Environmental characterization of crop-animal systems in rainfed areas
1995
Devendra, C. (International Development Research Centre, P.O. Box 101 (Singapore))
The potential of rainfed areas (including lowlands and uplands) is discussed in the context of integrated natural resource management and sustainable development to increase food production. A comprehensive characterization of the rainfed lowlands and uplands is given to include typical features, crops and animals present, and type of farming systems. In general, rice-based activities progressively decrease from the lowlands to the uplands and are replaced by more emphasis on vegetables, cash and root crops, and tree crop production. Except for a large number of swamp buffalo in the lowlands, the population of other ruminants (cattle, goat and sheep) increases in the rainfed lowlands and uplands where large concentrations are found. Farming families in the rainfed areas are generally poorer and have less access to production resources than those in the lowland irrigated areas. The resource-poor farmers place considerable stress on the use of natural resources, resulting in a continuous decline in productivity. In these situations, the value of crop-animal integrated systems is emphasized. There are two broad categories: systems combining crops, nonruminants, ponds, and fish and systems combining crops and ruminants. The Asian experience on four technology options and the beneficial effects of crop-animal interactions appropriate to these ecosystems are discussed: the three-strata forage system and crop-animal system in upland areas of Indonesia, the crop-animal system in lowland rainfed areas of the Philippines, and the integration of small ruminants with oil palm in Malaysia
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