farming systems

benefits of green manuring

- adds organic matter to the soil - improves soil fertility by increasing soil nitrogen - provides cover to prevent run-off in the wet season

how does the use of organic manure aid in soil fertility?

- it can be spread on the soil in or used as mulch - animal manure must be composted before use on the soil to kill pathogenic organisms

benefits of phased cropping

- maintains regular supply of producers to consumers - earns a steady income overtime - prevents oversupply/glut of one crop

advantages of intercropping

- quicker income from cash crop - soil fertility is maintained - efficient land use - soil nitrogen may increase - due to vegetative cover being provided soil erosion is prevented

advantages of crop rotation

- soil structure can be maintained - soil fertility can be maintained. - It also prevents pests and diseases.

what are some of the alternatives in organic farming compared to conventional farming?

Biological pest control is used instead to get rid of pests. Compost, green manure and crop rotation are used to maintain soil fertility.

what is the aim of grow boxes and trough systems?

Both grow boxes and trough culture enable plants to be grown where space is limited or soil is poor.

describe crop rotation

By growing crops one after the other on the same plot of land

a disadvantage of NFT but why it is worth it

Costs of installing and running this are high, but producing fruit and vegetables in large quantities and of good quality out of season can make this technique profitable.

crops grown in market gardens

Crops include tomatoes, lettuces, cucumbers, cabbages, pak-choi, celery, sweet peppers and spinach.

when does the price of produce in U&PUF increase?

Each time produce is sold, e.g. from farmer to wholesaler and from wholesaler to retailer, the price increases.

farming now in terms of scale

Farming is now large scale are required to operate the machinery, which prepares the land, sows the seeds and harvests the crops.

what is hydroponics?

Hydroponics (from the Greek words hydros [water] and ponos [labour]) is the practice of growing plants in a nutrient solution without soil.

benefits of hydroponics

Hydroponics can supply fruit and vegetables in areas where the soil is lacking or of poor quality.

if the market garden is big.....

If the farm is bigger, the farmer will sell to a wholesaler, who buys the whole crop and transports it to a market where it is sold to retailers.

if the market garden is small....

If the farm is very small, the farmer will sell from a roadside stall.

The principles of organic farming

In organic farming, the use of herbicides and pesticides is limited resulting in an increase in biodiversity. Organic farming benefits the environment in many ways. Weed species growing in an organic crop attract insects which feed on plant pests. In turn, these insects will provide food for birds and mammals. The use of farmyard manure to add organic matter to the soil encourages soil micro-organisms, which contribute to soil fertility by breaking down plant and animal remains. Overall, there are 30% more species found on organic farms than on conventional farms. Organically grown produce is usually higher priced than other produce - but health concious people will often pay these prices.

what is the NFT?

In the 1960s, the nutrient film technique (NFT) was developed. A circulating system supplies plant roots with oxygen and nutrients. This technique is widely used for growing tomatoes, cucumbers and salad vegetables in glasshouses.

what does monoculture produce?

It often leads to greater farm profits as a much greater quantity of a crop can be grown.

describe market gardens

Market gardens are intensively cultivated and most crops grown are short term, growing and ripening within months.

what does modern farming rely on?

Modern farming relies on artificial fertilisers to improve soil fertility and increase crop yields. Diseases are prevented by pesticides, weeds are destroyed by herbicides and chemicals are fed to animals to promote growth.

what modifications can be made to trough systems?

Modifications can be made to suit circumstances, e.g. the number of units and their arrangement; the use of different types of inert material; whether temperature and lighting need to be controlled. Commercial systems have many units, but both methods can be used on a smaller scale.

what is the difference between non conventional systems and conventional systems

Most non-conventional systems are labour-intensive (they employ more people than conventional systems). Also, yields are lower than in conventional systems. However, the food produced by non-conventional farming is likely to be of better quality and so command a higher market price.

what is multicropping?

Multicropping is getting more than one cropping out of the same field in a year.

advantages of trough systems

Once the troughs have been set up, they are easy and inexpensive to maintain.

organic farmers

Organic farmers need to develop a fertile soil on which they grow a mixture of crops. They cannot use artificial fertilisers and use of pesticides is restricted. They rear animals in a humane way, without routine use of the hormones and antibiotics that are common in intensive livestock production. They are not allowed to grow genetically modified crops.

what is mixed farming?

Raising several kinds of crops and livestock on the same farm

how many crop terms there may be? and what is used to keep cultivation up?

Sometimes four short-term crops are grown in a year, so fertilisers are used to maintain soil fertility. If the small farm is mixed, with some animals being kept, then farmyard manure is used together with artificial fertilisers.

who made the guidelines for organic agriculture?

Techniques may vary from country to country, but the principles and practices were set out in a document produced by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM). In 2005, this organisation created the Principles of Organic Agriculture as guidelines for the certification of organic farms.

what growing medium may be used in grow boxes?

The growing medium may be a mixture of topsoil and pen manure, sharp sand and rotted bagasse (or plastering sand and rotted sawdust).

how does NFT work?

