TY - JOUR
T1 - Political analysis of the adoption of the Zero-Budget Natural Farming program in Andhra Pradesh, India
AU - Veluguri, Divya
AU - Bump, Jesse B.
AU - Venkateshmurthy, Nikhil Srinivasapura
AU - Mohan, Sailesh
AU - Pulugurtha, Karthik Teja
AU - Jaacks, Lindsay
PY - 2021/3/24
Y1 - 2021/3/24
N2 - Input-driven agriculture has led to an epidemic of impoverishment, farmer suicides, and environmental degradation in India, but has also shown consistent staying power in Indian politics. We examine a case of organic farming policy adoption to explore this paradox. Specifically, our objective was to evaluate how the state-wide Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) program in Andhra Pradesh, India came to be. Evidence was drawn from government documents; field notes from a ZBNF workshop and farmer interactions; and in-depth interviews with stakeholders. Results suggest that advocacy of civil society networks, champions within the bureaucracy, emphasis on rural livelihoods, and the 15-year history of consensus building around agroecology all played a key role in the adoption of the ZBNF program in this state. Given the possibility of scaling up ZBNF at the national level, our analysis of the enabling environment is especially timely.
AB - Input-driven agriculture has led to an epidemic of impoverishment, farmer suicides, and environmental degradation in India, but has also shown consistent staying power in Indian politics. We examine a case of organic farming policy adoption to explore this paradox. Specifically, our objective was to evaluate how the state-wide Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) program in Andhra Pradesh, India came to be. Evidence was drawn from government documents; field notes from a ZBNF workshop and farmer interactions; and in-depth interviews with stakeholders. Results suggest that advocacy of civil society networks, champions within the bureaucracy, emphasis on rural livelihoods, and the 15-year history of consensus building around agroecology all played a key role in the adoption of the ZBNF program in this state. Given the possibility of scaling up ZBNF at the national level, our analysis of the enabling environment is especially timely.
KW - Sustainable agriculture
KW - agroecology
KW - organic
KW - rural development
KW - sustainable development
KW - political economy
U2 - 10.1080/21683565.2021.1901832
DO - 10.1080/21683565.2021.1901832
M3 - Article
JO - Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
JF - Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
SN - 2168-3565
ER -