TITLE:
Can Natural Farming Help to Combat Climate Variability? A Comparison of Natural and Chemical Farming in Andhra Pradesh, India
AUTHORS:
Zakir Hussain, Vijay Kumar Thallam, Reshma Soma, Kiranmai Jirra, Himabindu Anisetti, Bhavana Boppana, Neelima Dendeti
KEYWORDS:
Natural Farming, Climate Resilience, Cyclones, Heavy Rainfall
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.14 No.9,
September
22,
2023
ABSTRACT: A study was conducted to compare the potential of natural farming versus conventional chemical farming to withstand adverse climate effects. The study investigated two cyclones, namely cyclone Pethai and cyclone Titli of 2018, which caused significant damage to Andhra Pradesh’s coastal corridor. In addition, the impact of heavy rainfall in 2021 on two different farming systems was studied. The worst-affected Paddy crop regions where these cyclones caused severe damage were surveyed. Multiple linear regression was utilized to investigate predictors including crop damage, wind damage, submergence, and yield loss in these two agricultural systems during these two cyclonic and heavy rainfall events. The study indicated that natural farming practices were more resilient to climate variability than conventional chemical farming techniques. The study showed a statistically significant difference (p