The plants are grown in troughs, with roots embedded in wool or some other inert material. They are supplied with a nutrient solute containing the balance of minerals essential for healthy growth. The solution is pumped into the troughs, circulates around the roots, collects in a tank and is then re-circulated Concentration of the nutrient solution can be varied at different stages of growth as required. The solution is aerated so that roots obtain oxygen. As plants grow. they are supported by wires suspended from the roof of the glasshouse.

describe the recycling of waste material

The waste from animals is used as manure, so nutrients are returned to the soil via the carbon and nitrogen cycles

the advantages of urban and peri-urban farming

These benefit the community by increasing the quantity and quality of the food available. They contribute to food safety and food security.

what are the advantages of a grow box?

They are easy to use and allow the gardener to control the environment of the plant to achieve the best growth.

what can trough systems be used for?

They can be used for vegetables and flowers; the gardener can put them in greenhouses or anywhere convenient

describe hydroponics

This is another form of non-conventional farming. Instead of soil, the plants may be rooted in peat, sand or rock wool. Soil is not essential for the growth of terrestrial plants (plants that grow on land), as roots can absorb all the mineral ions needed for growth from a nutrient solution.

why is farming at such a scale now?

This trend in farming has occurred in response to increasing populations and the demand for cheaper food.

what containers are used to grow crop in urban and peri-urban farming?

This type of farming includes the use of pots, troughs, grow boxes, discarded tyres, hydroponics and sheds covered with polythene.

what is trough culture?

Trough culture involves growing crops in shallow troughs 15-20 cm deep and 60-70 cm wide.

what can we put in troughs?

Troughs can be filled with an er soil-less medium, such as rock wool, and are connected to a drip system which supplies water and nutrients in solution.

why are urban farms important to the economy?

Urban farms are important to the economy of the Caribbean region. Several Caribbean governments have set up marketing boards to purchase crops from urban farmers and retail them to the public.

what is organic farming?

a form of non-conventional agriculture that excludes, or strictly limits, the use of artificial fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, plant growth regulators and animal feed additives.

what is phased cropping?

a system of continuous cropping and herberstein a plot of land is divided into 4 sections the planting dates are sequenced so that there is continuous cropping and harvesting of the produce section by section

what is a grow box?

an enclosed box used to grow plants in a self-contained environment. The box has a hydroponics system, a built-in light and a means of ventilation.

who uses grow boxes?

are used by people who have no garden and for growing plants out of season.

where is NFT usually carried out?

glasshouses, where temperature and light can be controlled.

material that may be used to make a grow box with in the Caribbean

grow boxes of varying sizes are constructed using local and discarded materials such as bamboo, wood, galvanised sheets and bricks.

benefits of organic manure

introduces organic matter which bind soil particles together - helps aeration and drainage in clay soil - helps retain water in Sandy soils - releases nutrients slowly over long period of time - provides food for soil animals

what is cover cropping?

involves planting of crops that grows rapidly and provides cover on bare soil

what is Urban and peri-urban farming?

is the cultivation of small areas of land, usually less than 2 hectares, in or near cities, towns and villages.

the effects of monoculture on the environment

leads to loss of natural ecosystems and habitats; damage the environment and soil structure, reduce biodiversity and introduce health hazards to both humans and animals.

what is conventional farming?

modern farming methods, which are designed to produce large quantities of food to be sold for profit.

what is strip cropping?

planting different crops in strips of varying width on flat, undulating or sloping land

what is green manuring?

ploughing in cover crop, residue, the crop is left on the surface of the soil and next crop is then planted through it by direct drilling

what do market produce?

produce fresh vegetables, fruit and meat for urban consumers.

what are farms in urban & peri-urban farming called?

small farms/market farms

an example of traditional farming

small-scale mixed farming, where there is recycling of waste materials.

what has to be considered when choosing crops for intercropping?

the compatibility of the crops, so that they don't smother the other

what is intercropping?

the cultivation of short-term crops like lettuce, between medium-term crops like sweet potato

the labour force on market farms include?

the farmer and his family

what is contour cropping?

the land is ploughed along the contours then crops are planted in this way soil erosion for heavy rainfall is prevented

why were non-conventional farming systems developed?

they have been developed in response to concerns about the effects of intensive systems on the environment and the quality of food produced.

what do some grow boxes have air conditioning

to maintain the correct temperature and to enrich the atmosphere with carbon dioxide to boost growth (carbon dioxide makes plants grow faster).

what is traditional farming?

traditional methods of agriculture cause less damage to the environment

advantages of cover cropping?

used to improve soil fertility and to prevent soil erosion

what is monoculture?

where large areas of land are planted with the same crop year after year, is a feature of modern farming.

Principles of organic farming

• Produce good food that has a high nutritional value. Maintain and improve soil fertility. • Use renewable resources wherever possible. Protect wildlife habitats. Avoid pollution from agricultural techniques. Encourage a diversity of wildlife on the farm. • Raise livestock in conditions which allow them to carry out innate (natural) behaviour.

benefits of urban farms

• a reduction in transport costs as food is grown locally • fewer pesticides, which make food production more sustainable no food preservatives as food does not have to travel long distances employment for local people.

The advantages of the nutrient film technique are:

• high yields as plants get all the nutrients they require • soil-borne diseases are eliminated • produce is clean and not covered in soil • harvesting the produce is easier and more efficient.