Module 10

Farming Systems

I. Introduction

Farming system is an approach to farming that integrates farming methods,

practices, technologies, knowledge, and expertise, coupled with specific goals and values of
the producer (Acquaah, 2001). It is a mixture of farming enterprises to which a farm family
allocates its resources in order to efficiently manage or utilize the existing environment for
the attainment of family goals (Eusebio et al, 2001).

In this Unit, the following subtopics will be discussed: concepts of farming system,
perspective, attributes, types, cropping system, benefits of multiple cropping, and integrated
farming system.

II. Learning Objectives

At the end of the lessons, the students must have:

a. discussed the concepts, perspective and attributes of farming system;

b. differentiate the general, and specific types of farming systems;
c. explained the types of cropping systems and cropping patterns;
d. discussed the criteria and models of integrated farming systems; and
e. developed awareness and appreciation of farming system to sustainable crop
production.

III. Learning Motivation

The lesson will start with a learning activity called “Post It Parade”. A question
related to the topic to be discussed will be written on the board. Then, each student will be
given a few post-its. They will write one idea per post it and have it posted on the wall or
chalkboard, classified based on topic, question, among others. The outputs of this activity
will be discussed and synthesized by the professor who will act as facilitator.

IV. Learning Content

Farming system is a complex inter-related matrix of soil, plants, animals, implements,

power, labor, political, economic, institutional and social forces that operate at many levels.
It refers to the farm as an entity inter-dependent farming enterprises carried out on the
farm. The farm is viewed in a holistic manner of which the farmers are subjected to many
socio-economic, biophysical, institutional, administrative and technological constraints. The
elements or components in the farm are interrelated which interact among themselves. At
the center of the interaction is the farmer exercising control and choice regarding the type
and results of interaction. The human environment provides sufficient condition for
development and utilization of a particular system. Since a farming system is very complex,
both natural and human environments must be considered (Chandrasekaran, et al, 2010).
Moreover, a farming system specifically refers to a group or combination of enterprises in
which the products and or by products of one enterprise serve as the input for production of
other enterprise. It takes into account the combined needs of the family the economic
factors like relative profitability of the technically possible enterprises, availability of off farm
resources, infrastructure and institutions such as irrigation, marketing facilities including
storage and transportation and credit aside from agro-biological considerations
(http://www.agriinfo.in/?page=topic&superrid=1&topicid
=643).

Concepts of Farming System

A FS practiced by a farmer is the result of a complex interaction of a number of

components at the center of which is the farmer. It is a unique and reasonably stable
arrangement of farming enterprise that the households manage according to a well-defined
practice in response to the physical, biological and socio economic environments and in
accordance with the household goals, preferences and resources. This system involves the
allocation of production resources such as land, labor, capital and managerial skills to the
production of crops, livestock, on farm and off-farm enterprises in a manner that provides
attainment of the family’s goal. Moreover, the functioning of a FS requires decisions about
the qualities and quantities of inputs to be used to produce a desired combination of
products, which are influenced by the total environment in which a farmer operates: a.
technical environment (soil, water and climate), and b. human environment (exogenous
factors - community structures, values and external institutions for both inputs and outputs;
endogenous factors - attitudes, goals, needs and priorities).

Perspective of Farming System

1. FS is strictly technical sense. It is confined to the production of crops and animals and
the interaction of the two main components, the crops and animals.

2. FS Sub-components and its On-farm and Off-farm Elements. These include the main
components, namely: the farm household, farming activities (crops + livestock), c. non-
farming activities (carpentry work, driving, food vending, sari-sari store, etc.), and on-
farm and off-farm elements. There is supplementary or complementary role of non-
farming to farming activities.

