Agriculture, Modern

During the latter half of the twentieth century, what

is known today as modern agriculture was very
successful in meeting a growing demand for food by
the world's population. Yields of primary crops such as
rice and wheat increased dramatically, the price of
food declined, the rate of increase in crop yields
generally kept pace with population growth, and the
number of people who consistently go hungry was
slightly reduced. This boost in food production has been
due mainly to scientific advances and new
technologies, including the development of new crop
varieties, the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and the
construction of large irrigation systems.

Basic Practices of Modern Agricultural

Systems
Modern agricultural systems have been developed with
two related goals in mind: to obtain the highest yields
possible and to get the highest economic profit possible.
In pursuit of these goals, six basic practices have come
to form the backbone of production: intensive
tillage, monoculture, application of inorganic fertilizer,
irrigation, chemical pest control, and genetic
manipulation of crop plants. Each practice is used for
its individual contribution to productivity, but when
they are all combined in a farming system each
depends on the others and reinforces the need for
using the others. The work of agronomists, specialists
in agricultural production, has been key to the
development of these practices.

Intensive Tillage.
The soil is cultivated deeply, completely, and regularly
in most modern agricultural systems, and a vast array
of tractors and farm implements have been developed
to facilitate this practice. The soil is loosened, water
drains better, roots grow faster, and seeds can be
planted more easily. Cultivation is also used to control
weeds and work dead plant matter into the soil.

Monoculture.

When one crop is grown alone in a field, it is called a

monoculture. Monoculture makes it easier to cultivate,
sow seed, control weeds, and harvest, as well as
expand the size of the farm operation and improve
aspects of profitability and cost. At the same time,
monocultures tend to promote the use of the other five
basic practices of modern agriculture
Use of Synthetic Fertilizers.

Very dramatic yield increases occur with the

application of synthetic chemical fertilizers. Relatively
easy to manufacture or mine, to transport, and to
apply, fertilizer use has increased from five to ten
times what it was at the end of World War II (1939-
45). Applied in either liquid or granular form, fertilizer
can supply crops with readily available and uniform
amounts of several essential plant nutrients.

Irrigation Technologies.

By supplying water to crops during times of dry

weather or in places of the world where natural
rainfall is not sufficient for growing most crops,
irrigation has greatly boosted the food supply. Drawing
water from underground wells, building reservoirs and
distribution canals, and diverting rivers have improved
yields and increased the area of available farm land.
Special sprinklers, pumps, and drip systems have
greatly improved the efficiency of water application as
well.

Chemical Pest Control.

In the large monoculture fields of much of modern

agriculture, pests include such organisms as insects
that eat plants, weeds that interfere with crop
growth, and diseases that slow plant and animal
development or even cause death. When used properly,
synthetic chemicals have provided an effective,
relatively easy way to provide such control. Chemical
sprays can quickly respond to pest outbreaks.

Genetic Manipulation.

Farmers have been choosing among crop plants and

animals for specific characteristics for thousands of
years. But modern agriculture has taken advantage of
several more recent crop breeding techniques. The
development of hybrid seed, where two or more
strains of a crop are combined to produce a more
productive offspring, has been one of the most
significant strategies. Genetic engineering has begun to
develop molecular techniques that selectively introduce
genetic information from one organism to another,
often times from very unrelated organisms, with a
goal of capitalizing on specific useful traits.

But for almost every benefit of modern agriculture,

there are usually problems. Excessive tillage led to soil
degradation, the loss of organic matter, soil erosion by
water and wind, and soil compaction. Large
monocultures are especially prone to devastating pest
outbreaks that often occur when pests encounter a
large, uniform area of one crop species, requiring the
continued and excessive use of chemical sprays. When
used excessively, chemical fertilizers can be easily
leached out of the soil into nearby streams and lakes,
or even down into underground water supplies.
Farmers can become dependent on chemical pest and
weed control. Modern farm systems lack the natural
control agents needed for biological pest management,
and larger amounts of sprays must be used as pests
rapidly evolve resistance. People also worry about
chemical pollution of the environment by sprays and
fertilizers, and the possible contamination of food
supplies. Modern agriculture has become such a large
user of water resources that overuse, depletion,
saltwater contamination, salt buildup in soil, fertilizer
leaching, and soil erosion have become all too common.
Agricultural water users compete with urban and
industrial use, and wildlife as well. Hybrid seed has
contributed greatly to the loss of genetic diversity and
increased risk of massive crop failure, as well as an
increased dependence on synthetic and non-renewable
inputs needed for maintaining high yield. Genetically
engineered crops have the same negative potential,
especially as the selection process takes place less and
less in the hands of farmers working in their own
fields, but rather in far away laboratories.

