Urbanization and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices in the rural-urban interface of Bangalore, India

Abstract

Urban expansion often takes place on the most productive agricultural lands, affecting how the remaining agricultural land is used. Evidence on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices in urbanizing areas is scarce and mostly based on cross-sectional data. Cross-sectional studies, however, cannot reflect the dynamics of urbanization and adoption. We use household panel data from 2017 and 2020 to analyze the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices among peri-urban farmers in Bangalore, India, a rapidly urbanizing region. We focus on practices for water and erosion management, integrated pest management and soil fertility management, and an integrated package of sustainable practices. Using random effects probit models with the Mundlak approach, we consider various factors besides urbanization, including exposure to weather variability, awareness of climate change, connection with institutional actors, and household and farm characteristics. Results show that urbanization, measured as changes in the percentage of built-up area, reduces the probability that farmers adopt sustainable agricultural practices. Like prior studies, we find that wealth indicators, market access, knowledge of climate change, and rainfall variability facilitate adoption. However, contact with institutional actors largely reduces farmers’ probability of adoption. Policies should promote the integration of sustainable farming technologies at the institutional level and in information and training programs to achieve sustainable intensification of peri-urban agriculture.