Sociocultural and economic drivers of Kharchia wheat conservation in arid saline India

Abstract The study provides robust, multi‐dimensional evidence on the drivers of Kharchia wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) conservation in the arid saline agroecosystems of Rajasthan. The objective is to understand how sociocultural, economic, and ecological factors influence farmers’ conservation behavior and highlight the role of traditional landrace conservation as a climate‐resilient strategy for sustaining agriculture and livelihoods in an arid salt‐affected soil in India. The findings showed that sociocultural enablers, especially enduring food traditions, a strong sense of local identity, and intergenerational seed‐exchange networks, serve as the most significant predictors shaping farmers’ intentions to conserve this landrace. Drawing on a mixed‐method approach in the Pali district of Rajasthan, India, the research integrates household surveys, focus group discussions, transect walks, and controlled field observations. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the ecological, economic, and sociocultural drivers shaping conservation behavior. Results reveal that farmers value Kharchia wheat not only for its adaptability to salinity and heat stress but also for its sociocultural significance and its economic role in ensuring stable yields and fodder supply. Education, access to extension, and local market demand emerged as critical enablers of conservation, while climate stress and price volatility posed key challenges. The study pinpoints the critical role of community‐driven landrace conservation for sustaining agrobiodiversity, adaptive potential, and long‐term rural resilience.