FARMING SYSTEMS

IN THE DEVELOPING
WORLD
 THE TERM
• FARMING SYSTEMS refers to an
ordered combination of crops grown,
livestock produced, husbandry
methods and cultural practices
followed. [kombinasi tanaman, ternak,
metode peternakan dan budaya]
 CLASSIFICATION
• TREE CROPS [tan pohon]
–fruit, nuts, beverage crop, rubber,
pharmaceuticals, oil, lumber, paper,
sweeteners, ornamentals, fuel, etc.
[buah2an, kacang2an, tan minuman,karet, farmasi, minyak, kayu, kertas, pemanis, bahan bakar]
 CLASSIFICATION (continued)

• TILLAGE CROPS [tan ladang]

–cereal grains, oilseeds, vegetable

crops, sugar crops, fiber crops, small
fruits, coarse grains, etc.
CLASSIFICATION (continued)

• ALTERNATING TILLAGE
CROPS
–hay crops, silage, green chop,
“fodder”, etc. (i.e. sorghums,
millet, alfalfa, small grains,
grass, etc.)
CLASSIFICATION (continued)

• GRASSLAND/GRAZING
LAND
–native range/grass, forbs, sage,
shrubs, legumes, etc.
 FARMING SYSTEMS
• The particular Farming System found in a
country or region is the result of a unique
combination of factors, many of which are
causative or associative in nature (i.e.
Bananas and Wheat).
 FACTORS/CONDITIONS
• Influencing/impacting the
development of specific Farming
Systems.
– Climate, Elevation, Soil, Moisture, Soil
stability, Pests, Technological adaptation
& feasibility, Economic infrastructure
and Social Infrastructure.
 FACTORS IMPACTING
FARMING SYSTEMS
• Climate - temperature & rainfall
• Elevation - temperature
• Soil - fertility, pH & organic matter
• Land (physical) - soil type, texture, depth,
permeability & slope.
• Moisture - natural rainfall, irrigation,
drainage, flood control, etc.
 FACTORS IMPACTING
FARMING SYSTEMS (continued)

• Soil stability - erosion & salinity

• Pests - weeds, insects, diseases &
predators.
• Technological adaptation and
feasibility - equipment, cultural
practices, chemicals, new cultivars, etc.
 FACTORS IMPACTING
FARMING SYSTEMS (continued)

• Economic infrastructure - market access,

government regulations, transportation
system & processing industry.
• Social infrastructure - work ethic,
class/caste system, land tenure, education,
diet, culture & dissemination of
information.
MAJOR FACTORS IMPACTING THE
CLASSIFICATION OF FARMING
SYSTEMS
• Climate
• Level of Technology
• Infrastructure
• Production Incentives
• Political Constraints
• Human Resources
SUB - CLASSIFICATION
• Very Extensive - broad, much variation,
inter cropping, strip cropping, involving
several different different crops or livestock
species.
• Extensive
• Intensive
• Very Intensive - double cropping, crop
rotation, crop residue management, erosion
control.
 NATURE & EXTENT OF
FARMING SYSTEMS
• Subsistence farming - produces only
enough food and fiber for individual or
family needs. 1) Involves the
gathering/collection of food, fuel & building
materials, 2) Rarely ventures into situations
involving commercial production, 3)
Requires little in the way of inputs, market
access, monetary exchange, etc.
 SUBSISTENCE
AGRICULTURE (continued)

• Hunter/Gathers
• Nomads/Bedouins
• Slash & Burn
 NATURE & EXTENT
(continued)

• Commercial Farming Systems -

characterized by the commercial
production of agricultural commodities
for specific markets and capital
intensive.
 TYPES OF COMMERCIAL
FARMING SYSTEMS
• Tropical & sub-tropical plantations
• Temperate zone grain production
• Vegetable & fruit production
• Livestock production
• Mixed crop & livestock production
 Sustainable Agriculture
• Protects soil fertility
• Optimizes management & resources
• Reduces the use of nonrenewable resources
• Promotes opportunities in family farming
• Achieves integration of natural biological
cycles & controls
 COLLECTIVE
FARMING SYSTEMS
• Agricultural operations in nations with
centrally planned economies.
• Usually operates under a rigid system
of collective or state farms.