Preface

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.

Dr. K. T. Chandy, 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.



Left to itself organic matter cycles through all the living and non living components in nature. But when man starts manipulating natural resources senselessly this organic matter cycle gets disrupted. Once any component in the nature is disturbed then all the other components including man gets disrupted. Therefore man should take special care to maintain the organic matter cycle in every farm operation he does.

I2. Water cycle

Organic matter moves from one living being to another through the medium of water. It is through water that plants, animals and human beings absorb nourishments. Again it is in the presence of water all the metabolic reactions take palace in all the living beings. Similarly water courses through soil, micro organisms, atmosphere, plants, animals and plants in a constant multiple cyclic process.

Organic matter cycle and water cycle are the dual complementary principles around which all the physical chemical and biological processes are taking place in the nature. For sustainability of farm production one bas to ensure that the organic matter cycles and water cycles are maintained in each farm unit.

III. Feasibility of Sustainability

There are no two opinions about the necessity for sustainable farming. However, the proposition seems to be a very difficult if not impossible. The major factors that affect sustainable farming and consequently the environment are described briefly here.

1. Sustainability of man or land

There 'is a dichotomy between the sustainability of the people and sustainability of land. The land is limited but the demand is increasing due to population increase and due to spiraling consumerism. In a sustainable production the production remains steady. Who will supply the additional demand of the people due to increase in population: Government, NGOs, private agencies? If we need more than what we produce we will need to import. If this import is not balanced with corresponding export the sustainability of state, region or nation is at stake.