3. Farming/Agricultural Systems Hierarchy. Within farm systems, there is a farming system

which leads to the perspective of hierarchical systems or systems sub-systems. In a
given farm, there is socio-economic subsystems, crop and animal agro-ecosystem. A
crop agro-ecosystem is composed of soil, weeds, pests and crop sub-systems.
4. Farming Systems in Rural/Urban Development vis-à-vis Productivity & Market. The FS as
influenced by both natural and socio-economic factors should not be viewed in isolation
with rural/urban development. The activities in both the rural and urban sectors directly
and indirectly affect FS via the market. When the population does not have sufficient
purchasing power, prices of farm products are low which serves as dis-incentives to
farmers to produce more, so agricultural productivity stagnates.

5. FS and Its Linkage Relationship with DAR and National Industrialization. There is a
problem on the security of tenure of most farmers, mostly being tenants. They have
several reasons of not engaging into farming with perennial crops due to the above stated
social problem.

6. FS in Relation to Food Systems. Farming system is a catalyst of change. Linkages should

be established between domestic and international policies since these policies highly
influence agricultural production and other aspects in the value chain.

7. FS and Issues on Sustainability. Wealthy nations and poor nations are not equally guilty
with respect to environmental degradation, loss of genetic resources, greenhouse effect
and overall decline in the quality of life for the whole human kind.

Attributes of Farming System

1. FS is location or condition specific. The location impressed upon the topography of the
land, moisture regime, altitude, latitude, jointly defines climate. Climatic variability affects
mostly the crops species/variety/breed suitable as well as the management practices
that would be employed.

2. FS is farmer-based or farm driven. The main actor or protagonist is the farmer. His
goals/aspirations in life, his skills and capabilities, and his ways of making decisions in a
given situation are crucial to the designs and mixtures of commodity and our enterprise
in the farm. The farmer and his household is the central features of the farm. The
farmer is the “boss”.

3. FS is Participatory. Farming is a dynamic and constantly evolving/changing human

venture (ad-venture). As a system, it needs change or improvement of existing parts.
While FS is farmer-driven, farmers need to interact with one another, also need non-
farmers (scientists, etc) who shall look at the science and technology dimension of
farming.

4. FS is Process-oriented. In carrying out activities or planned change of improvement,

modifications should be done in due process which means that a farmer has the right to
be heard. Modifications envisioned should incorporate the practical need for learning
new innovations/technologies to be correctly adopted.
5. FS is integrative or holistic in nature. This may refer to the farm activities of enterprises
components in the farm (crops + livestock + aquaculture). The integrative aspects
relate to how the outputs (by-products, e.g. crop residues) could be inputs to other
components (feed or source of fertilizer). The wholistic attribute of FS relates to the
operationalization or joint action of the components.

6. Farming system is a means of utilization of land resources involving the culture of crops
and animals, from establishment to utilization.

7. FS is adoptable to farmers. Filipino farmers are usually subsistence farmers. They own
a small piece of land where they grow a variety of crops, for food and other purposes.

General Types of Farming Systems

1. Lowland Farming System – generally refers to crop or animals (including fish) production
in paddy fields or swampy areas, where there is a continuous or regular availability of
water, e.g. lowland rice

2. Upland Farming System – refers to the growing of crops and/or animals in relatively flat
or plain areas where water is not regularly available except through precipitation
(rainfall) or irrigation.

3. Hilly Farming System – the production of crops/and or animals in areas with slope of
more than 18%. In classification of natural resources, these areas are identified as
Agroforestry. But the definition of Agro-forestry today is made simple to cover a wide
range of areas without reference to their slope.

4. Agro-forestry – involves the culture of crops and animals in any combination, together
with a woody perennial. This includes areas whether flat or sloping.

5. Highland Farming System – is oftentimes inter-changed with hilly lands, because of their
similar topographic features, but this is concerned more on agricultural areas of higher
elevation of at least 800-1000 m above sea levels. These are characterized with
relatively lower temperatures throughout the year.

