The need for food goods is always growing in the modern world. On the other hand, there is less water and arable land available. However, the integrated farming system is becoming increasingly significant in this situation.
Currently, integrated farming is quite successful. The phrase “integrated farming” actually refers to combining different types of animal and plant cultures such that waste produced in One operation breaks the cycle of waste by recycling it into valuable material in another.
Let’s imagine there is a piece of property with two enormous ponds and 40 bighas. There are both fish farms and flocks of ducks. There is a location where people also keep cows and goats. Aquatic vegetables are grown using their waste as fertilizer. By cooperating in one place, it is possible to reduce the cost of farming in this way.
Integrated farming is growing in popularity as farming becomes more advanced in the scientific era. Significant changes are also occurring in the rural economy. Therefore, we will explore the integrated farming system below in this comprehensive post today.
What Is An Integrated Farming System?
The study of farming systems includes the integrated system. It is a sustainable strategy. It transforms the garbage from one business into food for another. An Integrated system maximizes the utilization of farm resources in this way.
For the purpose of making the most effective use of a farm family’s land, labor, and other resources, it is the scientific integration of several interacting and interdependent farm enterprises. These resources give farms specifically situated in the restricted zone year-round income.
The integrated farming approach makes sense in that it seeks to reduce waste from the various agricultural subsystems. As a result, it raises rural residents’ income, nutritional security, and employment prospects.
What Is The Need For Integrated Farming?
First, understand the requirements of this integrated farming system. Here, are some points discussed below.
1. Construction In The Area Under Cropping:
Due to urbanization, industrialization, population expansion, and the construction of infrastructure and roads, the amount of land used for agriculture is decreasing every day. The carrying capacity of the land per unit of capital has significantly decreased as a result.
2. Small & Fracture Holding:
Nearly 90% of active farms in India are smaller than 1 hectare. And as a result, farms’ average holdings have been declining.
3. Employment, Seasonal Nature Of Income & Out-Migration:
Only four months of the wet season takes for harvesting in rain-fed areas. Employment prospects are sparse during other seasons. As a result, a lot of men who are farmers move to the metropolis in quest of work. To discourage migration, year-round work opportunities in rural areas are necessary.
4. Deterioration Of Resource Base:
The long-term preservation of the human population is the ultimate objective of sustainable agriculture. Finding the most effective approach to use internal inputs for sustainable agricultural and livestock production that yields a positive return on investment is the optimal way to do this.
5. Household Necessity:
If a sufficient and balanced diet, as well as access to a minimal range of food ingredients, is available to all state residents. The state or country will thereafter have achieved nutritional and food security. In order to meet all of a household’s needs, small and marginal farmers who produce timber are also essential.
Goals Of Integrated Farming Method:
- Increasing output per square foot.
- proper disposal of garbage.
- generations with year-round, consistent income.
- cutting back on the use of chemicals.
- maximize the yield of each component company.
- management of soil health.
Principles Of Integrated Farming Method:
- It is important to produce an adequate amount of high-quality food, fiber fodder, and industrial raw materials.
- For the integrated farming system to meet societal needs, a productive farming operation must be maintained.
- The program ought to safeguard the environment.
- To ensure the sustainability of natural resources through the system.
Factors Selecting The Performance Of This Method:
- a certain area’s climatic and soil characteristics.
- Existence of resources, labor, and capital on land.
- the degree to which resources are now being used.
- The planned integrated farming system’s economics.
- the farmer’s managing abilities.
Elements:
- Trees, birds, cattle, and crops make up the majority of any IFS.
- Subsystems for crops can include monochromatic, mixed/intercrop, multi-tiered crops of cereals, legumes (pulses), oilseeds, and forage, among others.
- Bees, chickens, milch cows, goats, and sheep are examples of livestock.
- Fruit trees, a timer, fuel, and fodder are a few possible tree components.
Benefits:
1. Productivity:
The integrated farming system increases area utilization as a result of the intensification of crops and related businesses. Ultimately it enables greater economic productivity per unit of area and time. The technique enhances soil fertility and physical structure by using organic compost and cover crops.
2. Profitability:
An enormous amount of profit is being made through integrated farming, which was not conceivable when done conventionally. The cost of operations is significantly decreased When one firm uses waste materials as input for another firm.
3. Sustainability:
By using the leftovers from related components, it becomes possible to organically feed the soil, extending the useful life of the production base. IFS encourages the sustainability of ecosystems by opposing deforestation.
4. Balanced Food:
Enables farmers to produce a variety of products, increasing the availability of various food sources. As a result, there is food and nutritional security.
