Cooperative Farming as a Pathway to Sustainable Agricultural Development in Haryana

Abstract

Agriculture in Haryana is increasingly showing signs of exhaustion, both economically and ecologically, as a result of the high environmental costs associated with the modern farming practices introduced during the Green Revolution of the 1960s. Today, the state’s agriculture is under serious stress, facing multiple challenges such as the rising cost of inputs, fragmentation of landholdings, declining soil fertility and nutrient depletion, insufficient capital investment, excessive use of insecticides and pesticides, falling groundwater levels and volatile market conditions. Together, these factors have raised concerns about the long-term viability of agriculture as a primary economic activity in the state. The limited employment opportunities in farming further discourage younger generations from pursuing agriculture as a livelihood. The high cost of cultivation coupled with intensive resource consumption has rendered the present agricultural model both economically unsustainable and environmentally damaging. The continued fragmentation of landholdings has deepened the crisis, often pushing small and marginal farmers into debt and financial insecurity. In light of these growing challenges, there is an urgent need to review and restructure the state’s agricultural framework to develop a system that is economically viable and ecologically sustainable. In this context, cooperative farming emerges as a promising alternative, capable of addressing both the economic inefficiencies and ecological concerns of Haryana’s agriculture. By pooling land, labor and resources, cooperative farming can help reduce production costs, enhance productivity and promote sustainable land use practices. Moreover, it holds the potential to strengthen rural communities, foster collective responsibility and ensure equitable benefits making it a viable strategy not only for reviving rural agriculture but also for reinvigorating rural society as a whole.