6. Dry Farming or Dryland Farming System – the practice of growing profitable crops
without irrigation in areas which receive an annual rainfall of 500mm or even less. In dry
land agriculture, the cultivation of crops is entirely under rainfed condition, with three
groups/classifications on the basis of annual rainfall:

a. Dry farming – cultivation of crops where annual rainfall is less than 750mm and
crop failures due to prolonged dry spell during crop period are most common.
 b. Dry land farming - cultivation of crops where annual rainfall is more than 750mm
but less than 1150mm. Dry spells may occur, but crop failures are less frequent.

c. Rainfed farming - cultivation of crops where annual rainfall is more than 1150mm.
There is adequate rainfall and drainage becomes the important problem in
rainfed farming.

Specific Types of Farming Systems

1. Based on enterprise mix(es) – monocropping or diversified farming (multiple cropping

systems)

2. Based on the dominant crop(s) which form the major enterprise (Rice-based, coconut-
based, etc)

3. Based on agro-environment

a. moisture regime/water source - rainfed or irrigated

b. topography – lowland or hilly farming, e.g. Agroforestry and Sloping
Agricultural Land Technology (SALT)
c. elevation/altitude – high land, hilly land, Lowland

4. Based on use of farm inputs

a. High External Input (HEI) FS – associated with modern agriculture (green

revolution) characterized by the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and seeds
of high yielding varieties

b. Low External Input (LEI) FS – biodynamic farming, permaculture, nature farming,

etc. which are purest and pursue farming chemical free

5. Based on the central or unique feature of the farm

a. Crop Centered FS
b. Livestock Centered FS (ruminants, non- ruminants)
c. Integrated Crop + Livestock FS
d. Integrated Crop + Aquaculture FS
e. Integrated Livestock + Aquaculture FS

6. Evolving type

a. Recreational or hobby farming FS

b. Agrotourism-oriented FS – farm resort and open farm-farm level marketing

7. Specialized FS
a. Production of high value cutf lowers (anthurium, orchids, etc)
b. Aquaculture – fingerlings production, aquarium fish, etc.

Elements of a System

1. Objective: All system (Natural or Artificial) are designed to achieve certain objectives
(single, multiple objectives). Objectives are achieved by employing
resources within a framework of constraints. Objectives, resources and
constraints interact to make the system operational.

2. Interaction – is a dynamic, hence, the system will co-evolve or change with different
objectives, resources combinations and a new set of constraints.

3. Resources – are at the same time, constraints when they occur in limited quantities or
when their quality deteriorates

Cropping System. This refers to the pattern or arrangement of crops in time and space, as
well as the process of growing them.

Determinants of Cropping System:

1. Rainfall (moisture)
2. Soil and topography
3. Market accessibility

Cropping Patterns

A. Cropping Pattern in Irrigated Lowland (Rice Farming System)

1. Rice-Rice (R-R) Pattern

2. Rice-Rice-Rice (R-R-R) Pattern
3. Rice Garden. It is a cropping pattern in which rice is planted in small garden-like
plots within the farm and harvested continuously at regular intervals throughout the
year

B. Cropping Pattern in Rainfed Lowland Rice FS

1. Rice-Rice Pattern
2. Rice & Upland Crops Sequential Cropping Pattern with 2 approaches:
2.1 Rice-Upland Crops – crops after rice
2.1 Upland Crops-Rice – crops before rice
 3. Rice-Rice-Upland Crop and upland Crop-Rice-Upland Crop – fitted for areas with
evenly distributed rainfall the year round. It makes use of early maturing
varieties.

Types of Cropping System

a) Slash & Burn

b) Monoculture
c) Multiple Cropping

Types of Monoculture

a) Perennial monoculture – this involves the planting of trees especially on steep slopes
and heavy clay soils. Rubber, ipil-ipil and coconut are suitable trees under this system.

b) Annual crop monoculture – this system utilizes both upland and lowland annual crops
like rice, corn and vegetables

Types of Multiple Cropping

The intensification of cropping in time and space dimensions, is growing two or

more crops on the same field in a year.

Sequential cropping. It is the growing of two or more crops in sequence on the same field
within a 12 month-period with the succeeding crop planted only after the preceding crop has
been harvested such that a farmer managed only one crop at any time on the same field.
A sequential cropping is denoted by a hyphen (-) between two succeeding crops.

