Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
(1990, pp. 81-128) noted three important contributing factors: (i) low domes-
tic prices for farm products because of government policies that keep food
inexpensive for urban consumers; (ii) low international prices for export crops
because of surplus production; and (iii) high costs for farm production inputs,
most of which are imported. In constant dollars, prices for agricultural com-
modities produced in developing countries, including maize, wheat, rice,
cacao, coffee, palm oil, rubber, sugar, and tea, fell about 50% in the interna-
tional marketplace from 1980-82 to 1990-92 (Pretty,1995,pp.54-5).The net
result of these factors, combined with the volatility of international commod-
ity prices, is economic insecurity for many farmers in developing countries.
Strategies to lower production costs
Reduction of production costs is one strategy for increasing farm
profitability. The possible importance of this strategy is illustrated by results
from three studies sponsored by South Dakota State University comparing
conventional and alternative (organic) cropping systems. “Study 1” and
“Study 2”were conducted from 1986 to 1992 on replicated field plots at a uni-
versity research farm (Smolik, Dobbs & Rickerl, 1995); “Study 3” was a paired
comparison from 1985 to 1992 of two commercial South Dakota farms, one
managed conventionally and the other managed organically, without the use
of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and other pesticides (Dobbs & Smolik,
1996).
In Study 1, a conventional maize-soybean-wheat rotation was compared
with an alternative maize-oat
alfalfa-alfalfa-soybean rotation; in Study 2,a
conventional wheat-barley-soybean rotation was compared with an alterna-
tive wheat-oat
clover-clover-soybean rotation (a mixture of red and sweet
clovers was sown). The conventional systems used commercial fertilizers and
moldboard plowing; the alternative systems relied on legumes and manure as
sources of fertility and used only surface tillage practices. Weeds were con-
trolled with herbicides and cultivation in the conventional systems, whereas
in the alternative systems,weeds were controlled without herbicides,but with
additional cultivation operations.Inclusion of the forage legume crops (alfalfa
and clovers) was also considered to make a positive contribution toward weed
control in the alternative systems.
In Study 1, average maize yield per unit area was higher in the conven-
tional than the alternative system, but average soybean yield was similar in
the two systems (Smolik et al ., 1993). Soybean and wheat yields were also
similar between the conventional and alternative systems of Study 2 (Smolik
et al ., 1993). Gross income, which was calculated using crop sales prices
(without premiums for organic products) and relevant government subsidy
Search WWH ::




Custom Search