Course

Practical

• Agro-ecosystem analysis: Field study of farming systems in the context of production flows, energy flows and pest dynamics using quantitative tools
• Farming System typology analysis and clustering of group of farmers
• Synthesis of organic farming system model for a given region using primary and secondary data
• Estimation of ecological, economic, social and sustainable livelihood indicators for a given farming system
• Design of alternative farming systems using Farm Design and other available modelling tools
• Experiential learning on different enterprises
• Documentation of farming system case studies

Unit I

Theory

Introduction

Farming systems: Definition, importance, classification and scope, Classification of farming systems according to type of rotation, intensity of rotation, degree of commercialization, water supply, enterprises, Concept of sustainability in farming systems, role of integrated farming systems in agriculture, approaches

Unit II

Agro-ecology

Concepts and practices, Agro-ecology and the design of Sustainable Agro-ecosystems, Ecological processes to optimize in agro-ecosystems, Sustainable Agriculture: Basic Definitions and Concepts, Alternative Sustainable Farming Systems, Low external input sustainable agriculture

Unit III

Enterprises selection and Integration

Natural Farming Systems, Intentional Integrated Farming Systems, Pre-dominant farming systems in various regions, Eco-physiological approaches component selection and integration, Complementary and competitive interaction, Primary, Secondary, Complimentary and Supplementary enterprises for organic farming, livestock based systems, vertical farming, Principles and Practices of organic livestock production, Principles of organic aquaculture, Organic fruit and vegetable production practices, Models of integrated farming systems for irrigated ecosystems and rainfed ecosystems

Unit IV

Modeling of farming systems

Simulation models for intercropping, farming system design using farm design for various resource conditions, Linear programming, Multi-objective criteria decision making, Fuzzy logic analysis, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based modeling, DSSAT, Infocrop, Cropsyst, Livesim

Unit V

Integrated Organic Farming Systems

Concepts, Principles, Strategies, Diversity plantations, Diversified cropping systems, crop rotations, soil fertility management, Selection of seeds, varieties and planting material, nutrient management, weed and pest management, integration of livestock, breeds and allied activities, In-situ recycling of Organic Wastes, Products and processes of composting, Component optimization, Market input chain, family employment generation, case studies, supplementary, Complimentary and substitution effects under dry-land, irrigated, wetland and hill-zone eco systems

Unit VI

Soil-crop-livestock-human chain

Bio-nutrition concepts, design of farming systems for nutrition, Household level production of food, feed, fodder, fertilizer, fuel and fibre from farming systems

Unit VII

Secondary Agriculture

Product diversification, Process diversification, processing of marketable surplus produces, packaging, branding and marketing

Unit VIII

Unit VIII: Contract Farming

Farming system based cluster formation, production, processing and marketing, legal aspects of contract farming

Unit IX: Specialized farming systems

Protected cultivation, high value crops based systems, water based farming systems, region specific integrated farming systems, medicinal herb based systems

Unit X: Farming System diversification

Existing scenario of farming systems, need for diversification, methods of diversification, horizontal and vertical diversification

Unit XI: Four P Model of organic farming system

4P (Planning, Production, Processing and Promotion) model of organic farming systems

Unit XII: Ecological Engineering

Principles and Practices, Ecological engineering approach of soil fertility and pest management, examples of ecological engineering in traditional farming systems, case studies

To provide knowledge on practices of organic farming