A farming system is defined as a population of individual farm systems that have broadly similar resource bases, enterprise patterns, household livelihoods and constraints, and for which similar development strategies and interventions would be appropriate. Depending on the scale of the analysis, a farming system can encompass a few dozen or many millions of households (FAO).
Definition of Farming System:
Farming system is a complex inter-related matrix of soil, plants, animals, implements, power, labour, capital and other inputs controlled in part by families and influenced to varying degrees by political, economic institutional and social forces that operate at many levels.
Farming system is the scientific integration of different interdependent and interacting farm enterprises for the efficient use of land, lab our and other resources of a farm family which provides year round income to the fanners specially located in the handicapped zone.
The farming system, therefore, refers to the farm as an entity of interdependent farming enterprises carried out on the farm. The farm is viewed in a holistic manner. The farmers are subjected to many socioeconomic, biophysical, institutional, administrative and technological constraints.
The farming system conceptually is a set of elements or components that are interrelated which interact among themselves. At the centre of the interaction is the farmer exercising control and choice regarding the type and results of interaction.
The income from cropping alone in small and marginal farms is hardly sufficient to sustain the farmers’ family. With the decline in farm size (0.15 ha/person) due to population explosion, it would be increasingly difficult to produce enough food for the family by the end of the century.
Therefore, the farmer, to be assured of a regular income for a decent living (above the poverty line), a judicious mix of any one or more of these enterprises with agronomic crops should complement the farm income and help in recycling the farm residue/waste. The selection of enterprises must be based on the cardinal principle of minimizing the competition and maximizing the complementarity between the enterprises.
Farming systems represent integration of farm enterprises such as cropping systems, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry, etc. for optimal utilization of resources bringing prosperity to the farmer.
Farming systems approach introduces a change in farming techniques for higher production from the farm as a whole with the integration of all the enterprises. The farm products other than the economic products, for which the crops are grown can be better utilized for productive purposes in the farming systems approach. A judicious mix of cropping system with associated enterprises like dairy, poultry, piggery, fishery, sericulture, etc. suited to the given agro climatic conditions and socio-economic status of farmers would bring prosperity to the farmer.
Farming System Concept:
‘Farming’ is a process of harnessing solar energy in the form of economic plant and animal products. ‘System’ implies a set of interrelated practices and processes organized into functional entity, i.e. an arrangement of components or parts that interact according to some process and transforms inputs into outputs.
Farming system is therefore, designated as a set of agricultural activities organized into functional unit (s) to profitably harness solar energy while preserving land productivity and environmental quality and maintaining desirable level of biological diversity and ecological stability.
The emphasis is more on a system rather than gross output. In other words ‘farming system’ 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 environment quality.
Thus, in farming system all the activities, decision, management, input/output, purchase/sale and resource (s) utilized make the matrix of farming system which interact with socio-economic and bio-physical environment for purchasing the necessary inputs and disposing the outputs by utilizing the natural resources (land, water, air, sunshine etc.) effectively. Sustainability is the objective utilization of inputs without impairing the quality of environment with which it interacts. Therefore, it is clear that farming system is a process in which sustainability of production is the objective.
This overall objective is to evolve technically feasible and economically viable farming system models by integrating cropping with allied complementary enterprises for irrigated, rainfed, hilly and coastal areas with a view to generate income and employment from the farm.
The specific objectives are:
1. To identify existing farming systems in specific area and assess their relative viability;
2. To formulate farming system models involving main and allied enterprises for different farming situations;
3. To ensure optional utilization and conservation of available resources and effective recycling of farm residues within system;
4. To maintain sustainable production system without damaging resources base/environment;
5. To raise overall profitability of farm household by complementing main/allied enterprises with each other.
Criteria of Farming System Classification:
The classification of the farming systems of developing regions is based on following criteria:
1. Available natural resource base, including water, land, grazing areas and forest; climate, of which altitude is one important determinant; landscape, including slope; farm size, tenure and organization;
2. Dominant pattern of farm activities and household livelihoods, including field crops, livestock, trees, aquaculture, hunting and gathering, processing and off-farm activities; and taking into account the main technologies used, which determine the intensity of production and integration of crops, livestock and other activities.
Farming System in South Asia:
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities, also includes the adjoining countries on the west and the east. Topographically, it is dominated by the Indian Plate, which rises above sea level as the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush.
South Asia is surrounded (clockwise, from west to east) by Western Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia and the Indian ocean.
