Benefits of Integrated Farming System

 

3.3 Benefits of Integrated Farming System (IFS)

by. Dr. V. J. Savaliya M.Sc. (Agri), Ph.D.

         .....................................................

3.1  Income from multiple sources:

            The integrated farming system includes grain, cash, oil seed, pulses, serials, vegetables, fruits, flower crop production, dairy farming, poultry,  inland fish farming, processing and value addition, and agri-tourism. The farmers can utilise their resources i.e. land, labour, and capital effectively and efficiently. This leads to have maximum possible sustainable income from the farm through selling of multiple row and processed items as well as services.

                 It is also a fact that "Inclusion of many aspects in farm covers more risk of weather and market fluctuations as compared to single aspect in farm." Farming is mostly dependent on weather and climate. So, in a climatic change situation, weather cannot be precisely predictable which ultimately may harm the crops on the farm and if only cropping is there, the farmer may lose income from the farm, if IFS or multiple cropping is not adopted. 

             Thus, IFS protects farmers against different types of risks. Thus, farmers are having many enterprises in IFS and can get income from multiple sources. 

 3.2  Lowered production costs:

              The integrated Farming System enables recycling of resources so reduces production costs. It also reduces the use of external inputs like chemical fertilisers because cow dung, cow urine, waste fodder, and straws of crops are used to make manures. Simultaneously, grain, vegetable and cash crops give fodder as additional produce which is used as feed for dairy animals, horses, poultry, and bullocks. 

          The farmers cannot get a good price for this additional produce i.e. straw, fodder, dung, etc. in the market. In IFS, these additional produce are utilised on farms as input or fodder which ultimately leads to a reduction in production costs.

3.3 Employment generation:

           The integrated Farming System comprises many farming systems along with crop production. According to the situation, these may be animal husbandry, aquaculture, beekeeping, poultry farming, etc. which generates employment for farm families, concerned artisans, enterprises, and rural people. 

           While IFS is implemented, Agri-tourism is one of the best options. Agri-tourism attracts mainly urban people and foreign visitors to experience farms, nature, the natural taste of fruits and farm foods, culture, folk dance, folk songs, and many more aspects of a particular area or region. This creates employment opportunities for skilled workers, farm labourers, and artists with the flow of money from out to in the area region or country. 

           This ultimately starts the sustainable cycle of the win-win-win situation for visitors or customers as they value enjoyment and happiness by paying money, for owners as their business becomes more profitable, and for surrounding people as they are getting job or work and get satisfactory paid. 

            This reduces rural migration to urban cities which is ultimately beneficial to the country for sustainable development. Thus, the seed is sown as IFS gives not only one type of fruit tree but it is a tree that can give invisible benefits in the form of many types of fruits with a variety of tastes and nutrients.

        There-are many benefits of Integrated Farming System because of inter-relationship among diffident components which create beneficial situations at all directions resulting more profitable business.

     

Limitations of Integrated Farming System

..............,.............

• Lack of awareness:

       A lack of knowledge of certain enterprises is a major constraint in Indian agriculture. Our farmers are not aware of certain agricultural enterprises which can be undertaken under IFS to have good economic benefits. For example, very few farmers are aware of enterprises like snail farming, mushroom cultivation, piggery etc. Farmers might not be aware of the market demands and hence won’t be able to undertake certain enterprises which are in demand in the market. 

• Need for skill and training: 

        Since IFS involves efficient use of different resources at the farm, the farmers need to be well trained and well skilled. Given the Indian farming scenario, it emerges as a big challenge to train good number of farmers. In IFS, techniques like biogas production, bee-keeping, poultry etc. needs hands on training which is cumbersome and a major challenge before the farmers.

• Outbreak of diseases: 

   Since IFS involves the combining of animals, birds, fishes, pigs etc. at a single farm, there is always a threat of disease outbreak in the farm. Diseases can easily contract from one to other when all the enterprises are undertaken together in close proximity to each other eg. bird flu in poultry or swine flu in pigs can easily harm other species of animals at farm. Diseases can contract to or from human beings as well, so extra attention is required to be given.

• High initial cost:

      IFS becomes a high-cost affair in the beginning as there is high cost associated with the installation of certain enterprises at the farm. This refrains most of the small farmers to undertake IFS at their farms. Also, farmers need skill and training before installing certain enterprises at the farm which might add to the initial cost as well.

• Harmful species under an enterprise: 

        Some enterprises like bee-keeping are highly profitable but there are risks associated with them. Some harmful bee species can have life threatening risks for other enterprises like poultry or livestock or even human beings working at the farm. 

• Requirement of large resources:

            Running IFS requires large area of land, machinery, equipment etc. which is mostly not available with small farmers. Though, small farmers can make cooperatives to run an IFS farm but it needs a lot of team work and cooperation which is again a major challenge.   

• Lack of universality: 

   IFS at one agro-climatic location cannot be reproduced at another location. Different climatic zones will have different IFS. Some zones might not favour undertaking certain enterprises eg. it is difficult to undertake marine or freshwater enterprises in dry zones. 

                                                          More information in next article..................