A Survey of Sustainable Agricultural Practices Among Farmers in Ranjole Village, Zaheerabad Mandal, Telangana

Abstract

This study investigates the adoption and efficacy of sustainable agricultural practices among farmers in Ranjole village, Zaheerabad Mandal, Sangareddy District, Telangana. Using an in-depth, semi-structured interview approach, twenty farmers cultivating a wide range of crops — including dragon fruit, sugarcane, ginger, oil palm, banana, soybean, green gram, sweet corn and jowar, among others — were surveyed to document existing sustainable practices, assess their economic and ecological outcomes, and identify the factors that support or constrain their adoption. Farmer accounts were triangulated with secondary records obtained from the Agricultural Department, including crop yield statistics, land-use data and details of government scheme participation. The findings reveal a moderate but growing integration of traditional ecological knowledge with modern sustainable techniques, reflected in the use of organic and farmyard manure, crop rotation, intercropping, mulching, and, among a smaller number of farmers, drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting. Cropping choices and management strategies differed markedly by landholding size: farmers with smaller holdings (1–3 acres) prioritised staple grains and low-input, risk-diversifying strategies, while farmers with larger holdings (5 acres and above) invested in high-value commercial crops, modern inputs, and infrastructure such as drip irrigation and cold storage. Economic outcomes were generally stable to improving among adopters of diversified and input-efficient practices, though most farmers remained dependent on local markets and intermediaries, limiting profit margins. Government support programmes, while present in the form of subsidies, crop insurance and input assistance, showed inconsistent reach and delivery. The study concludes that the blend of indigenous wisdom and contemporary sustainable methods is central to ecological balance and economic viability in this rainfed, semi-arid agricultural system, and that policy and extension interventions are likely to be most effective when tailored separately to the needs of small and large farmers.