In the future, in order to take advantage of new

technologies and practices, farming systems will need
to be viewed as ecosystems, or agricultural ecosystems.
By monitoring both the positive and negative impacts
of modern farming practices, ecologically based
alternatives can be developed that protect the health
of the soil, air, and water on farms and nearby areas,
lower the economic costs of production, and
promote viable farming communities around the
world. Organic agriculture, conservation tillage,
integrated pest management (IPM), and the use of
appropriate genetic techniques that enhance local
adaptation and variety performance are a few of the
possible ways of ensuring the sustainability of future
generations of farmers.
The new technology adopted in the Indian agriculture
during mid 1960s is consisted of several ingredients
like HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides,
irrigation and improved machines and tools like
tractors, pump sets etc. All these together are termed
as ‘package programme. If any one of these elements is
missing, there will be no significant remarkable impact
on productivity per hectare of land.

The basic features of modern agricultural techniques

are:
(i) HYV seeds:
Under the new agricultural strategy special emphasis
has been placed on the development and widespread
adoption of high yielding varieties of seeds. Production
of improved seeds (HYV seeds) was encouraged by both
the Central and State Governments. As a result the
use of HYV seeds had increased from 25 lakhs quintals
in 1980-81 to 105 lakhs quintals in 2003-04. The
use of these seeds lead to multiple cropping.

(ii) Chemical Fertilizers:

Indian soil is deficient in nitrogen and phosphorous and
this deficiency can be reduced by increasing the use of
chemical fertilizers. Thus, traditional fertilizers are
replaced by chemical fertilizers. Multiple cropping is
possible only by using the chemical fertilizers in a large
extent.

(iii) Irrigation:
Increase in agricultural production and productivity
depends on the availability of water. Moreover, the use
of HYV seeds and chemical fertilizers required adequate
supply of water. Hence, irrigation (i.e., artificial ways
of supplying water in the cultivatable lands) is the
basic requirement for the successful implementation of
Green Revolution. In India, still today 60 percent of
grass cropped area are depended on the gambling of
monsoon.

(iv) Pesticides:
Pesticides are defined as any substance or mixture of
several substances which prevented the HYV seeds and
plants from the diseases and unwanted pest-attacks.
Thus, the use of various types of chemical pesticides
(compounds) for controlling pest-attacks is an essential
element of modern agricultural techniques,

(v) Multiple Cropping:

India enjoys tropical and sub-tropical climatic
conditions. Therefore, she has huge potentialities to
grow crops on a year round basis. However, 80
percent of the annual rainfall is received in less than
four months, hence multiple cropping is generally not
possible. However, the successful implementation of
‘package programme’ through intensive cultivation can
make environment to grow crops more than one time
(twice or thrice) during a year in several parts of
India.

Positive and Negative Impacts

of Modern Agricultural
Techniques
The modern agricultural system has both positive and
negative impacts on our environment and ecosystem.

These are as follow:

A. Positive Impacts:
(i) Significantly increased yield per acre, per person
and per dollar relative to extensive farming and
therefore,

(ii) Food becomes more affordable to the consumer as

it costs less to produce.
(iv) The preservation of existing areas of woodland and
rain forest habitats (and the ecosystems and other
sustainable economies that these may harbour), which
would need to be felled for extensive farming methods
in the same geographical location. This also leads to a
reduction in anthropomorphic CO2 generation
(resulting from removal of the sequestration afforded
by woodlands and rain forests)
(v) In case of intensive line stock farming, an
opportunity to capture methane emissions which
would otherwise contribute to global warming. Once
captured, these emissions can be used to generate heat
and electrical energy, thereby reducing local demand
for fossil and fuels.

B. Negative Impacts:
(i) Limits or destroys the natural habitat of most wild
creatures, and leads to soil erosion.

(ii) Use of fertilizers can alter the biology of rivers and

lakes. Some environmentalists attribute the hypoxic
zone in the Gulf of Mexico as being encouraged by
nitrogen fertilization of the algae bloom.

(iii) Pesticides generally kill useful insects as well as

those destroy crops.
(iii) The same area of land is able to supply food and
fibre for a larger population reducing the risk of
starvation.

(iv ) Is often not sustainable if not properly managed-

may result in desertification, or land that is 20
poisonous and eroded that nothing else will grow
there.

(v) Requires large amounts of energy input to produce,

transport and apply chemical fertilizers/pesticides,

(vi) The chemicals used may leave the field as run off
eventually ending up in rivers and lakes or may drain
into groundwater aquifers.

(vii) Use of pesticides have numerous negative health

effects in workers who apply them, people that line
nearby the area of application or
downstream/downwind from it, and consumers who
eat the pesticides which remain on their food.

Characteristics of Modern
Agricultural Techniques
The new technology adopted in the Indian agriculture
during mid 1960s is consisted of several ingredients
like HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides,
irrigation and improved machines and tools like
tractors, pump sets etc. All these together are termed
as ‘package programme. If any one of these elements is
missing, there will be no significant remarkable impact
on productivity per hectare of land.

