The term “integrated farming system” is frequently used to describe a more integrated method of farming than monoculture methods. Farming systems that integrate fish and cattle or livestock and crop production are referred to as integrated biosystems in some cases.
An interconnected group of businesses are employed in this system so that the “waste” from one component can be used as an input for another. Costs are decreased, while productivity and even income are increased.
Farmers guarantee that the entire farming system is more productive overall by using waste as a resource, which also helps to reduce waste emissions. The goal of integrated farming is to replicate the natural process in which crops are produced along with various other plants, animals, fish, birds, and aquatic plants and animals.
Enhancing ecological biodiversity is the guiding principle:
- By using the right cropping techniques, such as mixed cropping, crop rotation, crop combination, and inter cropping, to reduce competition for natural resources like water, food, and space, as well as by implementing eco-friendly habits.
- Employing a multi-story design maximizes the utilization of all available space and fosters active interaction between biotic and abiotic elements.
- Combining subsystems that promote good interactions between the many parts, it is increasing farm productivity as a whole.
The integrated farming system, which emphasizes improving agricultural productivity through resource integration, market interactions, and increased diversity, is also a sustainable agriculture system.
This sustainable farming system has been adopted by thousands of small and marginal family farmers in resource-poor areas of Asia and Africa to diversify farm production, raise cash income, increase the quality and quantity of food produced, and exploit underutilized resources.
Establishing a well-integrated farm with market connections to ensure a family’s nutrition and way of life often takes three to four years.
Agricultural research and technological advancements over the past few decades have made it possible to implement integrated farming, which not only increases productivity per acre but also maximizes land use to guarantee the sustainability of food production and meet the rising demands brought on by an increase in the world’s population.
Our food and ecosystems have been harmed by the uncontrolled and irregular use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in the past.
BENEFITS OF EMBRACING INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEM
Increased yield, cheaper costs, and higher profits are all benefits of integrated farming. Farmers utilize the available resources to boost the overall productivity of their systems and to reduce waste from their households, their livestock, or their crops. Additionally, it lowers the demand for chemicals by promoting environmentally friendly preventive agricultural techniques and biological pest management.
CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION
Contrary to expectations, crop-livestock farms are becoming less in number even though they are supposedly the best option for enhancing agricultural sustainability.
Crop-livestock integration may be planned above and beyond the farm level to address this problem. Farmers in the area, for instance, can bargain on how to divide up their land and trade goods like grain, straw, and manure.
Rarely are exchanges between farms that are already specialized used to integrate crops and cattle at the local level. Concrete instructions are required due to the absence of knowledge regarding innovative methods for maintaining or reintegrating crops and livestock from the farm up to the local level.
Sustainable productivity per unit of land is increased by combining perennial crops with livestock.There has traditionally been some connection between livestock and perennial crops.
In tropical areas, it’s usual to see a variety of domestic animals running about the backyard beneath fruit trees. Furthermore, it has long been customary in many parts of the world to use animals, particularly sheep, to eradicate weeds from crops.
People gain from being close to plantations where they can gather feed for their confined cattle or, if allowed, let their animals to graze.
Integrating animals with perennial crops has various benefits in addition to the immediate advantages of their products (meat, milk, fleece, skins, and dung). The requirement for weed control is reduced or eliminated by grazing animals.Unwanted plants, or weeds, are converted into fodder, which serves as the foundation for animal production.
Herbicides, which may pose risks to both humans and animals, are considerably better and more affordable options than biological weed management utilizing animals.Integrating livestock with perennial crops requires a complete system that takes into account every system component. The perennial crop should be given precedence because it typically serves as the system’s primary component, if not its sole motivation.
To have higher overall productivity and income as well as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly system, certain yield reductions in the primary crop may need to be made in order to account for other physical (soil, nutrients, water, light) and biological (under storey vegetation, animals) factors.
NATURAL PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL
Crop health maintenance is crucial for successful farming, both in terms of output and produce quality. Growing a “healthy crop” and long-term pest and disease prevention techniques, preferably by boosting natural control mechanisms, are necessary.
Use of pest- and disease-resistant crops, rotation of crops, including those with pasture, application of non-chemical control practices (thermic, mechanical), and, as a last resort, the tactic use of agrochemicals to control weeds, pests, and diseases in accordance with the principles of Integrated Pest Management and best application practices are some of the specific measures.
Any crop protection strategy, but especially those involving chemicals that are bad for people or the environment, must be carried out using the most up-to-date information and tools.
The following areas should be the focus of integrated pest management:
- Utilize resistant cultivars and varieties, crop sequences, associations, and cultural methods to reduce pressure on pests and diseases and to maximize biological prevention.
- Keep track of the status of the balance between harmful and helpful organisms in all crops on a regular and quantitative basis.
- Whenever possible, use forecasting methods for pests and diseases.Know how to treat diseases and pests without using chemicals.
