Ecological perspectives in Agriculture-Traditional methods-Ecosafe technologies in Agriculture

·            The energy input to agroecosystems includes not only natural energy (sunlight) but also processed energy (fossil fuels) as well as human and animal labor

·            Biodiversity in agroecosystems is generally reduced by human management in order to channel as much energy and nutrient flow as possible into a few domesticated species.

·            Evolution is largely, but not entirely, through artificial selection where commercially desirable phenotypic traits are increased through breeding programs and genetic engineering.

·            Widespread use of synthetic chemical pesticides has boosted farm production worldwide, primarily by reducing or eliminating herbivorous insect pests. Use of organochlorine broad-spectrum pesticides such as DDT, BHC have made biomagnifications in successive level of trophic level in food chain. Secondary pest outbreaks associated with the use of many traditional pesticides are common due to the elimination of natural enemies or resistance of pests to chemical control.

·            Genes from  Genetic Engineered crop plants  become established in weedy populations of plants in natural ecosystems, creating conservation management problems and new breeds of superweeds.

Traditional farming methods

Draught animal power

Livestock provide renewable energy for agriculture, saving a considerable amount of fossil energy that otherwise would be used mainly for manufacturing and operating heavy agricultural machinery, as well as for producing fertilizers. For example, it has been calculated that the energy needed for soybean seed-bed preparation and sowing using a tractor is 6.3 times more than that required when using draught animal power. Moreover, the latter is renewable, while this is mostly not the case with the former and this figure does not take into account the fossil energy spent making the tractor and maintaining it. To a large extent, draught animal power is self-repairing, self-propagating and sustained by by-products produced on the farm.

In many parts of the world, draught animal power is often the best alternative leading to increased yields of crop production. The expansion of cultivated area is often limited by a shortage of labour for weeding and harvesting needed for a larger crop output. In the long term, more extensive use of draught animal power for weeding and harvesting will lead automatically to the expansion of cultivated area. Compared with human traction, this type of system contributes to the improved quality and timely execution of farming operations, such as tillage. It also permits the introduction of soil conservation practices to impede excessive soil compaction and erosion.

Fertilizer production :In mixed-farming systems, livestock are often fed on crop residues and by-products as well as pasture. In turn, some nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil through livestock manure, ensuring the maintenance of soil fertility and acting as a soil conditioner. The main results are improved cation exchange, better absorption of water and the prevention of runoff and soil surface crusting. On the other hand, the exclusive use of mineral fertilizers will result in a decrease in base saturation and pH and in the occurrence of aluminium toxicity

Source of fuel: The use of cow dung as fuel in India and other countries results in an enormous amount of trees being saved, and its ash can be used as fertilizer. When water is not a limiting factor, however, dung can be utilized much more efficiently for fuel production through biodigesters.

Crop rotation

Crop rotation involves dividing a parcel of land into multiple sections. Each planting season, one section is left idle. The idle section is rotated each season. This allows the soil to replenish nutrients. Crop mixing involves planting multiple types of complementary crops on the same land. The products released into the soil by one crop serve as nutrients for the other. In the Americas, indigenous people customarily planted corn, beans and squash together in a form of crop mixing.

Crop mixing

Traditional agricultural techniques are most often practiced on small family farms and in developing countries. Crops are mixed, often using multiple varieties of the same crop, and are sometimes planted in associated groups. For example, vine-based beans might be planted with corn. Crop timing is based on traditional experience, and tilling and other farm techniques are based on proven traditions. Modern techniques are often blended with traditional techniques. Because this sort of agriculture is based on artisanal knowledge, it does not scale up well and does not provide the enormous crop yields of industrial agriculture. However, it is often more sustainable and less polluting than similar industrial techniques.

Eco safe technologies

1.Organic farming

Organic farming system rely upon crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, legumes, green manures, mineral baring rocks and aspects of biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and tilth to supply plant nutrients and to control insects, weed and other pests.

2. Natural farming

3.Regenerative agriculture : Regenerative Agriculture: In regenerative agriculture bunds on nature’s own inherent capacity to cope with pests, enhance soil fertility, and increase productivity. It implies a continuing ability to recreate the resources that the system requires. In practice, regenerative agriculture uses low-input and organic farming systems as a frame work to achieve these goals.

4. Permaculture: Permaculture is concerned with designing ecological human habitats and food production systems, and follows specific guidelines and principles in the design of these systems. To the extent that permaculture is not a production system, per se,, but rather a land use planning philosophy, it is not limited to a specific method of production. Thus, practically any site-specific ecological farming system is amenable to permaculture.

5. Biological farming: Biological farming: Biological farming allows the use of selected chemical fertilize3rs (avoiding disruptive materials such as anhydrous ammonia and potassium choloride) and adopts low-inputs approaches to use of herbicides and insecticides.

Eco-friendly Agricultural practices are as:

§  Agronomy: Cropping pattern, sowing time

§  Water management: Exp.(SRI Technology) collection of rain water in pond.

§  Soil conservation and reclamation.

§  Entomological practices: Exp.(IPM Technology) Control termite, American bollworm, sucking pests, other insects, spray related practices)

§  Storage : pulses stored mud containers, Neem leaves (Azadirachta indica)

§  Zoology : Rat control by cat n pet dogs