Farming system is any farm activities related to crop production, dairy, livestock or any activities related to agriculture is under farming system. Farming is related to economic production from either plants or animals. System is something we follow with process and things are involved in inter-related and when this processed into functional unit is called a system. When we make some links and make them into an output, then it is a system. Both farming system and mixed farming have enterprises. In farming system the farm enterprises are interrelated i.e. they support each other.
One enterprise output is useful for the enterprise of others. This way one enterprise helps the other enterprise. Example, livestock dung and urine is used as manure in crops. In turn, the crop again will provide feed to the animals e.g. like fodder crop. This is a complimentary type of interaction between the enterprises. In mixed farming there are no interrelations between the enterprises. Suppose a farmer is rearing two or three cows but the urine and cow dung is not used for composting or use in crops. So, there is no complimentary effect between the enterprises and there are separate operations in all the enterprises.
The difference between farming system and mixed farming system are discussed as follows:
Conclusion
Integrated farming system or farming system (as in general) is a promising enterprise for marginal and small farmers particularly who has less farm holdings. From this study, the integrated farming system provides progressive economic growth, employment opportunities, family nutritional requirements, optimal utilization of resources of the farming enterprises etc. Some success stories related to integrated farming system are such as where a tribal integrated farmer in Orissa who was getting the productivity as well as the profitability and sustainability after adopting the integrated farming system as compared to the conventional farming system and earned 7 times higher net monetary return as compared to traditional methods of farming. The best advantages of IFS are increase in farm production and thereby earnings also increases. IFS is being done by combining livestock, aquaculture and poultry which is spreading rapidly all over the world.
Article contributed by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Animal Science Division, Tuensang.
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