Organic Farming with 20 Experienced Farmers - Essay Example

Organic Farming With 20 Experienced Farmers Introduction Eco-agriculture is the system of utilizing natural resources without unnecessarily introducing chemicals or any other artificial means onto the farmland, for the purpose of sustainable development through organic materials and the maintenance of biodiversity. It has been proven to be supportive of the quest to mitigate global warming, to make plants more resilient and resistant to diseases, and to certainly allow for the ongoing fertility of soil aside from allowing for the survival of more organic species. It taps sunlight as the source of energy and then recycles nutrients. Organisms in the soil contribute to the supply of fertilizer and the passages of air. Rains further nourish the plants with water and nitrogen. Organic farming has been gaining worldwide acceptance because of all these benefits. In contrast, chemicals gradually kill the soil organisms that add to their fertility and eventually render the land less productive, leading to lower yields and less food supply, and exposed to soil erosion whenever it rains. As of 2010, close to a billion people were reported as hungry, while many more live malnourished lives. There has been a growing demand for food supply which is propelled by a growing populations. Add to that scenario all the price increases in prime commodities, including vegetables, fruits, protein sources and we can easily understand what is meant by the urgency of finding effective and efficient ways of producing food supply. Chapter 1 of Worldwatch Institute report dwells on the statistics on malnutrition, rising prices, and the need for changes in food supply production and distribution. Another factor to consider is global warming. More powerful typhoons, hurricanes, and tornadoes brought about great destruction of properties in various parts of the world, while the Arctic and Antarctic Zones have been melting, and the effect was predicted to be a rise in the water level and floods. Many people have drowned as a result of unusual floods. Chapter 2 of Worldwatch Institute’s book dealt with effects of climate change as a major reason for the implementation of ecoagriculture. Discussion This essay is all about participating in the quest to contribute to the worldwide effort to implement ecoagricultural as the right system to implement, and to also gradually reduce global warming while aiming to solve problems like hunger, poverty, malnutrition, and the growing demand for food worldwide. As community leader, a person can call on local farmers to provide them with an awareness of the need to change farming practices and the benefits of ecoagriculture. One of the recommendations of Worldwatch Institute (2011) is to plant “nitrogen fixing-fixing trees that enrich the soil for the subsequent corn crop and that boost yield fourfold with no added fertilizer” (Chapter 1, p.6). Trees will also prevent soil erosion and will protect people against powerful winds. Once there are trees, farmers should be able to raise animals, store more water supply by creating man-made water reservoir, and utilize the manure for the propagation of abundant organic fertilizer. Worldwatch Institute (2011, Chapter 2) cited the right practice of some African farmers in gathering manure and using them to fertilize the soil. There is actually a two-fold goals involved, namely, the provision of sustainable livelihood for farmers in a specific community given a not so fertile land to begin with, and the education of 20 farmers who will be given organic farming technologies for them to utilize during the implementation process. The assumptions include farming on more than 20 hectares of land wherein each farmer can attend to at least one hectare of land to prepare, plant on, or engage in animal husbandry, or the combination of both. An extra piece of land apart from the 20 hectares should serve as the coordination center for ongoing education, planning, storage facilities, and reporting of performance each day, six days a week. Due to the fact that planning and organizing must first be done prior to communications, directions, and full scale implementations, this document contains just the immediate and short-term plans with realistic goals and strategies leading to immediate productivity. Shortly after the plan, 20 farmers will be recruited and offered capitalization along with back up technological knowhow. The first step will be to identify and talk to the 20 farmers who will be willing to follow instructions to make the land highly productive using organic materials and acceptable organic farming technology. They must first survey the available natural resources of the land. Those hectares of land must have access to water and transportation at the very least. Soil analysis and inventory of trees and plants, organisms, and all other facilities on the terrain will have to be conducted. Coordination with the Bureau of Agriculture will help for the purpose of determining priority products in demand, so as to work with those that are needed by the community and its immediate surroundings. Miller, F. P., Vandome, A. F., and McBrewster, J. (2011) had reported very recently that there