MULTICROPPING - GEOGRAPHY

MULTICROPPING - GEOGRAPHY

NEWS: Natural farming and multicropping yield better results for small farmers than resource intensive monocropping

 

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Traditional Agricultural Practices in India

  • Multi-Cropping System:
    • Indian farmers have historically practiced multi-cropping, which involves cultivating multiple crops on the same land simultaneously, often with a main crop.
    • This system utilizes crops with varied maturity times and root depths, ensuring they do not compete for nutrients or space.
    • The practice keeps the soil covered for 8-10 months of the year, helping to retain moisture and prevent erosion, making it an efficient and sustainable farming method.
  • Sustainability in Traditional Farming:
    • Traditional agriculture in India was focused on sustainability and achieving self-sufficiency for local regions.
    • Farmers integrated livestock, such as milch cattle, draught animals, and poultry, into their agricultural systems, creating a balanced and interdependent ecosystem.

Impact of Colonial and Modern Agricultural Practices

  • Introduction of Monocropping by the British:
    • With British colonial rule, monocropping of cash crops like indigo was introduced, which disrupted the traditional agricultural balance.
    • This shift toward cash crop production left farmers vulnerable to market fluctuations, leading to widespread exploitation.
    • The cultivation of indigo culminated in the ‘Nil Satyagraha’ (1859), a significant protest by farmers against market failures and loss of food security.
  • Effects of the Green Revolution:
    • The Green Revolution prioritized monocrops to increase agricultural productivity but inadvertently made small farmers more vulnerable.
    • Modern seed systems, tailored for monocropping, replaced diverse traditional seed varieties, further reducing resilience.
    • Small farmers struggled with low marketable surpluses and opaque market practices, which compounded their challenges.

Current Scenario of Indian Agriculture

  • Small Land Holdings Dominate:
    • Out of the 188 million farm holdings in India, 148 million (88%) are small, with each covering less than one hectare.
    • About 50% of Indian agriculture is rainfed, where farmers usually cultivate a single crop due to limited water availability.
  • Support Systems and Their Limitations:
    • Farmers receive agricultural input subsidies and direct benefit transfers aimed at increasing their incomes.
    • However, these support mechanisms fall short of addressing the deep-rooted challenges faced by small farmers.
    • Natural farming and multi-cropping systems offer a more sustainable and effective solution for these farmers.

Advantages of Multi-Cropping and Natural Farming

  • Advantages of Multi-Cropping:
    • Multi-cropping ensures year-round harvests of small amounts of various crops, providing both income and food security.
    • Unlike monocropping, multi-cropping reduces risks by diversifying production and making farmers less dependent on market fluctuations.
    • It is an integral component of natural farming (NF), promoting ecological balance.
  • Role of the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF):
    • NMNF emphasizes reviving traditional multi-cropping systems that align with local agroecological conditions, such as:
      • Akkadi Saalu (Karnataka), focusing on intercropping.
      • Navadhanya (Andhra Pradesh), growing nine varieties of grains.
      • Oodu Payir (Tamil Nadu), integrating crops for mutual benefits.
      • Bara-Anaj (Northern hilly regions), cultivating a mix of grains.
  • Alignment with Agroecology Principles:
    • Natural farming incorporates the FAO’s 13 agroecology principles, including biodiversity, soil health, economic diversification, and fairness.
    • These principles aim to balance local ecological needs with economic sustainability.

In multi cropping system, farmers grow two or more crops on farmland in one calendar year (unlike mono-cropping, that involves planting only one crop on a field). It includes inter-cropping, mixed-cropping and relay cropping.

    • Intercropping: Is growing two or more crops simultaneously in a definite cropping pattern.
    • Relay cropping: Relay cropping involves growing of two or more crops on the same field with the planting of the second crop after the first one has reached its reproductive stage.
    • Mixed intercropping: It involves growing more than one crop simultaneously without any distinct row arrangement.
  • Multi cropping system is common in tropical regions having more rainfall, higher temperatures, and a longer growing season.

Economical Benefits

  • Higher Productivity: Multiple cropping system is seen as a way to maximize land productivity in a small area by improving the intensity of land and labor use for better profit and stabilizing farm income.
  • Fodder Stock: Growing multicrops or polycrops ensures enough fodder stocks for cattles.
  • Food Security: In multi-cropping system, even if one or two crops fail, farmers still be able to harvest other crops to guarantee food throughout the year.
  • Multiple Uses: Crops don’t just yield grains but also fodder and fuelwood.

Agronomic Benefits

  • Pest Management: Growing a variety of crops together minimizes pest problems and makes efficient use of soil nutrients, water, and land.

    • Leguminous (crops having roots that are able to make soil nitrogen available to other plants), when intercropped with other crops, particularly those that require plenty of nitrogen (e.g. young maize plants and sorghum), results into efficient use of soil nutrients.
  • Weed Management: It helps to suppress weeds, as weeds find it difficult to grow alongside some crops.
  • Sustainable crop production systems: This reduces the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Success Stories of Tribal Farmers in India

  • Examples from Parvathipuram and Srikakulam Districts:
    • Tribal farmers practicing multi-cropping in these districts have demonstrated significant success with support from ARTS and WASSAN, two CSOs driving this transformation.
    • On average, these farmers earn a net income of ₹30,000 per acre by cultivating diverse crops and integrating other livelihood activities.
  • Diverse Farming Systems:
    • These farmers grow a wide range of crops, including rain-fed rice, millets, pulses, vegetables, bananas, pineapples, citrus fruits, jackfruit, mangoes, and papayas.
    • They also rear goats, cattle, backyard poultry, and practice seasonal fishery, creating a circular and sustainable farming system.
  • Securing Livelihoods and Nutrition:
    • In addition to their agricultural income, they earn wages from 150-200 days of work under MGNREGA and engage in non-farm businesses.
    • This integrated approach has ensured nutrition security, financial inclusion, and the ability to invest in their children’s education and future.

Recommendations for NMNF Implementation

  • Proposed Design Elements:
    1. Adopt a Landscape Approach: Ensure farming strategies align with the ecological characteristics of the region.
    2. Promote Community Participation: Involve local farmers and communities in decision-making processes to create tailored solutions.
    3. Design Region-Specific Crop Combinations: Develop crop combinations that suit the agroecological conditions of specific regions, enhancing productivity and sustainability.
    4. Strengthen Local Market Connections: Focus on connecting farmers to local markets initially, and then expand access to regional and national markets for better income opportunities.
    5. Provide Adequate Time for NF to Establish: Allow sufficient time for natural farming systems to stabilize and for farmers to fully transition to sustainable practices.

Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/multicropping-natural-farming-ideal-for-small-farmers/article69105477.ece#:~:text=In%20this%20practice%2C%20multiple%20crops,10%20months%2C%20retaining%20soil%20moisture.