Impact of Integrated Farming System on Augmenting Farmers Income at YSR Kadapa District of Andhra Pradesh, India

The goals of IFS are to sustain agricultural production, maintain farm incomes, safeguard the environment and respond to consumer concerns about food quality issues. IFS can be conceptualised as a ‘third way’ or middle course for agriculture between conventional and organic farming. The role and factors associated with integrated farming system have been studied as a potential option to improve farmers’ income and ensure their sustainable livelihood in YSR Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. The contribution of different combinations of enterprises such as poultry, sheep/goat, fishery, sericulture and horticulture; with crop and dairy as base enterprises have been analysed for their impact on farmers’ total income. The financial benefit of adopting different enterprise combinations analysed through partial budgeting has been found ranging from Rs. 16400/acre to Rs. 25000/acre. Horti. crops (papaya/banana) + Buffaloes + poultry (S.I. 98.67) and Horti. crops (Turmeric + marigold) + cows + buffalos (S.I. 70.93), have emerged as the most sustainable farming system enterprises in Kadapa dist. As non-availability of labour and higher care and management required for maintenance of different enterprises at the same time were observed as major constraints in adopting integrated farming system. The farmers can realize the augmenting of their income within a contemplated period by adding livestock in the farming system and reap the consequent social and ecological benefits.