Sustainable Agriculture is an idea that involves many aspects. It incorporates economic sustainability, fairness to the workers, creates mutual benefit with the community, and has to be environmentally friendly. Over the years, sustainable agriculture practices have been on the rise, while others are still on the test. Here are the familiar four.
This farming method helps to prevent soil erosion. It involves plowing and planting plants across the slope, following the contour lines. It is different from terrace farming because there are no steps to cut around the slopes. This method helps increase crop production, improves water quality, and prevents flooding and habitat destruction. It is an effective way of improving reservoir water levels.
Micro or trickle irrigation conserves water by ensuring water gets into the plants' roots by dripping into their root zones or soil surfaces. It uses a network of pipes, valves, emitters, and tubing to ensure water reaches the selected areas at different times. Drip irrigation is divided into four types, depending on the emitters which control water discharge. There are Point-source emitters, Basin bubblers, In-line drip emitters, and the Micro spray sprinkler. Through this method, you end up having controlled irrigation, using less water. It's ideal in arid and semi-arid areas.
Agroforestry involves using interactive benefits to combine different plants on a farm. With this type of farming, you combine forestry and agricultural technologies, whereby you mix shrubs, trees, and crops to create diverse, healthy, productive, profitable, and sustainable land use. Just like intercropping, this method combines two or more species of plants with close interaction. There are three types of agroforestry. The Agrisilvicultural system involves having a combination of trees and crops, while the Silvopastoral system takes in crops with domestic animals in pastures, on-farm, or in rangelands. Agrosilvopastoral incorporates all three, comprising trees, animals, and produce.
This farming method involves growing crops or pastures without tilling the land for several years. According to agriculture cloud ERP, the primary reason for the practice is to retain water in the soil, increase organic matter retention, and recycle nutrients in the ground. In other regions, the method is used to reduce soil erosion, and helps increase life varieties in the soil, including disease suppressing organisms. Its principal function is to improve biological soil fertility and to make soils more resilient.
Using any of these sustainable methods depends on many things, including the type of farm, what's being grown, and the infrastructure's availability to carry out sustainable farming methods. Sustainable farming gets focused on long-term benefits without harming the environment. The techniques on use must meet the intended goals and benefits.
Dixie Somers is a freelance writer who loves to write for business, health, and women’s interests. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.
