<p>The Cauvery Delta, a key agricultural region in Tamil Nadu, India, has witnessed significant shifts in cropping patterns, particularly the transition from cotton to pulses. This study explores the ecological and economic drivers of this transition and its implications for the agricultural value chain. While <i>Bt</i> cotton initially gained prominence due to its pest resistance and robust market linkages, its long-term viability has been undermined by escalating pest resistance, rising input costs, and erratic climatic conditions. The resulting economic stress, coupled with reduced returns, has prompted farmers to adopt pulses as a viable alternative. Pulses offer multiple advantages, including resilience to climatic fluctuations, lower resource demands, and soil fertility enhancement through nitrogen fixation. Through focused group discussions with farmers, the study identifies critical challenges in the value chains of both crops. Cotton cultivation has increasingly led to farmer indebtedness due to escalating costs and yield uncertainties, while pulses cultivation has benefitted from shorter crop cycles, lower input costs, and minimal post-harvest risks. However, structural barriers persist, including inadequate procurement mechanisms, limited input availability, and weak market linkages for pulses. Integrating regional insights with macro-level perspectives, the study underscores the necessity for systemic interventions, such as improved seed distribution, enhanced institutional support, and policy incentives to facilitate a sustainable transition. Strengthening regional institutions, recognizing local pulse varieties, and fostering forward linkages are deduced to be crucial for ensuring a resilient and inclusive agricultural transformation.</p>