No-till Farming Systems for Sustainable Agriculture

No-till Farming Systems for Sustainable Agriculture
Author: Yash P. Dang
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 638
Release: 2020-09-03
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3030464091

This book is a comprehensive summary of current global research on no-till farming, and its benefits and challenges from various agronomic, environmental, social and economic perspectives. It details the characteristics and future requirements of no-till farming systems across different geographic and climatic regions, and outlines what is needed to increase the uptake of no-till farming globally. Over 35 chapters, this book covers in detail the agronomic and soil management issues that must be resolved to ensure the successful implementation of these systems. Important economic, environmental, social and policy considerations are discussed. It also features a series of case studies across a number of regions globally, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for no-till and how these may vary depending on climate and geopolitical location. This book is a remarkable compilation by experts in no-till farming systems. The promotion and expansion of no-till farming systems worldwide will be critical for food security, and resource and environmental sustainability. This is an invaluable reference for both researchers and practitioners grappling with the challenges of feeding the world’s rising population in an environment increasingly impacted by climate change. It is an essential reading for those seeking to understand the complexity of no-till farming systems and how best to optimise these systems in their region.

The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution

The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution
Author: Andrew Mefferd
Publisher: New Society Publishers
Total Pages: 661
Release: 2019-03-05
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1771422726

Learn how to use natural no-till systems to increase profitability, efficiency, carbon sequestration, and soil health on your small farm. The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution is the comprehensive farmer-developed roadmap showing how no-till lowers barriers to starting a small farm, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases efficiency and profitability, and promotes soil health. Farming without tilling has long been a goal of agriculture, yet tilling remains one of the most dominant paradigms; almost everyone does it. But tilling kills beneficial soil life, burns up organic matter, and releases carbon dioxide. If the ground could instead be prepared for planting without tilling, time and energy could be saved, soil organic matter increased, carbon sequestered, and dependence on machinery reduced. This hands-on manual offers: Why roller-crimper no-till methods don't work for most small farms A decision-making framework for the four no-till methods: occultation, solarization, organic mulches grown in place, and applied to beds Ideas for starting a no-till farm or transitioning a working farm A list of tools, supplies, and sources. This is the only manual of its kind, specifically written for natural and small-scale farmers who wish to expand or explore chemical-free, regenerative farming methods.

Managing Cover Crops Profitably (3rd Ed. )

Managing Cover Crops Profitably (3rd Ed. )
Author: Andy Clark
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2008-07
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1437903797

Cover crops slow erosion, improve soil, smother weeds, enhance nutrient and moisture availability, help control many pests and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. At the same time, they can reduce costs, increase profits and even create new sources of income. You¿ll reap dividends on your cover crop investments for years, since their benefits accumulate over the long term. This book will help you find which ones are right for you. Captures farmer and other research results from the past ten years. The authors verified the info. from the 2nd ed., added new results and updated farmer profiles and research data, and added 2 chap. Includes maps and charts, detailed narratives about individual cover crop species, and chap. about aspects of cover cropping.

Sustainable Intensification

Sustainable Intensification
Author: Jules N. Pretty
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2012-06-25
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1136529276

Continued population growth, rapidly changing consumption patterns and the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are driving limited resources of food, energy, water and materials towards critical thresholds worldwide. These pressures are likely to be substantial across Africa, where countries will have to find innovative ways to boost crop and livestock production to avoid becoming more reliant on imports and food aid. Sustainable agricultural intensification - producing more output from the same area of land while reducing the negative environmental impacts - represents a solution for millions of African farmers. This volume presents the lessons learned from 40 sustainable agricultural intensification programmes in 20 countries across Africa, commissioned as part of the UK Government's Foresight project. Through detailed case studies, the authors of each chapter examine how to develop productive and sustainable agricultural systems and how to scale up these systems to reach many more millions of people in the future. Themes covered include crop improvements, agroforestry and soil conservation, conservation agriculture, integrated pest management, horticulture, livestock and fodder crops, aquaculture, and novel policies and partnerships.