is a new movement trying to synchronize land managers and farmers towards compatible ways of ecoagriculture considering biodiversity. These early steps recognize the latest development insofar as utilization of land is concerned. After identification and familiarization with the land, along with the needs of communities, organic farming would have to begin with land preparations including tree planting and production of organic fertilizers. Depending on the volume of organic materials that can be converted into compost, there may be a need to simultaneously engage in animal husbandry. The purpose will be to add to the production of compost using animal manure and to provide the community with protein sources like meat and eggs. We assume the land to be not very fertile but capable of becoming fertile after preparations within less than a year. This project therefore follows the recommendation of Worldwatch Institute (2011, Chapter 1) not to depend on existing farms but to increase the number of arable lands for farming. Red earthworms introduced into the land through vermin-culture and vermin-composting will mean that farmers will gather organic materials aside from caring for some animals like chickens, cows and, if available, carabaos, goats, and even pigs. The choices of animals depend on the habitable conditions wherein the right animals can survive. Earthworms serve as developers of air passages in the soil, aside from being providers of vermicompost. But to begin with, farmers would have to be taught how to create their nursery given some water supply and organic materials that the earthworms can feed on, e.g. dead leaves, dried animal manure, and even sawdust. The fertilizer they produce should be stored for eventual distribution to the hectares of land wherein crops, vegetables, and fruit trees will be made to grow. Dr. Sinha, Rajiv reported (2009, p.3) that in India, particularly in the villages like Samastipur, Hazipur, Nalanda , vermi-culture and vermin-composing had replaced chemical farming since 2005 and said (p.2), “In the US, the top 25% of sustainable agriculture farmers practicing organic farming now have better gross margins and better yields than the top 25% of their counterparts still practicing chemical agriculture.” A feasibility study should be prepared to disclose the investments needed for 20 farmers to eventually become self-reliant and for the sustainable development of those hectares of land. May there be farm machineries introduced? Which equipment? Carabaos are most effective in places where there are slopes and obstructions to the passage of tractors that can till the soil. Without such animals, manual labor will be needed. Protective shelters will be needed to protect the animals from rains, cold winds, or excessive heat. How much will it cost to have one that will not be blown by strong winds? Thus the goals pertain to the development of a workable plan covering the natural habitat of a specific location selected. Investment requirements will have to be identified. Break-even Points and Returns on Investments should be defined for the purpose of securing the right budget at the right time and to make the proposal logically convincing for investors. A good strategy would be to maintain the attitude of conservatism. Technological guidelines can look impressive but costly if not implemented with prudence. Worldwatch Institute (2011, Chapter 3) also emphasizes the need to address the growing demand for water supply, utilizing various technologies for collecting water and storing them for the time when they will be needed. In connection with this plan, the preferred location will be within tropical California where sunlight will be abundant but not too hot. Community leaders have to be ready for some hands-on training of farmers YouTube reported that ecoagriculture reaps 85% better maintenance of plant species compared to “chemical based farming” and will be more productive. Dr. Perfecto (2010) studied and learned that small-scale farming not using much chemicals for fertilizers and insecticides results in higher yields, sustainable farming, and saves energy. That video can be found in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruh1Jii76rM . Conclusion In conclusion, therefore, the solution for a successful organic farming should consist of careful planning, preferably with a feasibility study, and the utilization of natural resources, backed by the production of organic fertilizers using the vermin-culture and vermin-compost technology. References Miller, Frederic P., Vandome, Agnes F., and McBrewster, John (2011). Ecoagriculture. International Book Marketing Service Ltd, 2011 Perfecto, Ivette (2010). How an Agricultural Revolution Could Save The World’s Diversity. Save Our Planet. Video retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruh1Jii76rM . Sinha, Rajiv K., Herat, S., |Valani, D., and Chauhan, K. (2009). Vermiculture and Sustainable Agriculture. American-Eurasian Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Science, 5 (S): 01-55, 2009. ISSN 1818-6769. Worldwatch Institute (2011). State of the World 2011: Innovations That Nourish the Planet. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. ISBN 9780393338805 Read More