- To reduce the use of agrochemicals, choose interventions after weighing all feasible options, their short- and long-term effects on farm output, and their potential environmental repercussions. In particular, encourage integrated pest management (IPM).
- According to legal regulations, such as registration for certain crops, rates, timings, and pre-harvest intervals, agrochemicals should be stored and used.
- Ensure that agrochemicals are only applied by experts who have received specialized training.
- Ensure that the machinery used for handling and applying agrochemicals conforms with approved maintenance and safety standards.
- Keep thorough records of your agrochemical usage.
- Avoid using, storing, cleaning, or disposing of materials or application equipment that could lead to point source agrochemical pollution.
- Avoid having any pest and disease control action have an impact on regions that are not the objective
IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY AND INCOME
One of the most essential benefits of an integrated farming system is improved productivity. Utilizing resources efficiently, reducing waste, and increasing overall productivity are all benefits of this integrated strategy.
The farmers’ ability to sell a variety of goods reduces their reliance on a single commodity thanks to the diversified production. In light of this, efficient application of Integrated Farming System methods can result in increased output and income.
Along with productivity growth, profitability factor rises as well. This is due to the fact that we are utilizing the trash or byproduct of one farming enterprise as an input into another.
Farmers are less likely to be dependent on just one product thanks to this diversification of their income sources.Other activities can provide as a buffer if one confronts difficulties, lowering financial risks.
The production cycles and harvesting intervals of various system components vary.
Because the income streams are spread out over the course of the year, there is a more steady flow of cash.
Agricultural products are frequently processed as part of integrated systems, adding value. A farmer, for instance, might produce jams, cucumbers, or juices from the crops they grow in addition to cultivating them. Produce gains value as a result, and prospective earnings rise.
Crops and animals together might act as a safety net during recessions or unforeseen disasters. Farmers are less susceptible to market swings since they have several sources of income
Also, an Integrated Farming System can enhance soil fertility, water management, and general sustainability, increasing the long-term income and standard of living for farming households.
Consequently, by implementing the Integrated Farming System methods effectively, increased productivity and income are possible.
Farmers can get revenue from a number of sources by integrating multiple businesses, such as agriculture, livestock, and non-timber forest products. A farmer might, for instance, grow fruits and vegetables, rear cattle and poultry, and grow mushrooms or honeybees.
By utilizing synergies between diverse components, Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) can boost agricultural yield and revenue. For example, animal manure can be used as a fertilizer for crops, whilst agricultural wastes can be fed to animals.
The danger of crop failures or other setbacks can be decreased and the farmer’s income can be stabilized with the aid of this diversified revenue stream.
Additionally, the integrated agricultural system’s year-round income can support rural communities’ efforts to combat poverty and strengthen their economy.
The economic and social well-being of farmers and their families can be enhanced by integrated farming systems since they provide money from a number of sources.
SUSTAINABILITY AND LONG-TERM GROWTH
The Integrated Farming System (IFS) can help farmers achieve sustainability and long-term growth. IFS encourages environmentally friendly agriculture by utilizing sustainable agricultural techniques like reducing chemical use and recycling organic materials. By doing this, the ecology and soil health are both enhanced. Crop yields will eventually rise as a result of healthier soils that are richer in organic matter from livestock and crop leftovers, which improves nutrient availability and water retention.
Farmers who place a high priority on sustainability are not only investing in the long term, but also in their immediate future. They build a solid base for agricultural activity by preserving the environment and healthy soils. Their farms are more resistant to problems like climate change and market swings thanks to their steadiness, which translates into consistent revenue and livelihoods.
In general, adopting sustainability in agriculture is a strategic decision as well as an ethical one. It’s a dedication to safeguarding long-term yields, supporting a robust farming ecosystem, and protecting the environment as well as the farmers themselves.
ENHANCED RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Integrated farming systems stand out as a possible way to increase agricultural resilience in the face of a changing climate. These systems provide a complex strategy for adjusting to and reducing the effects of climate change on agricultural activities.
Integrated farming is a ray of hope in a world where resource scarcity and climate change are major concerns. It gives farmers the tools they need to adapt, thrive, and support environmental sustainability and food security.
The foundation of integrated farming is the idea that “there is no waste” and that trash is a misdirected resource that may be transformed into an important part of another product. The utilization of the synergistic benefits of interdependent farm activities and conservation, which includes the full utilization of farm wastes to fulfill the principles of the circular economy, are the essential concepts of integrated agriculture.
It is expected that such a combination would be advantageous for all system parts. Animals, who use livestock and agricultural wastes as direct or indirect food sources, are the main winners, nonetheless.
Integrative farming lays the way for a better, more sustainable future for agriculture and our world as a whole by diversifying, conserving resources, and building resilience.
Consideration needs to be given to the merger of various businesses. This can significantly improve rural life by generating more cash. It could also create year-round work opportunities for farming communities and improve their financial and nutritional security.
The moment to adopt integrated farming is now because it is a transformative journey that benefits both farmers and the global community as we all work to overcome the problems of the twenty-first century.
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