Sustainable agriculture made easy: CETARA-NF's self-certification

Consumers can receive guarantees through the certified evaluation tool of agriculture resources analysis of natural farming (CETARA NF) without having to deal with costly third-party certification's entry obstacles or complex participatory guarantee systems. The purpose of this study is to examine the reasons for farmers' engagement in CETARA-NF as well as their experiences and results. 400 farmers randomly interviewed from 4 agroclimatic zones using the well-structured questionnaire from a 135,000 certified farmers list. Most farmers fall under the Two Star category (61.5 %), followed by One Star (28.5 %) and Three Star (10 %). The findings imply that 61 per cent of farmers are transitioning towards natural farming as these farmers have minimised or eliminated the chemical use in their farming practices. Significant factors of adoption for this certification system were increased marketed quantity, chemical fertiliser cost and no certification cost . Also, market access (Rank 1), no cost of certification (Rank 2) and women friendly (Rank 3) recognized as the major advantages of this certification. CETARA-NF can be an alternative certification solution for smallholders by securing the integration of grassroots agroecological cooperation and customs inside natural farming systems, thereby overcoming certification barriers. • CETARA-NF cuts certification costs, simplifying the process for farmers. • 61 % of CETARA-NF farmers reduce or eliminate chemical use, aiding natural farming. • Farmers adopt CETARA-NF for market access, zero costs, and women-friendly practices. • 61.5 % of CETARA-NF users fall under the Two Star rating. • CETARA-NF integrates agroecology, supporting smallholders in natural farming.