Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Organic farming of animals means that no chemically produced inputs are used.
Thus no insecticides, antibiotics, or growth hormones are used.
In its purest form organic farming would involve use of neither fossil fuels
nor chemical inputs. The crops would be grown using animal power and green
manure, nitrogen-fixing crops, and composting. Such a farming operation is usually
significantly more expensive than traditional agriculture and thus a problem
for commercial farmers to institute. Organic farming of animals involves allowing
animals to pasture or have free space to roam and eat feed that is produced organically.
Most farmers in the world will benefit from incorporation of organic farming
concepts into their farming system even if they are not or do not intend to become
organic farmers. Returning all organic matter, including compost, manure, and plant
residues to the soil will result in improved crop production. Likewise the incorporation
of crop rotation, particularly when it includes nitrogen-fixing, leguminous, crops, will
increase yields and productivity.
11.6.3 Erosion Control
Erosion is the loss of soil by water or wind from a field. Both types of erosion are
controlled by keeping the soil surface covered at all times. Both growing plants and
plant residue on the soil surface are effective in controlling erosion. Controlling
erosion does not have to involve expensive application of amendments to the soil
but simply making sure that there is always some plant cover on it.
In addition to keeping soil covered, it is important to stop or control movement of
water or wind over the soil surface. In the case of water this is done by changing the
slope of the field, by terracing, or by impeding the movement of water, which can be
done by many different methods. Planting on the contour will impede water movement
across the field and can be effective on fields with only small slopes. Alternating
cropped and sod strips across a field will inhibit movement of water down the field
with steeper slopes. In some case it may be necessary to remove water from a slope
using drainage ditches or underground drains. No-till, which always leaves plant
residues on soil, is also effective in reducing erosion. In severe cases fields may need
to be terraced to prevent erosion.
In a similar fashion wind erosion is prevented by slowing movement of wind across
the field. Plant residues are effective in accomplishing this, particularly if crop stubble,
stalks left after grain has been harvested, is left standing in the field. In some cases it
may be necessary to have windbreaks at strategic places, perpendicular to the wind
direction, across the field. Usually these are plantings of trees that break or slow the
velocity of wind.
In all cases erosion control conserves water, and this is important in improving
crop production. It also preserves the soil fertility by preventing it from being
removed, with the soil, from the field. Erosion control will increase food production
and is not capital intensive and does not have to be equipment intensive. It does
involve changing some cropping habits and procedures.