Double cropping. It is growing two crops in sequence, seedling or transplanting one after the
harvest of the other – also called sequential cropping.

Triple cropping. It is the growing of three crops in sequence, seedling or transplanted one
after the harvest of the other.

Ratoon cropping. It is the development of a new crop without replanting from buds on the
root system, stubble or stems of the preceding crops, a harvest not necessarily for grains.
Rice under certain conditions can be a ratooned crop.

Factors to Consider in Selection of Crops for Sequential Cropping

1. Marketability
2. Family benefits
3. Environmental requirements of crops
4. Skills required
5. Stability of crops
6. Cost and risk of each crop

General considerations in sequential cropping

1. Change in maturity of varieties (early or late)

2. Earlier planting or direct seeding, and
3. Rapid turn-around between crops

Intercropping is the growing of two or more crops simultaneously on the same field such
that the period of overlap is long enough to include vegetative stage. Intercropping is
denoted by a (+) sign between any two crops grown simultaneously. It is also the growing
of two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of land, base crop necessarily in
distinct row arrangement, or with or without a row arrangement (row intecropping or mixed
cropping). This also includes alley cropping, strip cropping, contour cropping, paired row
cropping, skip cropping, parallel cropping, companion cropping, multi-storeyed cropping,
and synergetic cropping.

Major intercropping systems:

1. Parallel cropping – cultivation of such crops which have different natural habitat and zero
competition, e.g. mung bean (30-35 days after sowing) + maize (50 days after sowing)

2. Companion cropping – intercropping where the production of both intercrops is equal to

that of its solid planning, e.g. mustard/potato/onion + sugarcane

3. Multi-storey/Multi-tiered/Multi level – cultivation of two or more than two crops of different

heights simultaneously on a certain piece of land in any certain period, e.g. sugarcane +
mustard + onion/potato

4. Synergetic cropping – the yields of both crops are higher than of their pure crop on unit
area basis, e.g. sugarcane + potato

Types of intercropping system:

1. Additive series intercropping. One crop is main crop or base crop and another crop is
intercrop. The intercrop is introduced into the base crop by adjusting or changing the
crop geometry. The plant population of the base crop is the same to what is the
recommended population in pure stand whereas that of the intercrop is less.
2. Replacement series intercropping. Both the crops are component crops. Neither is the
base crop nor is the intercrop. The plant population of both component crops is less
than their recommended population in pure stand.

Selection of crops for intercropping

1. The crop should not be a host to any pests and diseases that will attack both crops
2. The growth of one crop especially the shorter crop should not be faster or earlier than
the other crop
3. Nutrient preferences of crops should be different
4. Should not heavily shade the other crop

Pre-requisites of Successful Intercropping:

1. Adequate supply of available water and it must be available at the time it is needed
2. Adequate and timely supply of seeds, fertilizers and crop protection materials
3. Use of short duration varieties and hybrids
4. Development of new market, processing and new uses of crops
5. High man-hour requirement
6. Better understanding of scientific agriculture or a need for a better farm manager

Relay intercropping/relay cropping. It is the growing of two or more crops together, but
seedling or transplanting the succeeding one after flowering and before the harvest of the
former crop. If the planting of the second crop is done before the flowering stage of the first
crop, the cropping pattern is intercropping. Relay cropping is denoted with a slash (/)
between crops.

Other types of Cropping Patterns

1. Strip cropping. The growing of two or more crops simultaneously in separate plots
arranged in strips that can be independently cultivated,

2. Sorjan cultivation. The system of crop cultivation in parallel beds and sinks wherein
lowland crops are planted in the sinks and upland crops are grown in beds. Two
successive upland crops can be grown in beds during the year and the rice crops in the
sinks.

