A type of farming that includes both crop production and livestock rearing is known as mixed farming. This type of agriculture can be found in Asia and India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, South Africa, China, Central Europe, Canada, and Russia. Even though it was originally intended for domestic use, countries such as the United States and Japan are now commercialising it.
When two or more crops are grown on the same plot of land at the same time, this is known as mixed cropping. When wheat and grain are grown on the same plot of land at the same time, this is known as mixed cropping. This practice lowers the likelihood of one of the crops failing and protects against crop failure caused by extreme weather.
Crops grown nearby should mature at different times and require different amounts of water.
It is best to grow one tall and one dwarf crop at the same time. The nutrient requirements of one crop should be lower than those of the other. One crop’s roots should be deep, while the roots of the other crops should be shallow. All of these elements work together to create a successful mixed cropping pattern.
Cropping in the Prehistoric Period:
The practice of planting vast swaths of land with a single crop is a relatively new invention of the industrial agricultural complex. While unequivocal archaeological evidence is difficult to come by, it is believed that most agricultural field systems in the past included some form of mixed cropping. This is because, even if botanical evidence of plant residues (such as starches or phytoliths) from multiple crops is discovered in an ancient field, determining whether these residues are the result of mixed cropping or rotation cropping has proven difficult.
The needs of the farmer’s family were most likely the primary motivation for prehistoric multi-cropping, rather than any recognition that mixed cropping was a good idea. Certain plants may have adapted to multi-cropping over time as a result of the domestication process.
Process:
Mixed cropping involves growing two or more crops on the same plot of land at the same time, which reduces crop failure. Because individual harvesting and threshing of crops are not possible in this process, the seeds of the plants to be cultivated are mixed before sowing, and the harvesting and threshing of both plants are done together, which increases crop yield.
This technique is used in the following combinations: wheat + gramme, wheat + mustard, and groundnut + sunflower. Crop selection in this technique is based on the differences in nutrient requirements of the crops; farmers choose crops with different nutrient demands to preserve the soil’s fertility.
Advantages:
- It reduces the likelihood of crop failure. If one of the crops fails, the farmers will still be able to harvest the other.
- It allows for proper soil utilisation while also preserving soil quality.
- Crop yields are on the rise.
- The pest infestation has been kept to a bare minimum.
- The soil is being used properly.
- More than one type of crop can be harvested at the same time.
- The risk of total crop failure is reduced as a result of the unpredictable monsoon.
- The chances of a pest infestation are greatly reduced.
- Growing two crops at once improves soil fertility.
Disadvantages:
- Before sowing, seeds from two crops are mixed, and no distinct seed sewing patterns exist.
- A variety of crop products are harvested, threshed, marketed, and consumed at the same time.
Criteria for crop selection:
Crops grown nearby should mature at different times and require different amounts of water.
It is best to grow one tall and one dwarf crop at the same time. The nutrient requirements of one crop should be lower than those of the other. One crop’s roots should be deep, while the roots of the other crops should be shallow. All of these elements work together to create a successful mixed cropping pattern.
Some crops are resistant to pests and weeds that are harmful to them. Growing these crops alongside the primary crop boosts yields, reduces soil erosion, and improves environmental adaptation, among other benefits. In the mixed cropping process, legumes are frequently mixed with cereals or tubers. Nitrogen-fixing structures found in the roots of some legumes are known as root nodules. It is created by the symbiotic relationship between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and the plant. Nitrogen fixation in these plants’ roots increases soil nitrogen content, resulting in higher crop yields.
Farming
- Mixed farming includes both crop production and livestock rearing.
- To create a healthy and productive farming system, livestock enterprises work in tandem with crop production.
- Because the farm’s crop and animal components support each other, it has the advantage of reducing reliance on external sources such as fertilisers.
- By allowing you to experiment with other mixed crops, you reduce the risk of total crop failure. There is farmland where equal amounts of labour and machinery are used.
- According to the Thought Company, mixed farming is beneficial to the environment because it is highly sustainable; additionally, the crop-livestock farming system provides a variety of financial benefits.
- Because all products are used, agricultural work yields a high return. It is unnecessary to buy feed and fertiliser to grow crops or keep livestock, which saves money.
- The system is operational all year and provides a multi-pronged approach to income generation, so if a crop spoils during a season, the farmer can still earn money by selling meat, milk, or eggs.
Conclusion:
A mixed farming system is one way of handling such problems because it provides better income returns to farm owners as well as higher productivity.