Question

Advantages of the mixed croping

Answer 1

1. Farmers can keep their fields under continuous production.
2. There is reduction in the need of artificial fertilizers which can otherwise be expensive.
3. There is geographic mixing of crops, this can help slow the spread of pest and other diseases in the growing season.
4. It also reduces the effects of adverse weather conditions for the farmer as planting and harvest is at different times of the season.
5. There are more land to be farmed with the same amount of labor and machinery.
6. According to some scientific basis there is 10-25% increase in the yield in mixed farming versus monoculture.
7. There are many cost related advantages in inter cropping.
8. Financial risks are distributed over diverse production of crops and livestock.
9. There is less dependence on the purchased inputs and over time crops maintain productivity with lesser inputs.
10. This system is a powerful tool to improve agricultural systems.