Nowadays Agriculture and farming are more than just back-breaking labor work without career advancement or economic pay. Now Agriculture and farming are much cooler with a loads opportunity and development. It has lots of room for development, new technology, grand Ideas, impressive jobs availability, incredible methods, practices for a sustainable environment, and whatnot.
Let’s get to know about this cool stuff –
What Are Agriculture And Farming?
Agriculture is the art and science of working, learning, understanding – cropping seasons, high yielding, seed quality, disease resistance, etc.
Farming is the physical art/ action of performing cultivation on a piece of land.
What is sustainable agriculture?
Sustainable farming is where the usage of chemicals is minimal which conserves water and energy. With organic material, it enhances the production resulting in high yield and minimal usage of inputs. It is about Understanding the ecosystem and also studying the relationship between living organisms and nature.
Qualities To Establish The Farm For Sustainability-
- Provide all the basic needs like quality food and shelter to the farmers whose life is dependent on farming.
- Needs to be profitable for both business and the people working under it.
- There should be a harmonious relationship between the workers and nature. So that there is no damage done to the environment, promoting biodiversity of the local ecosystem.
Why Sustainable Agriculture & Farming Is Cool
1. Eradicates Unemployability
Unemployability is a threat now, especially amongst the youth. The total number of unemployed in February 2022 was 6.3 million. According to the central for monitoring the Indian Economy ( CMIE ), the unemployability rate in India is 6.57 in Jan 2022. But the growth of agriculture and farming with new technology and new thinking has turned it into an opportunity for the people. And has built rooms for employment. For the youth as well as people who are looking to bring a change in the environment while working.
2. Advanced Technology
The advancement of technology has given a boost and a hand to sustainable agriculture and farming. With agriculture advancement and the emergence of agricultural technology, agriculture is thriving in 2022 that balances traditional thinking, sustainable agriculture, and advanced usage technology, skills, and creativity of physical work. Adapting to these techniques can bring a drastic change in the agricultural business benefiting everyone.
3. Career Options Are Unlimited
Even though physical work will be there but it won’t be sweat-intensive laborious work. There will be the usage of intelligent minds and creativity. People with different education like Art, science, business working together can boost sustainable agriculture.
Artificial intelligence can be applied with art by building models using technology for visual understanding and it even can be applied in business to balance income and money-related stuff.
Cool Methods & Practices For Sustainable Agriculture
1. Hydroponics and Aquaponics
Can you imagine farming without soil? Well yes, that’s exactly what hydroponics and aquaponics do. In this method, special micronutrients such as copper, zinc, iron, nickel, chlorine, and macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, hydrogen, oxygen, potassium, and sulfur are added to the water so that the plants and crops can grow without soil.
Hydroponics is kinda like hydroculture. You can even build your hydroponics garden at home.
Aquaponics is also known as aquaculture comes with double benefits. Here the aqua plants and fish are grown together. In this system, fish waste products are used to provide nutrients and nourishment to the plants. As long as you take good care of fish, the plants will go bigger and healthier.
know more about hydroponics and aquaponics.
2. Agroforestry
This practice is a combination of agriculture and forestry which brings more sustainability and diversity to the farm. Agroforestry is a method where trees are grown among other crops in farmland. In this practice, agroforestry makes a small microclimate for the farm and provides favorable temperature and humidity to the soil.
In case of any strong wind or heavy rain, the tree will protect the farm from getting destroyed. The tree keeps the river toxic-free and also keeps the farm soil fertile.
3. Biodynamic Farming
Before the land was used for farming. It was a place where all different kinds of species would intertwine and in live harmony and help each other to survive. This natural help is applied in biodynamic farming. The farmer is encouraged to do the same, to raise animals in their land in such a way that those animals will help improve the quality of land and improve soil fertility.
The farmers are discouraged from relying on organic fertilizers and chemicals and are encouraged to use the clean ways for farming by applying manure from the animals on the farm. Complimentary crop rotation and composting are done to make the farm more sustainable.
For this type of farming, biodiversity is required. A high level of biodiversity amongst the animal, plants and even pollinating insects will help build up a strong ecosystem and sustainability which will benefit all the living organisms.
4. Urban Agriculture
One of the major environmental problems today is the fast-growing population that leaves no space of land to grow anything. Instead of more afforestation, deforestation is done for commercial purposes. The rise of overpopulation, high prices, and unavailability of organic food have implemented an innovative method to grow and produce food near home which is called urban agriculture. In this method, the food or plants are grown on the rooftop, homes, backyard garden, and are built on the urban greenhouse to grow crops in the backyard. Hydroponics and aquaponics are such urban farming that is done indoors.
