A Comparative Economic Analysis of the Identified Integrated Farming Systems in the Coastal West Bengal

Climate change presents a significant danger to the way of life and livelihoods of the farmers in coastal regions. One effective approach to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on farmers' income is to diversify their farm income through the adoption of Integrated Farming Systems (IFS). This research aimed to evaluate the economic feasibility of integrated farming systems, considering various economic indicators, such as productivity, net farm income, the elasticity of substitution between labor and capital, and returns per rupee of expenses. The analysis was conducted based on data collected through a stratified random sampling method for the 2023 production year, involving 200 farmers who had implemented Integrated Farming Systems in coastal West Bengal. Six different integrated farming systems were identified. Among these, the Dairy + Fishery system demonstrated the highest net farm income (INR 311244 ha-1 yr-1), returns per rupee of expenses (1.74), and elasticity of substitution between labor and capital (0.83). Although all farming systems in this study exhibited returns per rupee of expenses greater than one, the Dairy + Crop and Dairy + Fishery systems had higher returns per rupee of expenses, which likely contributed to their greater adoption by farmers. Furthermore, this study provides valuable insights into the economic aspects of integrated farming systems in the coastal West Bengal.