7/4/2008
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Problems of Sustainable Farming In India
Contents
I. Introduction
II. Principles of Sustainable Farming
III. Feasibility of Sustainability
1. Sustainability of man or land
2. Size of holdings
3. Price rise
4. Inflation
5. Law of inheritance
6. Mortgaging, sale and purchase of land
7. Land Development
8. Soil physical and chemical conditions
9. Topography
10. Use of crop residues
11. Crop rotations
12. Climatic factors
13. Low level technology
14. Absence of subsidiary occupation
15. Illiteracy and non-numeracy
16. Lack of proper marketing facilities
IV. Conditions for Sustainable Farming
V. Conclusion
Preface
There are no two opinions about the need for sustainability in farming for ecological balance. But the question is sustainability of ecosystem or the farmer. This booklet highlights the problem related to sustainability of farming and farmer. One without the other is an impossible proposition.
K.T. Chandy, Director, Agricultural & environmental Education
I. Introduction
Sustainable farming means a system of agricultural practices in which land, water, crop, plants, domestic animals and other natural resources are utilized in such a way that production of farm outputs are maintained steady (without significant variations) in an agricultural holding over a long period of time. Since the farm products are for the benefit of people the sustainability period, strictly speaking, should last generation after generation. In other words, the agricultural practices should not exhaust, decrease, degenerate or pollute the land based resources such as top soil, ground water, air, soil fertility, biomass production and recycling, water cycle, genetic resources of micro organisms. plants and animals. As a result in sustainable farming water. fresh air, crop production, animal products, fodder, fibre, fuel wood, timber and other farm and environmental products essential for sustaining human life on earth are produced in a steady manner both in quantity and quality. This level of production is called also the optimum level of production or sustainable level of production.
Sustainable production practices are essential for maintaining suitable environment. Because in agriculture and allied activities man manipulates natural resources such as top soil, ground water, micro flora and fauna, crop plants, including cultivated trees and domestic animals which are integral part of the environment. In the ecosystem all these are so intimately connected with each other that one cannot exist without the other. This connection is web of interdependence and complementarity. Hence, degeneration, pollution or exhaustion of any of the natural resources in the ecosystem is environmentally detrimental to human beings. Hence the necessity for sustainable farming for maintaining a suitable environment for human beings. There is no second opinion about it.
II. Principles of Sustainable Farming
Agricultural Practices are those operations on the farm, daily,
weekly, monthly, seasonally or yearly performed. When they
are performed with an intention of maintaining the natural
resources for the future generations then they are called
sustainable agricultural practices. However, sustainable farming
practices are based on two fundamental principles. They are
principles of organic matter cycle and water cycle.
1.
Organic matter cycle
Any biomass of living or dead is organic matter. The same biomass
in nature appears in the form of different living beings in
a food chain process. For example, elements and compounds are
,absorbed by the plants become food for animals and human beings.
But plants, animals and human beings degenerated by the micro
organisms and finally the micro organisms also die and become
one with the soil in elemental forms. These elements are again
absorbed by the plants and the food chain cycle goes on continuously.
Thus it is through the organic matter cycle that every living
being including agricultural animal husbandry products are generated
and regenerated continuously in a cyclic process.
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