Adoption Constraints and Strategic Priorities for Promoting Organic Farming in Telangana: A Garrett Ranking and Analytical Hierarchy Process Approach

Abstract

Organic farming is increasingly promoted as an environmentally sustainable agricultural approach, but its adoption is often constrained by economic, technological, institutional and market-related barriers. The present study identified and ranked the constraints faced by organic farmers and prioritised strategies for promoting organic farming in Telangana State, India. The study was conducted in Sangareddy and Warangal Urban districts, where 120 organic farmers were selected from eight villages using a multistage sampling procedure. Primary data were collected through a structured and pre-tested interview schedule during the agricultural year 2023–2024. Garrett’s ranking technique was used to rank the constraints perceived by farmers, while the Analytical Hierarchy Process was applied to prioritise strategies based on the opinions of selected officials and experts. The results showed that certification and marketing constraints were the most severe category, with a Garrett mean score of 67.91, followed by economic constraints (62.10) and technological constraints (57.18). Among economic constraints, initial yield loss during the conversion period ranked first, with a Garrett mean score of 70.75. Within certification and marketing constraints, the high cost of certification was the most important constraint, with a Garrett mean score of 59.06. Technological constraints were mainly associated with the lack of timely information on organic farming technologies and limited availability of organic inputs. The AHP results indicated that government support during the transition period was the highest-priority strategy, with a weight of 0.213, followed by simplified certification procedures (0.172) and improved marketing channels for organic produce (0.171).