have been randomly selected. Two villages have been purposively selected and then 50 farmers from each village (total 100 farmers) have been selected from those two blocks. Results showed seventeen constrains and while ranking those constraints – ‘Lacking of Price advantage’ and ‘Lower profitability’ have scored the maximum reflecting the maximum constraints as faced by the BBFS practicing farmers. More study is needed for generalization of these constraints of bio-based farming.