The establishment of agriculture as a major source of income has been made possible in large part by modern agricultural practices and development, which have also played a significant role in the development of stable economies worldwide. However, the beneficiaries of these developments have been restricted to large-scale farmers who can make large investments.
This essentially excluded a sizable portion of growers who operated on a smaller or more marginal basis.
Apart from this, the global climate catastrophe and rising pollution are direct results of conventional methods’ unsustainable approach.
Following these occurrences, the integrated farming system (IFS) offers a much-needed substitute that depends on collaborations between various businesses to meet the rapidly expanding population’s food demands, while preserving and improving ecosystem components with aspects of efficient waste management and lower production costs.
There is a lot of opportunity in the agricultural sector for integrated agricultural operations, including forestry, fisheries, animal husbandry, and cropping. These businesses help families hire more workers in addition to helping farmers enhance their income.
To maximise cropping pattern production and ensure optimal resource utilisation, the integrated farming system approach modifies agricultural practices.
Farm waste is better recycled or processed for financial gain in the integrated system.
According to Harris, “It is a system which comprises of inter-related set of enterprises with crop activity as base, will provide ways to recycle produces and” waste “from one component becomes an input for another part of the system, which reduces cost and improves soil health and production or income.”
In an integrated agricultural system, agriculture may coexist alongside fish, poultry and cattle in one place to provide year-round jobs and extra revenue.
An arrangement that recycles goods or byproducts from one component as input to another related component, reduced manufacturing costs, higher productivity per unit area per unit time, higher total farm revenue and efficient year-round use of family manpower are some of the concepts of an integrated farming system.
Farm ponds, bio-fertilisers, biogas, solar energy, vermicompost making and green manuring are one of the most important components of an IFS while crop husbandry, livestock production, poultry, horticulture, aquaculture, sericulture, mushroom cultivation, agro-forestry, biogas plants, miscellaneous enterprises are important components of the same.
Why is IFS necessary?
Exorbitant input expenses to lessen the risks related to biotic and abiotic issues, to meet the growing need for food, feed, fibre, fuel, and fertilizer, the family’s nutritional requirements, the rise in the need for soil nutrients, employment, income, standard of life and sustainability.
Benefits of an integrated agricultural system
Utilise one component’s least costly waste material. This lowers production costs and establishes a connection between the utilisation of waste materials and the removal of intermediary interference in most inputs. When working out, the net profit B/C ratio rises.
By efficiently using the byproducts of related components, organic supplementation enables the production base’s capacity to be maintained for significantly longer periods of time.
We provide a range of nutrition sources by combining natural ingredients.
By joining the right parts, waste materials are efficiently recycled in IFS, lowering pollution.
Trash is efficiently recycled in the IFS.
Businesses that deal with crops, eggs, milk, honey, mushrooms, cocoons and silkworm cocoons provide income all year round. Guarantees the farmer a consistent flow of income all year round.
The resource farmer, also known as the large farmer, uses technology extensively.
IFS farmers, the relationship between dairy, mushrooms, sericulture, and vegetables. The year-round availability of funding promotes the adoption of modern technology by small and traditional farmers.
Finding a substitute source quickly to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. An efficient recycling method can be employed to produce biogas from the organic wastes in the system. We can delay the energy crisis till later.
All available land is utilised effectively. Nitrogen fixation and the planting of perennial legume fodder trees along field edges. The issue of the animal component’s inability to obtain high-quality feed will be significantly mitigated by these methods.
Properly connecting agro-forestry can boost industrial wood and fuel production levels without compromising agriculture yield.
As a result, deforestation will be significantly decreased, preserving our natural ecosystem.
Combining agricultural and animal businesses would significantly increase labour demand and significantly reduce underemployment. All year long, IFS offers plenty of opportunities for family labour.
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Integrated farming systems’ objectives
1. Increasing each component company’s output to guarantee a steady and steady revenue stream.
2. Agro-ecological balance and system production revitalisation
3. Keeping weed populations, diseases, and insect pests at a low level of intensity through the use of natural cropping techniques.
4. Cutting back on the use of chemicals (pesticides and fertilisers) to give society access to wholesome, chemical-free produce and a healthy environment.
Limitations of IFS include:
Lack of understanding of sustainable farming systems.
Unavailability of different farming system models.
Lack of low-interest credit facilities.
Lack of banking skills and habits to fully utilise loan facilities.
Lack of marketing information among farmers.
Lack of deep freezing and storage facilities.
Lack of timely input availability.
Lack of knowledge or education among the agricultural population, especially among rural youth.
In an integrated agricultural system, fish, poultry and cattle can all be kept in the same location as agriculture to create jobs year-round and earn extra money.
Even small and marginal farmers who struggle to make investments in agricultural technology can benefit from its comprehensive approach to the efficient use and management of farmlands.
With its emphasis on creating other revenue streams for these families and producing resources for the community, it offers a viable substitute for traditional farming practices.
IFS is a potential strategy for boosting overall profitability and production by recycling farm waste and making effective use of the available resources. It is important to take the merger of various businesses carefully.
(The writer is an Assistant Professor Agronomy, Surajmal University, Kichha, Uttarakhand. Views expressed are personal)
