Economic Valuation of Provisioning Ecosystem Services from Groundnut Organic Farming

Abstract

Provisioning ecosystem services from organic farming requires a holistic strategy that recognizes the interconnected relationships among ecological processes, agricultural productivity and the human well-being. Provisioning ecosystem services includes the cultivation of crops, fisheries and timber production, etc. The present study analysed the input use pattern of groundnut organic farmers and valuated the provisioning ecosystem services i.e., food and raw materials from groundnut organic farming in Tamil Nadu. Market price method was used to valuate the provisioning ecosystem services. The results suggested that Panchakavya was widely used by majority of the organic farmers (69.70%) demonstrating its effectiveness in promoting sustainable farming practices. Additionally, the incorporation of green manure (63.64%) and farmyard manure (54.55%) highlights farmer’s commitment to increasing soil organic matter, maintaining fertility, and optimizing crop yield. The valuation of provisioning services revealed that the economic value of the provisioning services from organic groundnut farming was estimated to be Rs. 2,75,017. These findings provide strong support for the adoption and promotion of sustainable organic farming.