Enhancing Tomato Productivity in Assam, India: A Comparative Study of Rain Shelter and Traditional Cultivation Methods

Tomato cultivation in Assam, India faces significant challenges during the monsoon season, including excessive rainfall, high humidity, and disease outbreaks, which lead to reduced yields and income instability for farmers. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Rain Shelter Method (RSM) compared to Traditional Methods (TM) using data from 480 paired plots in the Marangi and Gomariguri blocks over three agricultural seasons (2019–2021). Results demonstrate that RSM markedly outperforms TM, with yields ranging from 30,371 to 31,657 kg/ha, compared to 22,290 to 24,098 kg/ha for TM. Additionally, net income per hectare was significantly higher under RSM (₹597,583–₹621,217) than TM (₹270,532–₹289,388). Statistical analysis using paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests confirmed these differences were significant ( p < 0.001 ), with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 3.97–5.26). Although the Shapiro–Wilk test indicated non-normality of the data ( p < 0.001 ), the robustness of the results remained intact. The research also assessed extension gaps, technology gaps, and the technology index (1.71%–5.83%), emphasizing RSM’s potential to bridge productivity gaps. As one of the first comprehensive paired comparisons of rain shelter cultivation in Assam, this study provides compelling evidence that RSM enhances climate resilience and improves productivity and income for smallholder tomato farmers.