This study examined the reasons for transition to alternative farming in two countries namely, Australia, as an example of the western world practicing modern agriculture and India, as an example of the developing world with a history of practicing indigenous practices. An action research qualitative study was conducted using a convergent interviewing technique, with 20 participants in Australia and 18 participants in India known to have made a transition from conventional agriculture to a range of alternative farming systems. A reflexive process of change undergone by farmers in making transitions from conventional farming to alternative farming was documented by recording the interviews which each lasted from 45 to 90 minutes. The recorded interviews were transcribed and the various reasons to convert to alternate farming are discussed with the interview quotes. The findings indicated that in reality, the Australian participants and the Indian participants have multiple reasons for making the change that exist alongside the commonly accepted reasons of economic, environmental and health factors

Keyword: Transition; Alternate farming