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Abstract
A coconut-based integrated farming system (IFS) model suited for lowlands was developed at the Integrated Farming System Research Station (IFSRS), Karamana, Kerala State, India, under Kerala Agricultural University. The area of the model was decided as 0.2 ha, matching the average per capita land availability of a marginal farmer in the State. Apart from the major crop coconut, intercrops, such as vegetables, fruit crops, spices, fodder and tuber crops were included in the model. The allied enterprises integrated were livestock, azolla, and agroforestry. Tree components of the model comprised of teak, jack, breadfruit, garcinia and mango. Research data for five years revealed that the model generated food products above the requirement of a four-member family, and the surplus production could contribute to farmer’s income. The productivity under the IFS model was enhanced ten-folds compared to that under the sole crop of coconut for the same area. Plant nutrients were generated within the farm through organic recycling, which contributed to the substantial saving of chemical fertilizers. The system was found climate-smart because of reduced use of chemical fertilizers and net negative emission of greenhouse gases mostly achieved through agroforestry. This IFS model could also ensure considerable employment generation. The model could be adopted by farmers of lowland tracts of Kerala having similar agro-climatic features for better economic returns and environmental benefits.
Highlights
Coconut has the status of a plantation crop worldwide
The nutrient content of these resources was estimated every year, and the plant nutrient generation was quantified by multiplying the nutrient content by the quantity of each resource produced every year
It could be concluded that the components were carefully selected in the coconut-based integrated farming system model and were found complementary
Summary
Coconut has the status of a plantation crop worldwide. Among the main coconut producing states in the country, Kerala ranks first in area and production. Coconut is raised in 7.61 lakh ha and occupies 29.6 per cent of the gross cropped area. Unlike several countries where coconut is grown in large gardens, Kerala has a unique feature of coconut-based home gardens that have evolved in response to the pressure of shrinking land resources coupled with high population density. Enhancement of productivity from coconut gardens is extremely important, and Integrated farming is currently recognized as the most viable strategy in enhancing agricultural production and farm income. The major crop of coastal tracts of India when grown as a monoculture, often leads farmers to distress mainly due to crop loss associated with the pest and disease incidences and market price fluctuations. It has been well established that resorting to coconut-based
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