FARMING SYSTEMS

IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD

THE TERM

• FARMING SYSTEMS refers to an ordered combination of crops grown, livestock produced, husbandry methods and cultural practices followed.

CLASSIFICATION

• TREE CROPS

–fruit, nuts, beverage crop, rubber, pharmaceuticals, oil, lumber, paper, sweeteners, ornamentals, fuel, etc.

CLASSIFICATION (continued)

• TILLAGE CROPS

–cereal grains, oilseeds, vegetable crops, sugar crops, fiber crops, small fruits, coarse grains, etc.

CLASSIFICATION (continued)

• ALTERNATING TILLAGE CROPS–hay crops, silage, green chop,

“fodder”, etc. (i.e. sorghums, millet, alfalfa, small grains, grass, etc.)

CLASSIFICATION (continued)

• GRASSLAND/GRAZING LAND–native range/grass, forbs, sage,

shrubs, legumes, etc.

FARMING SYSTEMS

• The particular Farming System found in a country or region is the result of a unique combination of factors, many of which are causative or associative in nature (i.e. Bananas and Wheat).

FACTORS/CONDITIONS

• Influencing/impacting the development of specific Farming Systems.– Climate, Elevation, Soil, Moisture, Soil

stability, Pests, Technological adaptation & feasibility, Economic infrastructure and Social Infrastructure.

FACTORS IMPACTING FARMING SYSTEMS

• Climate - temperature & rainfall

• Elevation - temperature

• Soil - fertility, pH & organic matter

• Land (physical) - soil type, texture, depth, permeability & slope.

• Moisture - natural rainfall, irrigation, drainage, flood control, etc.

FACTORS IMPACTING

FARMING SYSTEMS (continued)

• Soil stability - erosion & salinity

• Pests - weeds, insects, diseases & predators.

• Technological adaptation and feasibility - equipment, cultural practices, chemicals, new cultivars, etc.

FACTORS IMPACTING FARMING SYSTEMS (continued)

• Economic infrastructure - market access, government regulations, transportation system & processing industry.

• Social infrastructure - work ethic, class/caste system, land tenure, education, diet, culture & dissemination of information.

MAJOR FACTORS IMPACTING THE CLASSIFICATION OF FARMING

SYSTEMS • Climate

• Level of Technology

• Infrastructure

• Production Incentives

• Political Constraints

• Human Resources

SUB - CLASSIFICATION

• Very Extensive - broad, much variation, inter cropping, strip cropping, involving several different different crops or livestock species.

• Extensive

• Intensive • Very Intensive - double cropping, crop rotation,

crop residue management, erosion control.

NATURE & EXTENT OF FARMING SYSTEMS

• Subsistence farming - produces only enough food and fiber for individual or family needs. 1) Involves the gathering/collection of food, fuel & building materials, 2) Rarely ventures into situations involving commercial production, 3) Requires little in the way of inputs, market access, monetary exchange, etc.

SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE (continued)

• Hunter/Gathers

• Nomads/Bedouins

• Slash & Burn

NATURE & EXTENT (continued)

• Commercial Farming Systems -

characterized by the commercial production of agricultural commodities for specific markets and capital intensive.

TYPES OF COMMERCIAL FARMING SYSTEMS

• Tropical & sub-tropical plantations

• Temperate zone grain production

• Vegetable & fruit production

• Livestock production

• Mixed crop & livestock production

Sustainable Agriculture

• Protects soil fertility

• Optimizes management & resources

• Reduces the use of nonrenewable resources

• Promotes opportunities in family farming

• Achieves integration of natural biological cycles & controls

COLLECTIVE FARMING SYSTEMS

• Agricultural operations in nations with centrally planned economies.

• Usually operates under a rigid system of collective or state farms.