Retd. Professor, Anand Agril. Univ, Anand, & Member of the Advisory Board of FedTrust, Bengalore, India & Agriculture Consultant for Soil Health Evaluation and BIO-CNG from Napier Grass.
#Integrated #Farming #System For #Food and $Nutritional $Security in #India- Dr P.C.Patel Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) represent a comprehensive approach to agriculture designed to address various demands, including bolstering farm resilience, improving farmer livelihoods, enhancing food security, providing ecosystem services, and fostering adaptability and resilience in farming practices. These systems are characterized by the temporal and spatial mixing of #crops, $livestock, #fishery, and #allied activities within a #single #farm. #Important points of #IFS in #India: 1. #Holistic Approach: IFS entails a holistic approach to farming, aiming to meet multiple objectives simultaneously. These include not only food production but also farm resilience, livelihood improvement, and ecosystem services. 2. #Productivity and #Profitability: Literature reviews indicate that IFS has the potential to significantly improve farm profitability (up to 265%) and employment (up to 143%) compared to single enterprise farms. By integrating various components, IFS creates synergies that enhance overall productivity. 3. #Nutrient #Recycling: IFS enhances nutrient recycling through practices such as composting, mulching, and residue incorporation. This reduces the need for external input purchases and improves soil quality indicators like nutrient availability and microbial activity. 4. #Biodiversity Conservation: Diversified cropping systems and integration of indigenous livestock breeds play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation within IFS. 5. #Soil #Organic #Carbon: IFS contributes to improving soil organic carbon levels, which is essential for soil health and long-term sustainability. 6. #Climate #Resilience: By making farms adaptive and resilient, IFS contributes to climate resilience in agriculture.