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FARMING SYSTEMS
Prepare By: Mr Kobina Ocran, UBS Factors that affect a farmer's choice of a farming system: i. Available water, land, grazing areas, arable lands ii. The dominant pattern of farm activities and household livelihoods. iii. The farmer’s skill level iv. Access to capital v. Access to technology vi. The landscape of the area vii. Climatic conditions viii. The characteristics of the soil Shifting cultivation. It is a system of farming in which the farmer cultivates a piece of land for some time, and when the land loses its fertility, the farmer, together with his settlement, leaves the land to lie fallow for a few years. The farmer may come back to cultivate the old land later. Advantages of Shifting Cultivation i. It is inexpensive ii. The farmer spends little or nothing in improving the soil fertility. iii. The farmer could grow crops on any new land he moved to. Disadvantages of shifting cultivation i. It leads to scarcity of land ii. The farmer would always have to move or relocate his household. iii. Erosion can start on abandoned soil. iv. Forests may be destroyed as land is cleared for new farming lands v. Crop yield is very low because farm inputs, which improve yields, are not used. Land rotation This is a system of farming in which a farmer cultivates a piece of land for some time and leaves it to clear a new land when the old land becomes less fertile. The farmer moves to the new land without moving his settlement.
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Advantages of Land Rotation i. The land regains its fertility after the fallow period. ii. Disease buildup is reduced. iii. Pest attack is reduced. Disadvantages of land rotation i. It destroys forests due to land being cleared for more farming systems ii. It is expensive iii. Cannot be practiced in areas where the land is scarce. iv. Commercial production is discouraged. Crop rotation It is the method of farming in which a farmer grows different types of crops on the same piece of land in a definite order or cycle. Principles of crop rotation i. Crops with deep roots should be followed by crops with shallow roots. ii. Crops that use much more nutrients should be followed by crops that use less nutrients. iii. Crops that come from the same family, e.g. rice and maize, must not follow one another. iv. Legumes should be included in the rotation plan. Reasons why legumes are included in crop rotation i. Legumes improve the structure of the soil. ii. Legumes add nitrogen to the soil thereby improving soil fertility. iii. They control soil erosion when used as cover crops. E.g. cowpea. iv. There is reduction in labour use, e.g. no frequent land clearing. Advantages of crop rotation i. There is reduction of total crop failure ii. Soil fertility is maintained because of the inclusion of leguminous plants iii. Crop rotation controls soil erosion.
ii. Between-farm mixed farming: Exchange of resources between farms. It is practiced in commercial farming, and not subsistence farming. The resources are often waste products and not something that could be sold. iii. Diverse-mixed farming system: Crops and livestock that are grown and reared are completely separated from one another. iv. Integrated mixed farming: Resources are shared between the components. It reduces waste, and it is more economical. When one component suffers, the entire farm will suffer because everything is reliant on each other. Advantages of mixed farming. i. There is a regular supply of food for the farmer and his family. ii. The fertility of the soil is improved by the use of farmyard manure. iii. There is no need for the farmer to shift to a new piece of land since there is less likelihood of low soil fertility. iv. Plant matter may be used to feed animals, while animal dung or droppings may also be used to fertilize crop fields. This reduces the cost of production since less feed is purchased for animals, while the soil is also fertilized with manure from animals. v. There is little or no waste vi. It generates a stable income for the farmer vii. Large animals like cattle are used to plough the land. Disadvantages of mixed farming. i. The farmer may have divided attention for keeping both crops and animals. ii. It requires a lot of skills in managing crops and animals. iii. Animals usually destroy crops when they are not well confined. Organic farming It is the production of crops, animals, and other products without the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides, transgenic species, or antibiotics and growth-enhancing steroids, or other chemicals. Advantages of organic farming. i. Organic produce attracts a high price in foreign markets. ii. The food produced are free from harmful chemicals. iii. It protects the environment Disadvantages of organic farming i. It requires some skill and knowledge to practice ii. It is very expensive iii. Crop failure. Pastoral farming It is a method of farming in which the farmer raises and keeps only livestock animals on a piece of land. Examples of pastoral farming: i. dairy farming ii. raising cattle for beef and hide iii. raising sheep for wool and mutton.
