| A simple definition for agriculture is the rearing of animals and growing of crops to produce food sustenance (earning income, to feed the family). A farming system / agricultural system represents an appropriate combination of farm enterprises, cropping systems, livestock, fisheries, poultry and the resources available to the farmer to raise them for food and or profitability. The Caribbean due to its latitudinal range, varied topography and rich biodiversity, the region has one of the most diverse and complex range of farming agricultural systems in the world. However only the most practised will be briefly discussed. In the Caribbean the most widely used cropping systems are multiple cropping , mono-cropping and in the livestock production system is the pastoral farming system. Multiple cropping is a system that involves the cultivation of more than one crop on the same piece of land at the same time. Mono-cropping involves the growing of one type of annual crop. There are two forms of multiple cropping/mixed cropping :sequential cropping and mixed inter-cropping. In sequential cropping crops are planted in succession (one after the other) on the same piece of land. As well as planting two crops in sequence and going up to as far as four crops in sequence in a year or season.Mixed inter-cropping (MIC) is the planting of different crops on the same land in the same season. Two crops are required to achieve inter-cropping. This system is practised by small farmers (subsistence) who have not enough land and need to provide for their families. MIC requires lots of attention as there are different crops that has its own individual growing habits as well as treatments for pests. There is also a variety of MIC namely: row inter-cropping - planting in rows , strip - planting in strips , relay- introducing a new crop before the old one is harvested. Mono cropping is directly linked to small farmers (subsistence) and large plantation systems (commercial). Subsistence farming is farming done by small {peasant} farmers, although its not common for small farmers to practise mono cropping there are some instances in which they do. Some may grow only bananas , sugar cane or any other major crop ( rice,wheat,corn). Subsistence farming is done by peasant farmers who farm solely to provide for their families and the excess sold. Commercial farming takes place on a large on a scale and is done by companies. the sole purpose of it is to produce crops and livestock for sale. Commercial farmers only practise mono cropping or the rearing of one type of animal. Things grown in commercial farming are: coffee, cotton, soya bean and oranges. However because in mono cropping in most cases the same crop is being planted year round it will cause specific diseases to be present. Also some nutrients to be depleted from the soil. Another agricultural system used in the Caribbean is the pastoral system this involves the rearing of herds of sheep or goats. the livestock usually grazes on the naturally grown grass and other vegetation.Some pastoral farmers grow crops, but instead of selling the harvest, they feed it to the livestock so they stay healthy for optimum production of meat, wool, milk and other products. This is practised in Jamaica, Trinidad, Antigua & Barbuda, Bermuda and Grenada just to name a few. In conclusion it is evident that the food in which we consume on a regular day to day basis around the Caribbean is being produced using the agricultural systems mentioned above. References http://www.fao.org/3/a-ac349e09.html http://www.funtrivia,com/askft/question81915.html Navindra Ramsaroop Environmental Science for the Caribbean Unit 1 and 2 pgs 135-137 http://www.sciencezoneja.wordpress.com |
Photo showing mono cropping done a commercial scale in Jamaica