3. Alley cropping. The system follows an alternate succession of the strips or hedgerow
croppings of perennial crops established along the contour of the slope and an open
 space or alley which is devoted to annual agricultural crops. There are two types of alley
cropping: the terraced and unterraced.

a. Unterraced slope. The hedgerows of trees are planted along the contour and the
alleys devoted to agricultural crops that also follow the contours.

b. Terraced slope. The hedgerows of trees are planted near the outer edges of
terrace benches to serve as erosion control and windbreaks. Strips of
agricultural crops are grown along the terrace benches.
Benefits of Multiple Cropping

1. Increased erosion control

2. Insurance against crop failure
3. Labor and harvesting are spread more evenly during the cropping season and storage
problem may be minimized
4. Results to an efficient utilization of resources by plants of different heights, rooting
system and nutrient requirements
5. Diseases and pests do not spread rapidly in mixed cultures as in pure cultures since all
crops involved are not susceptible to the same extent.

Problems of Multiple Cropping

1. Soil fertility. Since more crops are grown per unit area, a bigger drain of nutrients from
the soil is expected and greater input is required.

2. Chemical stability of the soil. As cropping intensity is increased, the CEC of the soil
becomes crucial. The frequent tillage combined with high levels of chemicals may cause
rapid shifts in soil pH
3. Weeds
4. Insects
5. Diseases
6. Nematodes
7. Crop Management – different species planted together may require different farm inputs,
cultural practices, etc.

Limitations of Multiple Cropping

1. Allelopathy. This refers to the detrimental effects of higher plants of one species on the
germination, growth or development of plants of another species. The primary effects of
allelopathy to crop production is associated with the toxins released or exuded by plants
which are either products of metabolism of waste product to prevent autotoxicity.
2. Morphological differences. The difference in form or structure of the component crops
especially in terms of height, leaf distribution, and formation of the branch will greatly
influence the degree of competition (light, water, nutrients) between and among species.
The morphological difference is primarily related to “mutual shading” which in turn is
directly related to photosynthesis.

Solutions to solve morphological problems

a. Select component crops that do not produce too much shade or tolerant to shade
b. use crops with contrasting maturity periods
c. Plant the shorter crop earlier than the taller crop
d. Modify the row arrangement or spacing to enhance more light penetration

Crop rotation. It is the growing of different crops in a definite order of succession on the
same land.

Advantages of crop rotation:

1. Increased yields
2. Better control of weeds, pests and diseases
3. Maintenance of organic matter content of the soil
4. Balanced utilization of nutrients in the soil
5. Better distribution of farm labor and less economic crisis

Integrated rice farming. It refers to a system of growing rice in combination with other crops
and other components of production outside the crop such as fish culture and livestock
raising. The various component of production that are integrated into the system are those
that complement or inter-support each other so as to maximize total productivity.

Hilly Farming System

Hilly lands or sloping uplands are rugged terrain with 18% slope or greater and in elevations
ranging from near sea level to above 1000m. These are prone to excessive erosion and
productivity is limited unless soil conservation measures are observed and practiced.

Systems of Hilly Farming

1. Contour hedgerows and alley cropping system

2. Contour bunding with hedgerows
3. Hedgerows planting on terraced slopes
4. Grass strips as contour vegetative barriers for soil erosion
Cropping Systems for Hilly Areas

Harold R. Watson and Warlito A. Laquihon of the Baptists Rural Life Center at Bansalan
Davao delSur developed a cropping system for hilly areas. They termed it SALT
(Sloping Agricultural Land Technology) which won a 1985 TOYM award for Watson.

SALT (Sloping Agricultural Land Technology) Cropping System

SALT system can prevent soil erosion, improves soil fertility and provides a continuous
income from diverse crops planted on the hilly land. Basically, SALT involves planting field
crops and perennial crops in bands 3-5 m wide between double rows if N 2 fixing shrubs 7
trees planted along the contour. This minimizes soil erosion and maintains soil fertility. Field
crops include legumes, cereals, and vegetables while the main perennial crops are cacao,
coffee, banana, citrus and fruit trees.