5. Environmental Safety:
Through the integration of the necessary components, the integrated agricultural system efficiently recycles waste products. reducing environmental contamination and preserving agroecological equilibrium as a result.
6. Recycling:
Crop residues, livestock waste, and other residual resources can all be successfully recycled when farming in an integrated way.
7. Saving Energy:
By producing alternative fuel sources as a byproduct of many firms in the system, the integrated farming technique efficiently minimizes access dependence on fossil fuels as a source of energy.
8. Incomes Rounds The Year:
Farmers in the integrated farming system get paid throughout the year thanks to numerous businesses. This has a favorable impact on aspects of the farmer’s lifestyle like food, shelter, health, and education.
Drawbacks:
1. Possible Restriction On The Capacity Of Productivity:
The majority of farmers with tiny farmlands experience this. The practice of mixed farming may become less suited when there is insufficient land owing to a shortage of space since, despite the fact that the yield would be abundant, the production capacity would be significantly reduced.
2. Crops And Animals On The Same Land:
Animals might impede the growth of crops in an integrated farming system. Farmers stamped them with animals to use them as food. Even if the animals are restrained, this is still a possibility. Because whenever they discover their way, they may always leave their confined area.
3. No Shifting Cultivation:
In a mixed farming system, shifting cultivation is less likely to happen, particularly in regions with limited land. When tilling and cultivation of a specific piece of land are delayed for a period of several years, shifting cultivation is encouraged since it helps the soil restore its full nutritional capacity. Additionally, if shifting cultivation is not used, soil loses its nutrients.
4. No Use Of Machines:
Intercropping occurs most commonly in an integrated farming system. The diversity of the crops prevents the employment of mechanization. This is a result of their differences, which affect how long it takes for them to produce and yield. Additionally, the employment of machinery in a mixed farming system would have an impact on the animals due to the machinery’s release of gases. Additionally, machinery may affect some delicate crops.
What Is The Integrated Farming System Model?
Production of crops and pastures, crop harvest, storage of feed, grazing, feeding, and waste handling are some of the interrelated operations that go into raising livestock. The economics, environmental impact, and long-term performance of all manufacturing systems can predict with the aid of computer simulation.
To simulate feed storage and animal performance, this model was enhanced with new elements. By including elements to simulate the growth, harvest, and storage of grass, small grains, and soybeans, the dairy farm model was further expanded.
The integrated farming system model, or IFSM, was significantly revised to include a beef animal component and a crop farm alternative (no animals). The model adds further elements to replicate environmental effects such as ammonia volatilization, nitrate leaching, phosphorus runoff, and greenhouse gas emissions, and the model’s size continued to increase.
Model Of Integrated Farming Method:
Model-1:
Horticulture+ Piggery+ Fisheries+ Plantation Crops
Note:
- Some fish graze directly on pig excrement, and pig dung is a great pond fertilizer.
- Pig sites are cleaned and bathed with pond water.
- Plant between trees in gardens, shade fishing ponds, or to help prevent soil erosion.
Model-2:
Horticulture+ Duckery+ Fishery+ Plantation Crops+ Vermicomposting+ Apiary
Note:
- Vermicompost utilizes as agricultural manure or for commercial purposes.
- Production and pollination of honey in an apiary.
- Ducks use their waste as pond fertilizer while getting their food from water plants and other sources.
- Due to the construction of a duck house in the dike of the pond, it is possible to meet the work on a small amount of land.
Model-3:
Agriculture+ Horticulture+ Poultry+ Fishery+ Fruits crop+ vegetables and spices crops+ field crops+ plantation crops+ vermicompost unit+ piggery.
Model-4:
Agriculture+ horticulture+ poultry+ fishery+ azolla+ mushroom
Note:
- Straw leftovers for composting, manuring, and mushrooms.
- Poultry provides money, eggs, meat, dung, and pig feed.
- Azolla: A balanced feed with bio-fertilizer for all livestock. rice fertilizer made from nature.
Conclusion:
A well-known method of farming is an integrated farming system. Both crop production and animal raising involve. Although most appropriate, this isn’t always the case, integrated farming is primarily associated with heavily urbanized areas.
The integrated farming system produces significant financial gains and considers an effective farming technique. The small-holding farmers in the area currently use a family farming system, but there are always integrations occurring at various levels. It improves food security.
Additionally, the approach aids in the diversification of farm production for disadvantaged small farmers who have limited areas for livestock and food production. This kind of agricultural technique boosts financial gain, enhances the quality and output of food, and makes better use of underutilized resources.