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| Mohsin Tanveer (Author) |
Presently
globalization, over exploitation of resources, variation in climate and
tremendously rising population are putting a great challenge for agriculturist
to meet food demand. Food security is principle responsibility of an
agriculturist. Green house gases, anthropogenic activities, global warming is
decreasing production potential of a specific area by changing its
microclimate.
Farmers adopt agriculture for their livelihood and such herculean
problems are agitating them to deny further adoption of agriculture profession.
In that context, there is dire need of innovative farming practices. As cost
effective, self sufficiency, low input agricultural practices have always been
a quest and an interest for farmers and researchers.
Agriculture has trusted
heavily on conventional methods to improve and sustain crop production.
Conventional methods include use of chemicals to control pest and weeds,
employing synthetic fertilizer that are not economical and environment
friendly, over cultivation of land. Although conventional methods have
potential to give high yield but under conventional practices, there is limited
opportunity to solve such problems and to reduce their impact on population.
Now, it is being thought that these conventional methods might be responsible
for creating such problems.
Innovative farming
practice is defined as Good Agricultural Practice that stands on four pillars
of environment sustainability, socio- economical adaptability and quality food
production. Some practices are employed to develop cropping systems and some
includes use of natural and biologically active materials. Below are few
approaches:
1. Biopesticides: These are certain types
of pesticides derived from such natural materials that are environment friendly
like from animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. Biopesticides are
usually inherently less toxic than conventional pesticides, and generally
affect only the target pest and closely related organisms, in contrast to broad
spectrum, conventional pesticides that may affect organisms. These
biopesticides are very easy to made, handle and apply. Like the introduction of
Bacillus thuringenesis ( Bacteria) in
cotton makes it protective against the attack of worms.
2. Biofertillizers: Biofertilizers are used
to improve the fertility of the land using biological wastes. It does not
contain any chemicals which are detrimental to the living soil. They are
extremely beneficial in enriching the soil with those micro-organisms, which
produce organic nutrients for the soil and help combat diseases. The farm
produce does not contain traces of hazardous and poisonous materials. Biochar,
soil microbe’s cultures are very attractive in that context. The purpose of
fertilizer application is to provide essential nutrients to plants for their
better growth.
3. Use of natural growth promoters:
Synthetic growth promoters have little adverse effects but in long run they
cause many diseases in children. Under climate change scenario, application of
growth promoters is necessary either through foliar application or through
inoculation/priming of seeds. Allelopathic water extracts have potential to act
as natural growth promoters like Moringa leaf extract. They have no adverse
effects on food quality. They are very cost effective and can be made at any
place.
4. Cropping systems: The development of
different cropping systems seems to be affective to enhance crop production and
to reduce cost of production. In that context some systems are discussed and a
very few research is being done on that in world.
(A)
Relay cropping system: It is a type of intercropping that aims to increase land
use efficiency, reduce cost of production, maintain biodiversity per unit area.
It helps the farmers for timely sowing of a crop. Simply it is process of
surface seeding of a crop in to standing crop which has desired yield
advantage. It is very simple method and can be employed at any place. Stubbles
of preceding crop act as organic matter in soil thus reduce extra application
of fertilizers.
(B)
Precision farming system: is an innovative method to optimize resources. It is
a management system based primarily on a combination of information
technologies, including networked computing, satellite monitoring, and automated
guidance systems for farm machinery. Precision farming can save time and energy
and, by reducing unnecessary applications of chemicals and irrigation, as a
result, the undesirable effects of excess chemical loading to the environment
leading to soil and water contamination, and productivity loss due to
insufficient input application can be averted.
(C)
Vertical farming: It is cultivation of crops especially vegetable crops on
roofs, buildings, green houses. The
modern idea of vertical farming uses techniques related to glass houses, where
natural sunlight can be supplemented with artificial lighting. This type of
farming gives us organic crops and protects them from weather variations.
(D) Ley farming: It is very good practice where crop
performance depends on rainfall or area with production potential. In this,
field is alternatively seeded for grain/cash crop and left fallow. The purpose
of adoption of this is to use waste land according to its capability and soil
degradation by maintaining soil cover during rainfall.
(E) Ranching: Refers to the practice of
grazing animals on the public lands. Some public lands may also be used for
raising livestock. The practice is common in Australia and Tibet.
(F) Specialized farming: In a general sense, when only few enterprises are
run be farmer, in which he has attained special knowledge, it is termed as
special farming. The motive behind specialized farming is profit.
Pros of innovative farming approaches includes environment
friendly, easy to manage, apply, easy to produce, employing in different
ecological conditions, cost effective, quality food production, net return from
limited land holdings while only drawback of these is they do not give instant
enough yield.
A lot of work is being done and plenty of research is needed
to optimize yield, sustain yield, conserve natural resources, better water,
land use efficiency.
- Mohsin Tanveer MOHSIN TANVEER MOHSIN TANVEER Visit My Site
- The writers Mohsin Tanveer, Habib Ullah, Dr. Ehsan Ullah, Dr. Shakeel Ahmad Anjum are associated with Agro-biology lab, Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad
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