SALT Cropping System

SALT helps considerably in the establishment of a stable environment. The double

hedgerows of leguminous shrubs or trees prevent soil erosion. Their branches are cut every
30-45 days and incorporated back into the soil to improve its fertility. The crop provides
permanent vegetative cover which aids the conservation of both water and soil. The
legumes and perennial crops maintain soil and air temperatures at levels favorable for
enhanced growth of different agricultural crops.

Steps of SALT:

1. Making of A-frame
2. Determining the contour lines
3. Cultivating the contour lines
4. Planting seeds of different N2 fixing trees & shrubs
5. Cultivating alternate strips
6. Planting permanent crops
7. Planting short-term crops
8. Trimming of N2-fixing trees
9. Practicing crop rotation
10. Building green terraces

SALT 2 Technology. It was developed for small-scale low-income farmers on slope land in
tropical Asia, combines crop production with the raising of small livestock (dairy goat). A
farm of one-half hectare is divided into two parts, one for forage crops, the other for food
and cash crops. Livestock are fed on the forage crops, mainly leguminous shrubs, which
are planted in hedgerows along the contour and around the boundary of the farm. Twelve
does raised under this system for dairy provided an annual net income of more than $1000.

Agroforestry and Tree Farming

Forest. It is a complex organism, compost of distinct biological units called forest

communities that have come into being by the combined action and reaction of a variety of
organisms with complex factor of the habitat that them-selves changed both in space and
time.

Role of a forest:

1. Productive – production of timber, pulp, fuel. Wood. Fodder and minor forest products
(gum, lac, honey, herbal drugs, etc)

2. Protective – protection of environment, moderation of climate, soil conservation and

amelioration, prevention of soil erosion, regulation of water supplies, control of
floods and recycling of nutrients. It also served as “pollution sink”. The trees provide
the barrier to soil erosion and the alleys are utilized for food crop production. The
disadvantage of the use of forest trees as hedgerows is the shading effect on the alley
crops. Some examples of tree species for agroforestry are:

Falcata (Albizzia falcataria)

“Kaatongan bangkal” (Anthocephalus chinensis
Mahogany (Sweitenia macrophylla)
Yemane (Gmelina arborea)
Bagras (Eucalyptus deglupta)
“Gubas” (Endosperma peltatum)
“Banlag” (Xylopia ferruginnea)

Agroforestry is a land-use system in which agricultural crops/and or livestock and

forest trees are raised on the same land either sequentially through rotational use or
simultaneous. The forest trees are grown for use as pulp, timber, fiber board and electric
posts. In the hedgerow alley system, the hedgerows may be occupied by fast growing trees
which are left to grow until they are harvested at the right age.

- A sustainable land management system which increases the yield (productivity) of

land, combines the production of crops, including the tree crops, and forest plants and/or
animals simultaneously or sequentially on the same piece of land and applies management
practices that are compatible with the cultural practices of the local population.

Necessity of Agro-forestry:
1. Continuous supply of fuel and fodder
2. Ecological balance
3. Free oxygen through photosynthesis
4. Acts as windbreaks
5. Creates employment opportunities

Objectives of agro-forestry:

1. Diversified and or more sustainable production at a higher level from the available
resources.
2. Economically superior land use with intensive agro-forestry systems on fertile soils of
small and marginal farmers
3. Production of basic needs of farmers: food, fruit, fodder, fuel etc from their own piece of
land; and
4. Enhancement of land productivity and sustainability in lands affected by low soil fertility,
high erosion and high soil degradation.

In hilly areas, the practice of agro-forestry has been developed for the following
purposes:

1. To get material for cheap and light type of constructions;

2. To meet the basic requirements of fuel wood in the locality;
3. To get fodder for livestock and green manure for agricultural crops; and
4. To get protection from cool breeze to agricultural crops.

Types and Components of Agro-forestry

1. Agri-silviculture – the growing of agricultural crops along with the forest crops. It means
agricultural crops + forest crops (silviculture)

2. Sylvi-pastoral systems – a land management system in which forests are managed for
the production of wood as well as for rearing of domesticated animals.

