Integrated farming systems for sustainability in agricultural production

Abstract

Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) seem to be the possible solution to the continuous increase of de- mand for food production, stability of income and improvement of nutrition particularly for the small and marginal farmers with limited resources. Integration of different agriculturally related enterprises with crop activity as base, will provide ways to recycle produces and waste materials of one component as input through another linked component and reduce the cost of production which will finally enhance the total income of the farm. Research carried out at ICAR Research Complex Goa. On rice based IFS revealed that rice- brinjal+mushroom+poultry as best one interns of rice equivalent yield (21.49 t/ha), employment generation (392 man days), energy efficiency and economics. In coconut gardens, integration of fodders (napier bajra hybrid + Centrosema) for supporting dairy unit proved the best based on above criteria used in rice based IFS. Similarly integration of cardamom in are canut gardens, arable crops and livestock in cashewnut, and poultry/duck-fish IFS were found more profitable and sustainable.