“Goals for the Agriculture and Agribusiness”

                Namasthe, Today’s Agriculture has grown as a business in the markets of Agri-produce. We have a huge potential for agriculture and allied products and services. Apart from huge demand for agri-produce, we also have got huge potential for some newly introduced crops and products of agriculture and allied farming.

                We have got demand for agri-input and at the same time we are consuming agriculture produce. Some examples for this are seeds, pesticide, insecticide bio agents and chemicals and to this list some latest additions are Agri machineries and Agriculture knowledge.

                Fresh graduates in agri sciences has come up with newer and newer ideas for improving Agriculture. Some examples are as follows.

ü  E-Choupal,

ü  Agri News channels and programmes on TV, Radio and On internet especially Youtube, channels,…..

ü  Processing and marketing hubs for better returns to farmers and other stake holders.

ü  Agri and allied sciences mobile apps on app store and Play store.

ü  Some newer and newer technologies such as Spraying drones, Arial photography drones for better farm management, tree climbing equipment’s and other latest and old tractors and power tillers and small agriculture machineries are on the markets…..

There are latest developments in agriculture especially in Knowledge disbursement and the investment in agriculture has also rose to newer and newer peaks. Technologies for Seed production and marketing and cultivation methods have resulted in higher and higher yield and also quality of produce has raised and thereby making the life of people more standard.

Extension activities related to agriculture and allied has grown to many fold and thereby making it one of the best ways of earning and it is slowly activating the migration of people towards agriculture from the salaried population.

Good concepts such as Vana-Mahothsava (Tree planting) are making huge success these days, which will directly or indirectly helping in keeping the environment clean and safe for living.

The crops can be classified in to many sub categories of classifications, which can be grown and for the time being, it is kept in “Crops to be Grown” goal:

v  Field Crops

Ø  Cereals

Ø  Pulses

Ø  Oil seeds

Ø  Vegetables

§  Leafy vegetables

§  Exotic vegetables

§  Vegetables

Ø  Medicinal crops

Ø  Aromatic crops

v  Fruit plantations

v  Spices crops

v  Algae & Mushrooms

v  Roots

Ø  Rhizomes

Ø  Bulb

v  Plantation crops

v  Cash Crops……

These crops require different agro climate for its growth and development, ignoring the fact that it is artificial or natural environment. The goals setting for growing the crops under different environment are important for the life of the farmer, as it requires more investment and knowledge and skilled manpower. The goals for the farming or agriculture have to be set based on need of the crop produce in the market and its agro-chimerical requirements. The goals in agriculture also depends on the amount of investment one wants to make in agriculture or allied sciences. There are ‘n’ number of factors affecting the overall success of the farm and for few crops such as plantation crops there will be gestation period for the first harvest from the respective farm. Few other crops such as exotic vegetables require skilled manpower to grow it well. Newer methods of cropping system make most products per unit area but requires considerably changes investment pattern. Few crops requires huge spacing [Plant to plant; and Row to Row], few other crops requires support of their crop for its growth and development.

Plants growth is not an easy cake for everyone. It requires at-most care and skill and consistent maintenance for a planting material to grow to full-fledged plant/tree.

Coconut cultivation (ತೆಂಗು ಕೃಷಿ; नारियल कृषि;)

Namasthe, Coconut is a sacred tree and it is rightly known as the tree with many benefits (Kalpavrisksha). 

Good growth: 

Planting layout: 

Square, 

Triangle, 

Hexagonal, 

Quinquenox, 

Rectangle,

ನಡಿಗೆ-ತದಿಗೆ

Bunds errection

Intercultural operations: Summer fallow ploughing, Terracing, Bund reconstructions

Marketing: Marketing of coconut happens in bulk contract based sale to local vendors as 

*Detailed coconuts

*Byproducts

Main products:

◆Coconuts-Dehusked

◆Coconut-With Husk

◆Coconut Frand

◆....

By-products:

◆Vergin coconut oil

◆Broomstick

◆Coconut Jelly

◆Decicated Coconut

◆Copra

◆Shall

◆Coconut shall charcoal

◆Coconut sweets as burfy

◆...etc

Harvest: Coconuts should be harvested based on its nuts maturity, which can be observed when we see more nuts fallen. 

Vertical Farming

  Vertical farming is one of the farming method where in the suitable crops are grown in different layers one above another. It is generally cultivated using the soil less cultivation using cocopeat or by hydroponics method of cultivation. 

  It required huge amount of cost on providing the artificial light using LED/CFL bulbs for the crops photosynthesis. The amount of energy required to produce a meter square of vertical farming is far more than the actual sunlight required for photosynthesis in open field on soil in single layer. Hence, it is quite expensive. 

  The cost can be minimized by using the reasonably good materials for its construction and maintenance and by growing a high valued crop for different and diversified usage benefits of the crop under cultivation. 

For Ex: Crops such as Leafy vegetables like Broccoli, Chinese cabbage, Lettuce, Mint, Kale, Chard, Spinach, Herbs, etc. Some are using it for cultivation of the crops such as Turmeric and other high valued medicinal crops. Most of us are using it for the cultivation of different types of mushrooms, such as Button mushroom, Oyster mushroom, Milky Mushroom etc. Some one are trying it with tomatoes.

Location: The Vertical farming can be practiced in 

• Old houses, and old Steel mills, Huge chimunies

• House roof tops

• Ship containers.

  The production capacity can be a multiple of number of layers which are involved in the construction of the vertical farming. Generally it is more then 4-6.
  Most of the Vertical farming are grown for the main cause or purpose of developing the habit of farming among the youths around the area. The amount of knowledge and skill developed in this model construction and maintenance and growing and keeping it continued for long duration of time. Actually, the vertical farming cultivate the habit of good relationship with every levels of the organization which is operating it.
  Vertical farming cultivation requires artificial light source which in turn requires huge energy for its usage and there by increases the cost of production. So, the products under cultivation by vertical farming is bit costly.
  Generally, it requires about 6:1 ratio of energy to produce 1 unit area of produce.
So, to minimize the cost of production one can go with the slant or tilted layers farming practices. 

Conclusion:  Vertical farming advantages and disadvantages and its opportunities for growing under limited land if the cost of land is very high.