Determinants of farmers’ adoption of commercial horticulture farming in Assam, India: an analysis using the double hurdle model

Abstract

Commercialization of agriculture is increasingly considered significant for fostering rural development and economic growth. Thus, an attempt has been made in this study to understand the role of various factors in driving horticultural commercialization in Assam, India. The study uses primary data from a sample of 540 farm households across six districts of Assam. The Cragg’s independent double hurdle (IDH) model is used to identify the factors influencing the adoption and intensity of commercial horticulture farming. Farmers' decisions to adopt and intensify horticulture commercialization are significantly influenced by factors like gender, education, risk-taking attitude, off-farm income, group membership, training, extension support and farmland size. However, low female participation, limited credit access, inadequate marketing infrastructure and lack of public irrigation remain barriers to widespread adoption. The study is based on a local geographical setting, i.e. the state of Assam, India, limiting the generalizability of its findings. Nevertheless, this research provides insight into the role of various factors in driving horticultural commercialization and can help farmers and policymakers make informed decisions to enhance horticultural commercialization. The study examines the horticulture commercialization in the Assam state of northeastern India, which has not been studied before. Besides, while previous research primarily uses output market participation to measure farm commercialization, this article develops a composite index incorporating three indicators: crop land share, output market participation and input market participation.