Sustainable agriculture is the successful management of agricultural resources to satisfy changing human needs, while maintaining or enhancing the environment quality and conserving natural resources.
It is also called as ecofarming, organic farming and biofarming.
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Characteristics of sustainable agriculture:
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Maintaining a diversity of plant and animal species as a basis for ecological balance.
i. Sustainable use of local resources.
ii. Minimal purchase of inputs.
iii. No adverse effects to the environment.
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Need for sustainable agriculture:
i. For sustainable use of inputs.
ii. Low input for high return.
iii. To improve environment balance.
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iv. To save natural resources.
v. To improve quality of products.
Principle:
i. Availability of Nutrients.
ii. Sustainable use.
iii. Conservation.
Dimensions:
1. Biologically feasible.
2. Ecologically stable.
3. Economically viable.
4. Socially acceptable.
Components:
Advantages:
i. Ecological balance.
ii. Low cost of cultivation.
iii. Nutritious food.
iv. Low input, high productive farming system.
v. Resources are conserved for future.
Disadvantages:
Low yield in the short period.
Lack of timely used.
Precision Farming:
1. Definition:
Precision farming is a site specific management approach in modem crop production for applying various input to the field in an economical and 6ound fashion.
2. Aim:
1. To identify and meet the real needs of variable parts of the fold.
3. Used for:
Precise application of Agriculture inputs like
1. Seed 2 Fertilizer Pesticides 3. Irrigation etc.
4. Components:
1. Yield monitoring 2. Yield mapping 3. Variable application of fertilizer 4. Salinity mapping 5. Guidance system 6. Record and analysis.
5. Requirements:
1. Field map 2. Variable rate of input 3. Differential Global Position System (DGPS).
6. Procedure:
1. Selection of inputs and resource 2. Proper study of GPS, GIS, range of sensor 3. Monitoring and collection of input data 4. Variable rate of application 5. Achievements by harvesting.
7. Advantage:
i. Less time, money, input loss.
8. Disadvantage:
1. Input cost is high 2. Fragment condition of the field.
9. India’s scenario:
1. Punjab, Haryana, it is possible because of 14 acre per capita 2. Other states by cooperative or contact farming is possible 3. It is in expanding stage.