Crop Rotation on Organic Farms

Crop Rotation on Organic Farms
Author: Charles L. Mohler
Publisher: Natural Resource Agriculture and Engineering Service (Nraes)
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2009
Genre: Crop rotation
ISBN: 9781933395210

Soil Management and Conservation for Small Farms

Soil Management and Conservation for Small Farms
Author: Valdemar Hercilio de Freitas
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 80
Release: 2000
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9789251044995

This report is intended for development practitioners This report is intended for development practitioners, extensionists and leaders or pioneers in farming communities, to inform them about the experiences and initiatives of farming communities in conservation agriculture in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, there have been widespread improvements in soil management. This has led to lower costs and improved returns combined with better conservation and soil resources. The main elements of success were minimum tillage, soil cover management and direct seeding practices, together with an effective and creative extension service. While these developments probably cannot be duplicated as such elsewhere, the methods and strategies may well inspire others to adapt and modify them for application in their own environments elsewhere, the methods and strategies may well inspire others to adapt and modify them for application in their own environments.

Sustainable Soil Management

Sustainable Soil Management
Author: Deirdre Rooney
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 247
Release: 2013-03-22
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1926895215

Changing land-use practices and the role of soil biological diversity has been a major focus of soil science research over the past couple of decades—a trend that is likely to continue. The information presented in this book points to a holistic approach to soil management. The first part looks at the land use effects on soil carbon storage, and considers a range of factors including carbon sequestration in soils. The second part of the book presents research investigating the interactions between soil properties, plant species, and the soil biota.

Soil and Water Quality

Soil and Water Quality
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 541
Release: 1993-02-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309049334

How can the United States meet demands for agricultural production while solving the broader range of environmental problems attributed to farming practices? National policymakers who try to answer this question confront difficult trade-offs. This book offers four specific strategies that can serve as the basis for a national policy to protect soil and water quality while maintaining U.S. agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Timely and comprehensive, the volume has important implications for the Clean Air Act and the 1995 farm bill. Advocating a systems approach, the committee recommends specific farm practices and new approaches to prevention of soil degradation and water pollution for environmental agencies. The volume details methods of evaluating soil management systems and offers a wealth of information on improved management of nitrogen, phosphorus, manure, pesticides, sediments, salt, and trace elements. Landscape analysis of nonpoint source pollution is also detailed. Drawing together research findings, survey results, and case examples, the volume will be of interest to federal, state, and local policymakers; state and local environmental and agricultural officials and other environmental and agricultural specialists; scientists involved in soil and water issues; researchers; and agricultural producers.

The Economics of Conservation Agriculture

The Economics of Conservation Agriculture
Author:
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 78
Release: 2001
Genre: Agricultural conservation
ISBN: 9789251046876

Conservation agriculture aims to make better use of agricultural resources through the integrated management of available soil, water and biological resources, combined with limited external inputs. This study examines the financial and non-financial factors that affect the adoption and success of conservation agriculture at farm, national and global levels.

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 Water Management in Smallholder Farming

Sustainable Water Management in Smallholder Farming
Author: Sara Finley
Publisher: CABI
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2016-07-27
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1780646860

Water is critical to all human activities, but access to this crucial resource is increasingly limited by competition and the effects of climate change. In agriculture, water management is key to ensuring good and sustained crop yields, maintaining soil health, and safeguarding the long-term viability of the land. Water management is especially challenging on smallholder farms in resource-poor areas, which tend to be primarily rainfed and thus highly dependent on unreliable rainfall patterns. Sustainable practices can help farmers promote the development of soils, plants and field surfaces to allow maximum retention of water between rains, and encourage the efficient use of each drop of water applied as irrigation. Especially useful for farmers' groups, agricultural extension workers, NGOs, students and researchers working with farmers in dryland areas, this comprehensive yet concise book is a practical and accessible resource for anyone interested in sustainable water management.

Sustainable Living with Environmental Risks

Sustainable Living with Environmental Risks
Author: Nobuhiro Kaneko
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 287
Release: 2014-03-11
Genre: Science
ISBN: 4431548041

We are not free from environmental risks that accompany the development of human societies. Modern economic development has accelerated environmental pollution, caused loss of natural habitats, and modified landscapes. These environmental changes have impacted natural systems: water and heat circulation, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity. These changes in natural systems degrade ecosystem services and subsequently increase environmental risks for humans. Environmental risks, therefore, are not only human health risks by pollution, climatic anomalies and natural disasters, but also degradation of ecosystem services on which most people are relying for their lives. We cannot entirely eliminate the risks, because it is not possible to attain zero impact on the environment, but we need to find a mechanism that minimizes environmental risks for human sustainably. This is the idea of the interdisciplinary framework of “environmental risk management” theory, which advocates harmony between economic development and environmental conservation. Based on this theory, the Sustainable Living with Environmental Risk (SLER) programme, adopted by the Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) as one of its strategic programmes, has been training graduate students at the Yokohama National University, Japan, from 2009 to 2013 to become future environmental leaders who will take the initiative in reducing the level of environmental risks and in protecting natural resources in the developing nations of Asia and Africa. This book provides students and teachers of this new academic field with a comprehensive coverage of case studies of environmental risks and their practical management technologies not only in Japan but also in developing nations in Asia and Africa.

Soil-Specific Farming

Soil-Specific Farming
Author: Rattan Lal
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 418
Release: 2015-08-20
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1482245345

Faced with challenges of resource scarcity and environmental degradation, it is important to adopt innovative farming systems that maximize resource efficiency while protecting the environment. Soil-Specific Farming: Precision Agriculture focuses on principles and applications of soil-specific farming, providing information on rapidly evolving agri