AG 2214 - Integrated Farming Systems and Agro-Forestry Lecture Number 3&4

AG 2214 - Integrated Farming Systems and Agro-forestry
Lecture number 3&4

Basic Characteristics of Farming Systems – Visualizing sub systems, interacting sub systems and
components, clear boundaries, response to external and internal changes
Visualizing sub systems
Subsystems can be shown as below figure in a farming system.
Crop husbandry
sub system
Aquacult
ure sub
system
Livestock
subsystem
Bio gas and bio -composting

subsystem
Basic Characteristics of Farming Systems
1. High in Productivity within the farm

2. It is holistic-The whole farm is viewed as a system encompassing interacting sub-systems, and no
potential enterprise is considered in isolation.
3. Inter-disciplinary
4. Inter-dependency among components
5. Risk bearing
6. Farmer participatory
7. Diversification of different subsystems and components
8. Sustainability- to ensure that productivity gains are environmentally acceptable. Towards
preserving the natural resource base and strengthening the agricultural production base, it attempts
to develop technologies that are environment friendly and economically viable.
9. Resources use efficiency
10. Self sufficiency of food and food security
Interacting sub systems and components,
 Sub systems may have different components as example livestock sub system may have
differerent components such as poultry, pig farming, cattle farming etc.
 And also agricultural or crop husbandry sub system may have different components like oil
crops, legumes, paddy etc.
 Pond or aquaculture subsystem may have components of fish and water plants etc.
 These each subsystems and components are inter-related inter interdependent.
 The primary or secondary produce of one system is utilized as basic input by other system.
Therefore they have mutually integration with each other as a whole unit. This reduces the input
requirement from open market making the IFS as self supporting and sustainable unit.
 Resource recycling indicates the interdependence of different components of the total farming
system
 By-product of dairy i.e. cowdung forms a major raw materials for biogass plants. And the waste
called digested slurry can be used as manure for crops.
 By- product of field crops like paddy straw forms a major input of mushroom cultivation and
utilize as cattle feed and for compost preparation
 Animal droppings are used in aquaculture and use as organic fertilizer for the crops.
Clear boundaries of farming system

Any farm system boundary will involve a variety of interfaces, i.e., contact areas with other systems. For
example, there may be interfaces with input suppliers, the banking system, the local community,
government agencies, etc. Other clear boundary is environment boundary and input is taken from the
environment and output is released to the environment.
In the below figure the farm system boundary is shown clearly and all other systems are there in the outside of
the boundary. Inside of the boundary there are all the activities, sub systems and components of the farming
system.
Banking systems
Local community
Market
Government
Input suppliers
agencies
Response to external and internal changes

External changes
External changes are the kinds of things, situation, or events that occur outside of the farm and are by and
large beyond the control of the farm. Following external changes may affect the farming system activities.
 Competition (what are they doing?)
 Customer behavior (needs, wants, and desires)
 Industry out look (local, national, global)
 Demographics (the change populations, there density, etc.)
 Economy
 Political movements and/or interference
 Social environment
 Technological changes
 General environmental changes etc.
Internal changes
Internal changes are the kind of things, situations, or events that occur inside of the farming system.
 Internal changes in the farming system can be done by

 the maximum use of machinery and equipments.
 And also efficient use of internal labourers.
 It should have good technological capacity.
 It should have well organizational culture and good management system.
 It should have very good financial management and employee moral etc.

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AG 2214 - Integrated Farming Systems and Agro-forestry

Lecture number 3&4

Visualizing sub systems

Subsystems can be shown as below figure in a farming system.

Bio gas and bio -composting

Basic Characteristics of Farming Systems

1. High in Productivity within the farm

Clear boundaries of farming system

Response to external and internal changes

 Internal changes in the farming system can be done by

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