Features of pastoral farming i. The farmer only raises livestock. ii. The farmer can use the animals as farm traction. iii. Manure of animals used to fertilise grazing fields. iv. The farmer does not move the livestock around v. Farmers set up pasture lands for the livestock. Advantages of pastoral farming i. It prevents livestock losses ii. Animals can be raised, even on dry lands iii. Some of the animals can be used for ploughing and transport iv. Animal droppings can be used as manure to fertilise the soil Disadvantages of pastoral farming i. Overgrazing of the pasture can lead to erosion ii. Diseases might spread among animals iii. It is expensive, especially in the dry season Nomadic farming It is a type of farming system in which herdsmen move their animals around in search of suitable grazing fields and water. They usually move animals like cattle, sheep, goats, camel, horses and donkeys. Features of Nomadic Farming i. Movement of herds. ii. Herdsmen and their herd settle on fresh grazing fields for as long as it lasts. iii. In West Africa, they encroach crops farms and destroy them. Advantages of nomadic farming i. Availability of grazing fields ii. It is not expensive Disadvantages of nomadic farming i. Destruction of farmlands by cattle leading to conflicts between herdsmen and other farmers ii. Increased livestock losses due to predation and inability to fully control animals Ecological farming It is the system of organic farming during which the vegetative cover of the environment is protected. Advantages of ecological farming i. It is an environmentally friendly way of farming; i.e. it does not bring about land degradation. ii. The cut-down overgrown stems and branches decay to add nutrients to the soil. iii. The presence of vegetation; i.e. old trees promotes the welfare of animals like; bees, birds and other arboreal organisms that live in that habitat. Disadvantages of ecological farming i. It requires more land to produce the same yield as conventional farming ii. It is subject to seasonal variations and local climate conditions.
Monoculture It is a farming system in which a farmer grows one type of annual or perennial crop on the same piece of land. Advantages of monoculture i. The farmer specializes in the crop he/she grows and therefore produces the crop very well. ii. It becomes easier for the farmer to control pests and diseases that attack the crop. iii. It is easier to apply fertilizer and also control weeds iv. Commercial production of crops is encouraged. Disadvantages of monoculture i. Soil fertility is lost easily since only one kind of crop is cultivated seasonally. ii. All the crops may be destroyed for the season, in case there is an outbreak of disease. iii. The system is very expensive because the farmer needs to buy fertilizer every time he grows new crops iv. The crops may be destroyed entirely in the season, in case of weather failure. v. Pest infestation spreads easily since only one kind of crop is cultivated. Irrigation farming It is a type of farming system in which water is supplied by artificial means to crops, mostly in the dry season, using water in dams, ponds, and canals. Irrigation farming can be done by hand on smaller farms using watering cans, or by using complex irrigation systems on larger farms. Advantages of irrigation farming i. It ensures that food crops are always available, even when they are traditionally out of season ii. It is a source of regular income to the farmer iii. It reduces unemployment because farming activities are no longer seasonal but all year round. Disadvantages of irrigation farming i. Excess irrigation may affect soil fertility ii. It requires technical knowledge, especially when farming on a large scale iii. It can be expensive. NB : Silvopasture is the deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock operations on the same land. Horticulture is the study of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, plantation crops, spices, medicinal, and aromatic crops. Sericulture is the study of extracting silk from silk moth cocoons and the rearing of silkworms.
Categories of farming system
- Subsistence farming
- Commercial farming Subsistence Farming It is a farming system where farmers grow crops and raise livestock primarily to meet the needs of their own families. Advantages of subsistence farming i. it ensures food security for the farmer’s household. Disadvantages of subsistence farming i. it leads to low productivity ii. there is limited income generation Commercial Farming This type of farming focuses on producing crops or raising livestock for sale in the market. Advantages of commercial farming i. it generates higher income and contributes to the country’s economy. Disadvantages of commercial farming i. It requires significant investments ii. It requires access to markets and technical knowledge Importance of farming systems i. Farming system serves as a source of livelihood. ii. It provides employment opportunities. iii. It contributes to the development of the economy. iv. It provides industries with raw materials to the such cocoa, rubber, cotton, tobacco Reasons why farmers need to keep records during crop production i. Records show how much tax to pay. ii. Helps the farmer to plan or budget for the future or making management decisions. iii. Helps to know total investment made into the farm business. iv. It helps the farmer to obtain loans to determine the amount of yield or productivity made. v. To measure progress in crop production. vi. For educating new generation of farmers. Usefulness of different crops and animals involved in different farming systems i. Crop residues can be used to feed livestock ii. Livestock manure can be used as fertiliser. iii. Livestock, such as cattle can be used to pull ploughs and other heavy farm equipment. iv. Livestock can be used to prepare field for planting v. Animals can be used as a form of pest control. vi. Pigs are maintained for production of pork vii. Turkey and Duck feeds on a variety of crop residues and insects in the farm.
