Circularity of Agricultural Systems for Rural Livelihood and Food Security

By : R.M. Kathiresan

Page No: 244-253

Abstract
The farming system strategy aims at sustainable management of resources for ensuring enhanced food security, livelihoods nutritional status of farming households, and environmental quality. This integration also serves to impart climate resilience. However, integrating these farming components is more feasible in smallholder farms compared to large farm holdings. Asia has 200 million rice farms smaller than 1 ha, accounting for 90% of world rice production. Millions of impoverished rural residents in Asia, Africa, and Latin America make their living mostly on rice-based farming systems.
Research on Farming System and Extension at Annamalai University, India, has evolved models of the integrated farming system featuring the integration of best-suited animal components for both irrigated lowland and rainfed upland farming agroecologies. Integration of fish polyculture and poultry rearing, directly in the transplanted rice fields followed by vegetables in the fallows, offers better scope for lowland rice farmers. Similarly, the integration of goat + millet or vegetable or flower crops holds good potential for upland farmers. Integrating other farm enterprises with the traditional cropping pattern in small-holder farms offer good scope for food security, enhancing livelihoods, and imparting environmental security.

Author :
R.M. Kathiresan : Vice-Chancellor, Annamalai University, Tamilnadu, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/PROD.2024.65.03.2