Sustainable agriculture and development of homestead farming.

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Dr Hannah Krujia

ACTO Agronomy

KVK Phek

 

Sustainable agriculture, as the name suggests, is farming in such a way that the requirements of the present generation are fulfilled with minimum damage to the environment and do not harm the future generations to meet their own requirements. All methods used in sustainable farming revolve around not harming the environment while making the optimum use of resources in the best possible ways. These methods include conventional practices like crop rotation and crop diversity, making use of renewable resources and innovative methods of better water management and integrated pest management. Various techniques like cover crops, soil enrichment, and natural pest predators are also under the umbrella of sustainable agriculture.

 

  1. Environment conservation:

The various methods involved in sustainable farming not only replenish the soil and makes it healthier but also protect other natural resources including water and air, thus making sure that our future generations can make the best use of them.

 

  1. Reduction in pollution:

Lack or minimal use of synthetic chemicals in the form of pesticides and fertilizers results in lesser release of gases like nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. Moreover, all the waste produced on the farm stays there itself and is utilized­. Less emission of greenhouse gases means less damage to the ozone layer around the Earth, which protects us from harmful radiation.

 

  1. Healthy food for you:

Crops grown using sustainable farming are healthier due to the lack of residues of harmful chemicals used in pesticides like Metam sodium, Methyl bromide, Telone II and Chloropicrin. These can cause birth defects, nervous system and respiratory damage and can cause cancer.

 

  1. Social and environmental impact:

Sustainable agriculture ensures better working and living conditions for the farmers. It also allows livestock be in their natural environment, hence makes their lives better too.

 

  1. Biodiversity and healthy ecosystems:

The guardianship of biodiversity and employing it for mutual benefits is carried out by sustainable agriculture. A healthy ecosystem is guaranteed here as there is no harm to any organism and everybody flourishes together to create a healthy balance.

 

Homestead Farming

 

Homestead farming is a choice open to farmers who seek to enhance productivity and income in a sustainable manner. Homestead farming satisfies the requirement of sustainability by being productive, ecologically sound, stable and economically viable.

 

Productivity: The productive element of homestead farming arises from the fact that home gardens are resource islands that provide a wide variety of goods for domestic consumption, such as food, beverages, construction materials, firewood, and other household supplies. The different crop or tree species in the home garden satisfy the diverse needs of the farmer. The livestock component, besides providing financial support at times of distress, supports the farmer by providing draught power, milk, meat, and organic manure.

 

Ecological Security: Home gardens comprise a system in which plants, animals, and man coexist in a symbiotic manner, which is an essential component of ecological security. Biodiversity is one of the main indicators of ecological sustainability. With very high species diversity and complex structural arrangement of components with strong ecological foundations, the home garden systems replicate the structure and function of a natural tropical forest ecosystem. The species diversity of home gardens is also well suited to pest and disease management. In order for a system to be ecologically sustainable, it needs to maintain equilibrium between the input and output of natural resources, so as to prevent soil exhaustion.

Manure obtained from livestock and poultry is used in the homestead for various other crops, thus reducing the costs of using inorganic fertilizers. Such recycling results in efficient use of the available resources by the farmer. The constant addition of organic matter to the soil through litter fall and recycling of biomass helps improve and maintain the physical–chemical and biological properties of the soil.  

 

Stability: Homestead farming, by virtue of diversification, is more stable than monoculture agriculture. By growing a variety of crops, homestead farmers avoid economic risks, and are less at risk to extreme price fluctuations associated with changes in supply and demand. Harvests throughout the year ensure that there is always some product of economic value available to the household, whether own consumption or for sale.

Economic Viability: Plants in home gardens are utilized for multiple purposes, thus helping the family to avoid or reduce purchases. Homestead farming can utilize family labour efficiently over a year, and make complementary use of the soil to extend the general productivity of land on a sustained basis.  There are reports that homestead farming in Tripura has helped farmers realize consistently improved yields and earn up to Rs 67,705 annually from a holding of 0.16 ha.

Future Strategies

  1. Formation of homestead clusters - Several homesteads in a watershed can be brought together to form a cluster, in order to ensure effective implementation of plant protection programmes, efficient marketing, and better access to and use of machines.
  2. Creating germplasm or biodiversity registers - Homesteads represent the real reservoirs of germplasm of cultivated plants because varieties with diverse environmental requirements and resistance are raised. As a result of commercialization, non-commercial crop varieties will soon be eliminated from home gardens and replaced by commercial monocultures. It is therefore necessary to create germplasm (or biodiversity) registers at the panchayat level, which contain descriptions of local varieties of crops.
  3. Bridging the yield gap - One of the major reasons that have been identified for the yield gap between homesteads and best-farmer yields is the low adoption of new technologies by homestead farmers. Improving technology adoption and bridging yield gaps should be a priority while formulating development programmes for homesteads.
  4. Post-harvest processing - The development of post-harvest technology for home garden products can help create incomes and non-farm jobs. Examples are the processing of fruits to make jams, pickles and juices, bamboo to make household items and furniture, and other value added products from locally available resources.

 

Homestead farming ensures sustainable use of natural resources for the advantage of present and future generations. Development initiatives should aim at diversifications that harmoniously join together human dwellings, microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, and water into stable, productive communities. The main focus should be not on these components themselves, but rather on the relationships created among them by the way we place them within the  homestead. The ultimate goal must be to integrate the components in order that overall biological efficiency is improved, biodiversity is preserved, and productivity is self-sustaining.