The basic features of modern agricultural techniques

are:
(i) HYV seeds:
Under the new agricultural strategy special emphasis
has been placed on the development and widespread
adoption of high yielding varieties of seeds. Production
of improved seeds (HYV seeds) was encouraged by both
the Central and State Governments. As a result the
use of HYV seeds had increased from 25 lakhs quintals
in 1980-81 to 105 lakhs quintals in 2003-04. The
use of these seeds lead to multiple cropping.

(ii) Chemical Fertilizers:

Indian soil is deficient in nitrogen and phosphorous and
this deficiency can be reduced by increasing the use of
chemical fertilizers. Thus, traditional fertilizers are
replaced by chemical fertilizers. Multiple cropping is
possible only by using the chemical fertilizers in a large
extent.

(iii) Irrigation:
Increase in agricultural production and productivity
depends on the availability of water. Moreover, the use
of HYV seeds and chemical fertilizers required adequate
supply of water. Hence, irrigation (i.e., artificial ways
of supplying water in the cultivatable lands) is the
basic requirement for the successful implementation of
Green Revolution. In India, still today 60 percent of
grass cropped area are depended on the gambling of
monsoon.

(iv) Pesticides:
Pesticides are defined as any substance or mixture of
several substances which prevented the HYV seeds and
plants from the diseases and unwanted pest-attacks.
Thus, the use of various types of chemical pesticides
(compounds) for controlling pest-attacks is an essential
element of modern agricultural techniques,

(v) Multiple Cropping:

India enjoys tropical and sub-tropical climatic
conditions. Therefore, she has huge potentialities to
grow crops on a year round basis. However, 80
percent of the annual rainfall is received in less than
four months, hence multiple cropping is generally not
possible. However, the successful implementation of
‘package programme’ through intensive cultivation can
make environment to grow crops more than one time
(twice or thrice) during a year in several parts of
India.
Today mobile devices are used frequently by

everyone, including the farmers and countryside

people. According to observations of Information

and Communication Technologies (ICT) mobile

plays vital role in daily life of farmers. The

farmers, who were dependent on clouds for rain,

now are looking into the Cloud Computing (CC)

for their solutions towards cultivation of superior

crops in today's modern agricultural world. The

traditional methods used by the farmers,

peculiarly in India, are very slow and

undependable. The large amount of crop is

getting damage in the field due to the bacterial

attacks and lack of information resources.

Annually, such loss exceeds 40% in total. So, the

paper presented here suggest various ways in

which a farmer can utilize Mobile

Computing(MC) on their handsets using

application called "Kissan", to assist them for

relatively better cultivation and merchandise.

The main awareness of this work is focused on

Indian farmers as it addresses the key problems

of getting the market updates of different

products, weather updates and information

about the rain and also provides multiple

language support. This will effectively help

farmers to sell their product in global market

and earn remarkable profit. Hence, this

framework uses MC, which in effect, puts power

into a farmer's hand. The experimental setup

uses tools like Android SDK. In this research an

Android based mobile devices are used for

testing.

Difference between Subsistence Farming

and Modern (Intensive) Farming These two

takes advantage of fertile lands that is

basically abundant to almost everywhere.

Though subsistence farming is mainly done

for survival, but somehow it is vulnerable to

weather changes and pests attack which

could pose a problem. It uses simple tools

and small amount of animals to toil the

land so there is that possibility that the

crops they grow might not be of the best

quality. Intensive on the other hand, uses

the latest technology to grow crops the

most efficient way and weather conditions

are also taken into consideration in order

attain optimum harvest. Both farming yield

results, however the difference can simply

be broken into the one for gaining profit

while the other would be for personal

consumption. Regardless as to what method

is using in raising crops, the important

thing is that it is enough to sustain one’s

needs be it for financial means or otherwise.

In brief: - Subsistence farming is used as a

primary way for a family or a community

to have food served on their table, the

whole year round. It is mainly done for

survival, but somehow it is vulnerable to

weather changes and pests attack which

could pose a problem. It uses simple tools

and small amount of animals to toil the

land. - Modern (Intensive) farming is for

mass production of crops that can supply

enough for a whole lot of consumers. The

main reason for this type of farming is to

gain profit. It uses the latest technology to

grow crops and to attain optimum harvest.

6.2 ALTERNATIVE FARMING When we

make a review about agricultural history,

we can call agriculture as an occupational

field which people have been dealing with

since the history of mankind when the first

human is created in a profession where

people can say that cheek by jowl.

According to the date of the existing

conjectures, people first felt the need of

food by hunting as a hunting society, and

then the society discovered farming by

developing as a collecting society. Since the

old farming style till now, people have

found a lot of methods that will ease

agriculture and upon the production of

steamed and later on the oil machines more

people have started to deal with farming so

farming has become a kind of work that

can easily be done. There are now

opportunities for alternative farming by the

help of new farming methods.

Alternative Farming Methods

Organic Farming

What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming is a agricultural method

that includes, plant rotation, green

manure, compost, biological harmful

control, and it based on the mechanic

tillage to ensure soil productivitiy, and also

it refuses or restricts synthetic fertilizer,

pesticide, hormon, animal feed additives

and genetically modified organism.