Women-led Natural Farming for Vegetable Production in Terai Zone of West Bengal, India

Aims: The study aimed to compare the performance of natural farming (NF) and conventional farming (CF) across six vegetable crops by evaluating crop yield, economic performance, including cultivation costs, gross and net returns and the benefit–cost (B:C) ratio, and soil health. It also aimed to document the key NF practices adopted by the farm woman and examine their potential contribution to sustainable vegetable production and farmer-to-farmer knowledge dissemination. Presentation of Case: The case study was conducted with a farm woman from Batasurkuthi village, Cooch Behar district, West Bengal, India, who adopted NF in 2021 with technical guidance and institutional support from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Cooch Behar, West Bengal. Following the adoption of NF, she established a village-level NF input production centre to prepare farm-made bio-inputs such as Jeevamrita, Ghanajeevamrita, Beejamrita and Neemastra using locally available agricultural and natural resources. These were used for nutrient management, seed treatment, protection against seed- and soil-borne diseases, and crop protection. Her farming system followed an integrated and diversified approach, incorporating the cultivation of multiple vegetable crops, intercropping, the application of organic manure and soil mulching to promote soil health and reduce dependence on external chemical inputs. The comparative performance of NF and CF was assessed across six vegetable crops. The assessment focused on key parameters such as crop yield, cultivation costs, net returns, the benefit–cost (B:C) ratio and changes in selected soil health indicators. Discussion: NF resulted in an 8.10–18.60% reduction in cultivation costs and a 21.10–46.00% increase in net returns compared with CF across the six vegetable crops. NF showed lower yields across all six crops, underscoring the importance of evaluating its economic advantages alongside differences in productivity. The mean crop-specific B:C ratio was 1.66 under NF, compared with 1.42 under CF. Soil organic carbon under NF increased slightly from 0.39% to 0.40%, while available nitrogen increased from 218 to 224 kg ha-1. The woman farmer emerged as a local promoter of NF by motivating and influencing more than 20 neighbouring women farmers to adopt NF practices. Conclusion: This case study highlights the potential of women-led NF, locally prepared organic and natural inputs, and crop diversification to enhance farm-level economic returns while encouraging knowledge sharing, increasing community participation and promoting sustainable agricultural development.