Conservation Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture
Author: L. García-Torres
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 506
Release: 2013-04-17
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9401711437

In large parts of the developed and developing worlds soil tillage by plough or hoe is the main cause of land degradation leading to stagnating or even declining production levels and increasing production cost. It causes the soil to become more dense and compacted, the organic matter content to be reduced and water runoff and soil erosion to increase. It also leads to droughts becoming more severe and the soil becoming less fertile and less responsive to fertiliser. This book brings together the key notes lectures and other outstanding contributions of the I World Congress on Conservation Agriculture and provides an updated view of the environment and economic advantages of CA and of its implementation in diferent areas of the World.

Organic No-till Farming

Organic No-till Farming
Author: Jeffrey Moyer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2011
Genre: Agricultural machinery
ISBN: 9781601730176

Organic No-Till Farming offers a map to an organic farming system that limits tillage, reduces labor, and improves soil structure. Based on the latest research by pioneering agriculturists, this book offers new technologies and tools based on sound biological principles, making it possible to reduce and even eliminate tillage.

Sustainable Agricultural Systems

Sustainable Agricultural Systems
Author: Edwards
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 718
Release: 1990-06-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9780935734218

A unique look at how the adoption of sustainable farming methods is being pursued throughout the world. This comprehensive book provides clear insight into research and education needs and the many points of view that come to bear on the issue of sustainability. Essential for agricultural leaders in research, education, conservation, policy making, and anyone else interested in creating an economically and environmentally sustainable agriculture worldwide.

No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture

No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture
Author: Bryan O'Hara
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2020-02-21
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1603588531

"No-till farming is the new best practice for preventing soil erosion, building soil biology, and providing growing conditions for vibrant, healthy crops. But for organic vegetable farmers and gardeners-and any farmer who wants to avoid herbicide use-the seemingly insurmountable dilemma with no-till has been how to control weeds without cultivating. In this thorough, practical guide, expert organic farmer Bryan O'Hara provide the answers. O'Hara systemically describes the growing methods he developed and perfected during a multi-year transition of his Connecticut certified organic vegetable farm to a no-till system. O'Hara asserts that this flexible, nature-friendly agricultural methodology is critical to vegetable farming success both economically as well as to maintain the health of the soil and the farm ecosystem. His methodology has proven itself over years of cropping on his home farm, Tobacco Road Farm, as well as other farms in his region, often with stunning results in yields, quality, and profitability. In No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture, O'Hara delves into the techniques he has experimented with and perfected in his 25 years of farming, including making and using compost, culturing and applying indigenous microorganisms to support soil biology, reduced tillage systems, no-till bed preparation techniques, seeding and transplanting methods, irrigation, use of fertilizers (including foliar feeds), pest and disease management, weed control, season extension, and harvest and storage techniques. O'Hara also explores the spiritual understanding of the nuances of the soil and a farm ecosystem and how that influences practical production decisions such as when to plant, water, and fertilize a crop. O'Hara goal is to pass on his knowledge to those who feel the impulse to make their livelihood in harmony with nature, requiring a relatively small land base of a few acres or less and little capital investment in mechanization. Home gardener and large-scale farmers will also find value in his methods. This manual will provides farmers with an advanced agricultural methodology not available in any other single book on organic vegetable production, a methodology that will allow farmers to continue to adapt to meet future challenges"--

Rainfed Farming Systems

Rainfed Farming Systems
Author: Philip Tow
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 1324
Release: 2011-09-16
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 140209132X

While a good grasp of the many separate aspects of agriculture is important, it is equally essential for all those involved in agriculture to understand the functioning of the farming system as a whole and how it can be best managed. It is necessary to re-assess and understand rain-fed farming systems around the world and to find ways to improve the selection, design and operation of such systems for long term productivity, profitability and sustainability. The components of the system must operate together efficiently; yet many of the relationships and interactions are not clearly understood. Appreciation of these matters and how they are affected by external influences or inputs are important for decision making and for achieving desirable outcomes for the farm as a whole. This book analyses common rain-fed farming systems and defines the principles and practices important to their effective functioning and management.

Sustainable Agriculture and the International Rice-Wheat System

Sustainable Agriculture and the International Rice-Wheat System
Author: Rattan Lal
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 450
Release: 2004-05-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1135531528

Addressing a topic of major importance to the maintenance of world food supplies, this reference identifies knowledge gaps, defines priorities, and formulates recommendations for the improvement of the rice-wheat farming system. The book reveals new systems of rice intensification and management and illustrates the application of no-till and conser