Adoption of Organic Soil Fertility Measures & Impact on Farm Performance

Adoption of Organic Soil Fertility Measures and Its Impact on Farm Performance: Evidence from Millet Farmers in Telangana, India

Abstract of the Talk:
This study examines the determinants of adopting organic soil fertility measures (OSFM) and their impact on farm-level profits. It uses household survey data of 900 millet farmers in the Sangareddy district of Telangana, India. We used an endogenous switching regression model for selection bias from observable and unobservable factors. The empirical results show that soil type, farmyard manure application, crop diversification, sex of the household head, agricultural amenities, distance to dwell, distance to market, and education are the main factors determining farmers’ decision to adopt OSFM. OSFM adoption has a positive and
statistically significant impact on farm profits. In particular, the treatment effects of OSFM adoption are to increase farm profits by ₹5998 compared to non-adopters. In terms of percentage, the average treatment effect on treated (ATT) value of the OSFM category was 9.80% higher compared to the non-OSFM farmers’ category. The study results suggesting higher net revenue in the case of farm households adopting OSFM indicate that any efforts to create awareness of the benefits of adopting OSFM interventions and providing OSFM inputs to farming communities in similar rain-fed regions would benefit them.

Short bio of the Speaker:
Dr. Dayakar Peddi is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies in Hyderabad, India. He obtained his Ph.D. in Economics from the Madras School of Economics, specializing in the economics of land degradation and ecosystem services in India. With a master’s degree in applied economics from Pondicherry University, he has actively participated in prestigious summer schools such as SANDEE and IGC-ISI, enriching his expertise in environmental and development economics. Dayakar Peddi has made significant contributions to research projects, publishing in renowned journals and presenting at prestigious national and international conferences. Currently, he imparts his knowledge in microeconomics and applied econometrics to Ph.D. students.