1. Highland Mixed:
This farming system, generally intermediate between the rice-wheat plains of the lowlands and the sparsely populated high mountain areas above, extends across the entire length of the Himalayan range. Major products include cereals, legumes, tubers, vegetables, fodder, fodder trees, orchards and livestock.
2. Rainfed Mixed:
It is a rainfed cropping and livestock farming system. It occupies the largest area within the sub-continent and, with the exception of a small area in Northern Sri Lanka, is confined entirely to India. Rice and some wheat are grown, as well as pearl millet and sorghum, a wide variety of pulses and oilseeds, sugarcane, and vegetables and fruit.
3. Dry Rainfed:
Located in a “rain shadow’ surrounded by the Rainfed Mixed Farming System in the Western Deccan, this farming system has a higher proportion of irrigation than the moister surrounding areas.
4. Pastoral:
Across the semiarid and arid zones, from Rajasthan in India through Pakistan and Afghanistan, transhumant pastoralists keep mixed herds of livestock. The system includes scattered pockets of irrigation which mitigate the extreme seasonal vulnerability of pastoralists.
5. Sparse (Arid):
The land area of the system is estimated at 57 million ha, supporting an estimated 16 million bovines and 29 million small ruminants. About 1.7 million ha is cultivated, practically all under irrigation. There are some scattered irrigation settlements in the arid areas; in most cases used by pastoralists to supplement their livelihoods.
6. Sparse (Mountain):
This system lies at altitudes above 3000 metres along the mid-level and upper slopes of the Himalayan Range. A number of small settlements depend on potatoes and buckwheat, plus cattle and yak herds.
7. Tree Crop (Not Mapped):
This scattered farming system comprises plantation companies and small holders producing substantial areas of tea, rubber, coconuts and other tree crops.
8. Urban Based Farming System:
In most large towns and cities in the region the intensive production of perishable high-value commodities – such as milk and fresh vegetables – has expanded. These are generally commercial systems.
Farming System in India:
India with 2.2 per cent of global geographical area supports more than 15 per cent of the total world population, 70 per cent of whom depend on agriculture. It also supports nearly 15 per cent of the total livestock population of the world. One-third of the gross national product comes from agricultural sector. During 2050 AD, 349 million tones of food, 25 million tones of vegetable oil and 92 m.m3 of industrial wood shall be needed for approximately 1667 million people.
As of now, out of 328.73 million ha geographical area approximately 18 per cent is under forest; only 13.5 per cent is not available for cultivation. Total problem areas constitute 173.65 million ha which include areas subject to wind and water erosion (145 million ha), water-logged areas (8.53 million ha), alkali soil (3.58 million ha), saline and coastal sandy areas (5.50 million ha), ravines and gullies (3.97 million ha), shifting cultivation (4.91 million ha) and reverie torrents (2.73 million ha). Besides 40 million ha are prone to flood and 260 million ha are drought prone. Thus the net sown area is 136.18 million ha (41.42 per cent of the total geographical area).
The benefits of modern technology have, however, been restricted to favorable farming situations. Only 44 out of 453 districts are contributing half of the total food grain basket of the country. This clearly suggests that the technology supposed to be scale and resource neutral has been confined to the districts with favorable farming conditions.
Since there is no further scope for horizontal expansion of land for cultivation, the only alternative left is for vertical expansion and diversification of farm enterprises with less demand on space and time particularly for small and marginal farmers (constituting 76 per cent of the farming community) who do not have much of resources, especially in rain fed areas (70 per cent of the total cultivated land). The new farming system research strategy should, therefore, necessarily concentrate on developing technology with participatory approach within the biophysical and socio-economic environments in which the farmers operate.
The period of late sixties is commonly referred as the golden period of Green Revolution in India. The attainment on food front during green revolution period resulted in spectacular increase in food grain production synchronizing with population growth.
It reached as high level as 202 million tones in 1999-2000. The green revolution, however, remained confined to irrigated tracts and that largely to wheat alone. Wheat received maximum stimulus of varietal improvement, shared major portion of irrigation resources, and benefited most from the national research, extension and development infrastructure and government policy of support price and procurement.
Conversely, rainfed crops occupying 70 per cent of the cultivated area remained deprived of these benefits and they are being pushed to marginal areas further. Singh (1990) reported that growth in food grains was ahead of population growth during 1967-68 to 1985-86, in only 5 states (Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh) while in 11 states, it lagged behind the population growth.
In addition to creating regional disparity in agricultural growth, green revolution resulted in overexploitation and degradation of land and water resources, deforestation, near extinction of valuable flora and fauna, advent of newer pests and diseases, and ecological problems. All these have resulted in decline in production and productivity even in the green revolution areas.
