FARMING SYSTEM

                                 Farming system

        Farming system is a complex inter-related matrix of soil, plants, animals implements, power,labor, capital and other inputs controlled in part by farm families and influenced by varying degrees of political, economic, institutional and social forces that operate at many levels. 

        In other words it is defined as unique and reasonably stable arrangement of farm enterprises that the household manages according to its physical, biological, economic and sociology-cultural environment in the household’s goals, preferences and resources.

         It is a resource management strategy to achieve economic and sustained production to meet diverse requirement of farm household while preserving resource base and maintaining a high level of environmental quality.

Farming systems concept:

        In farming system, the farm is viewed in a holistic manner. Farming enterprises include crops, dairying, poultry, fishery, sericulture, piggery, apiary tree crops.A combination of one or more enterprises with cropping when carefully chosen, planned and executed, gives greater dividends than a single enterprise, especially for small and marginal farmers.

         Farm as a unit is to be considered and planned for effective integration of the enterprises to be combined with crop production activity, such that the end-products and wastes of one enterprise are utilized effectively as inputs in other enterprise. 

        Sustainability is the objective of the farming system where production process is optimized through efficient utilization of inputs without infringing on the quality of environment with which it interacts on one hand and attempt to meet the national goals on the other. The concept has an undefined time dimension. The magnitude of time dimension depends upon ones objectives, being shorter for economic gains and longer for concerns pertaining to environment, soil productivity and land degradation.

Principles of farming system:

• Minimization of risk
• Recycling of wastes and residues
• Maximum productivity and profitability
• Ecological balance
• Generation of employment potential
•  Increased input use efficiency

Characteristics of farming system:

1. Farmer oriented & holistic approach
2. Effective farmers participation
3. Unique problem solving system
4. Dynamic system
5. Responsible to society
6. Environmental sustainability
7. Location specificity of technology
8. Diversified farming enterprises to avoid risks due to environmental constraints

Objectives of farming system:

Productivity:

         Farming system provides on opportunity to increase economic yield per unit area per unit time by virtue of intensification of crop and allied enterprises. Time concept by crop intensification and space concept by building up of vertical dimension through crops and allied enterprises.

Profitability: 

         The system as a whole provides an opportunity to make use of produce/waste material of one enterprise as an input in another enterprise at low/no cost. Thus by reducing the cost of production the profitability and benefit cost ratio works out to be high.

Balanced food:

         In farming system, diverse enterprises are involved and they produce different sources of nutrition namely proteins, carbohydrates, fats & minerals etc form the same unit land, which helps in solving the malnutrition problem prevalent among the marginal and sub-marginal farming households.

Environmental safety:

        The very nature of farming system is to make use or conserve the byproduct/waste product of one component as input in another component and use of bio-control measures for pest & disease control. These eco-friendly practices bring down the application of huge quantities of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, which pollute the soil water and environment to an alarming level. Whereas IFS will greatly reduces environmental pollution.

Income/cash flow round the year:

        Unlike conventional single enterprise crop activity where the income is expected only at the time of disposal of economic produce after several months depending upon the duration of the crop, the IFS enables cash flow round the year by way of sale of products from different enterprises viz., eggs from poultry, milk from dairy, fish from fisheries, silkworm cocoons from sericulture, honey from apiculture etc. This not only enhances the purchasing power of the farmer but also provides an opportunity to invest in improved technologies for enhanced production.

Saving energy:

         Availability of fossil fuel has been declining at a rapid rate leading to a situation wherein the whole world may suffer for want of fossil fuel by 2030 AD. In farming system, effective recycling of organic wastes to generate energy from biogas plants can mitigate to certain extent this energy crisis.

Scope for establishment of agro- industries:

        When once the produce from different components in IFS is increased to a commercial level there will be surplus for value addition in the region leading to the establishment of agro-industries.

Enhancement in input use efficiency :

        An IFS provides good scope for resource utilization in different components leading to greater input use efficiency and benefit- cost ratio.