Regenerative agriculture practices and multidimensional poverty in eastern rural India

Abstract

Rural households in developing countries face multidimensional poverty (MDP), i.e., deprivations beyond income, including health, education, empowerment, and living standards, while they are also being highly vulnerable to climatic risks. Regenerative agriculture (RA), a set of practices aimed at restoring soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and improving long-term farm resilience, has emerged as a promising strategy to boost productivity, diversify incomes, and promote sustainability. However, little is known about the impact of RA practices on MDP, and empirical evidence linking the two remains scarce. To this end, the present study examines the relationship between RA practices, such as crop rotation, agroforestry and crop diversification, and MDP reduction in eastern rural India. We administer household survey data from 917 households to construct an MDP index based on Alkire and Foster’s counting method and estimate the impact of RA adoption through Propensity Score Matching (PSM). The results show that RA practices significantly reduce MDP by improving access to education, healthcare, and living standards. These findings underscore the potential of RA as a pathway for sustainable rural development and call for targeted policy interventions to support its broader adoption. © The Author(s) 2025.