Experiences have shown that every farming situation has specific mix of farm enterprises and their problems, and they require need-based specific solutions. So far major emphasis has been laid on crop production, which is one out of many farm-based activities.
Even national thrust area has been simply changing from the group of food crop to the other. Agricultural development is no more a commodity or crop oriented programme. Today, there is a need to improve the overall agricultural development with multiple goals of growth, equity, employment and efficiency.
It should aim at the twin objectives of developing packages of technologies that will result in sustained productivity and economic stability on the one hand and ecological stability on the other. This gigantic task is to be undertaken when national resources are shrinking, fragmentation of holding is continuing, incidence of rural poverty and unemployment are increasing, and uncertainty of weather is more certain.
These have greater impact on small and marginal farmers. Will the crop production be able to sustain the pressure of decreasing farm income anymore? It is doubtful. The solution lies in farming system management – a holistic approach.
Every farmer tries to choose the farm activities / enterprises depending upon physical, and economic conditions prevailing in his ecosystem. Integration of various farm enterprises in a farm ensures growth and stability in overall productivity and profitability. It also ensures recycling of residues, optimization of resource use, and minimization of risk and generation of employment.
Various enterprises that could be included in the farming systems are crop production, dairy, poultry, fish farming, vegetable and fruit growing, goat rearing, pig farming, sericulture, mushroom cultivation, agro forestry, bee keeping, flower cultivation, silvi-culture, agro-based industries and food processing etc.
A judicious mix of enterprises, complimentary to cropping and suited to the given farming situation and the farmers’ preferences would bring prosperity to rural areas. Sporadic exercises have to be taken on a large scale in systematic order in various agro-climatic zones and dry farming situation to identify suitable farming systems.
Lowland Farming Systems:
Common cropping system in rice based systems, especially under agro climatic conditions of south India is rice-rice-pulse. Modified cropping system includes crops like maize, groundnut, and sesame. Rice-poultry-fish culture system appears to be more remunerative.
Poultry droppings from the poultry shed placed well above the farm pond meets the needs of fish in the ponded water. Water in the pond can be used for irrigating the crops. About 500 layer chicks are sufficient to void required quantum of excreta to meet the feed requirement of 7, 500 polyculture fingerlings in one ha of ponded water. Rice-fish system is also remunerative.
Upland Irrigated Farming System:
Additional income can be generated by adding enterprises like dairy, biogas and silviculture to the usual cropping systems. Two to three milch cows can be maintained from one ha straw. Recycling of farm and animal wastes through biogas unit can produce cooking gas for family use. Several such integrations can greatly increase farm income, besides providing work to family members throughout the year.
Rainfed Farming Systems:
Principles of relevant components of environmentally sustainable farming systems should include:
i. Reducing soil erosion and improving soil conservation,
ii. Inclusion of legumes and cover crops in crop rotations,
iii. Agro forestry as an alternate land use system, and
iv. Judicious use of organic wastes.
Environmentally sustainable dryland farming systems emphasize conservation and utilization of natural resources. Agronomic practices of conservation tillage and mulch farming, rotational cropping, use of legumes and cover crops for improving soil fertility and suppressing weeds and efficient use of cattle manure are some of the components of sustainable farming systems.
A sound land use policy is necessary to tackle the problem of deteriorating natural resources, especially soil and water. Land use according to land capability and minimizing human and livestock pressure on land in accordance with carrying capacity should form central theme of land policy. Agriculture on steep slopes be stopped. Alternate land use systems, in place of arable cropping, should be popularized among small and marginal farmers. A strong political will and commitment is needed to combat forces leading to land degradation.
By and large, many medium and marginal farmers are used to farming systems since they started cultivating crops. Majority of the farmers in rural areas are maintaining work animals, milch animals, chicks, sheep, goats, etc. in addition to crop production. More than 75 per cent of farming community is used to farming system approach.
The usual farming systems are agriculture along with milch animals or chicks or both milch animals and chicks. What is required for the farmers at present is not educating them on the benefits of farming systems for which they are used since they started crop production, but improving the productivity of the existing farming systems through latest technological innovations.
Scope of Farming System:
Farming enterprises include crop, livestock, poultry, fish tree crops, plantation crops, sericulture, etc. 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 unit is to be considered and planned for effective integration of the enterprises to be combined with crop production activity.
Integration of farm enterprises depends on many factors such as:
1. Soil and climatic features of the selected area.
2. Availability of the resources, land, labour and capital.
3. Present level of utilization of resources
4. Economics of proposed integrated farming system.
5. Managerial skill of the farmer.