3. Agri-silvi-pastoral systems – agricultural crops + forest crops + pasture management

4. Agri-horti-silvicultural systems – agricultural crops + horticulture + silviculture

5. Multipurpose forest tree production – forestry for the multipurpose benefits or uses

Characteristics of Tree and Plant Species Suitable for Agro-forestry Systems

1. Amenable for early wide spacing for intercropping

2. Possess self-pruning practices
3. If not self-pruning, they should be able to tolerate relatively high incidence of pruning,
4. Low crown diameter to bole diameter ratio
5. Light branching habit
6. Tolerant to shade
7. Their phytotoxins should permit the penetration of light to the ground
8. Their phenology should be advantageous to the growth of the annual crop in association
9. Their rate of litter fall and litter decomposition should have positive effects upon the soil

Integrated Farming (IF) System. It is the linking together of two normally separate farming
systems which become subsystem of a whole farming systems (Edwards, 1985)

Major Features of Integrated Farming System

1. Waste or by-product utilization – waste of one subsystem becomes an input to other

subsystem.

2. Improved space utilization – two or more subsystems essentially occupy part or all of the
space required for an individual subsystem

Advantages of Integrated Farming System

1. Increased productivity
2. Greater income
3. Improved cash flow
4. Fuller employment
5. Better diet for the farmer and his family
6. Spread of both biological and economic risk

Design Criteria for Integrated Farming Systems

1. Crops. The choice of crops depends on a number of factors: soil condition, water
availability, temperature, market, seeds, capital and its complementation to other
subsystems.

2. Livestock. The choice of livestock depends on: culture, species of animals, feeds and
feed conversion, capital and market.

3. Fish. This is integrated with crop and livestock because of the large amount of wastage
on crops, specifically vegetables, before and during harvest and of nutrients present in
the feed that is recovered from the manure: 72-89% N, 61-87% P and 82-92% K.
Models of Integrated Farming System

A. Crop-based farming system

1. Rice-Based Farming Systems

a. Rice-Fish Culture
b. Rotational Rice Fish
c. Taro-Fish Culture

2. Coconut-based farming systems

3. Sugarcane-based farming systems

4. Corn-based farming systems

5. Cacao-based farming systems

B. Livestock-based farming systems

1. Pig-Fish
2. Chicken-Fish
3. Duck-Fish
4. Buffalo-Fish

C. Multiple Cropping Systems

Multiple cropping refers in a system of cropping in which as many crops as possible are
grown on the same land within a year. It is geared towards maximizing productivity per
hectare by keeping the land occupied with crops throughout the year.

Factors to consider in Multiple Cropping

1. Availability of irrigation water

2. Use of quick maturing varieties
3. Change from traditional methods of growing crops to a new system of cropping
4. Availability of labor
5. Liberal use of fertilizers and adequate pest control
Crop Rotation (Sequential). It is the growing of different crops in a definite order of
succession on the same land. The crops in rotation form mutual and beneficial allelopathic
relationships.

Advantages of Crop Rotation:

1. Increased yield
2. Better pest control
3. Maintenance of organic matter content in the soil
4. Balanced utilization of nutrients in the soil
5. Better distribution of farm labor and less economic risks

Multi-storey Cropping. It is a combination of perennials and/or the growing of annuals with

perennials of different stature in a row or mixed intercropping

Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) - It is a low resource (OTA, 1988),
resource-poor (WCED, 1987), undervalued-resource agriculture (Chambers, 1989) wherein
properties of the physical `environment and/or commercial infrastructure do not allow
widespread purchased of inputs.

Features of LEISA

a. Optimize use of locally available resources

b. Combining different components of the FS such as plants, animals, soil, water, climate
and people
c. Complementary and synergistic effects
d. If external inputs are used, maximum recycling and minimum detrimental impact on the
environment is given emphasis