An Integrated Farming System (IFS) was initiated in
July 2011 to work out the feasibility of increasing income and employment from
small holdings by integrating various farm enterprises and recycling of crop
residues and by products within the farm itself on a partially reclaimed salt
affected soil at the Agronomy Research Farm, A.N.D. University of Agriculture
and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The developed IFS model
having different enterprise comprises of fields crops (0.70 ha), horticulture
crops (0.20 ha), fishery (0.10 ha), dairy (0.01 ha) and organic manures unit
(FYM, vermicompost and compost) included in dairy area. The overall
productivity of model was 27.75 t/year in terms of rice equivalent yield (REY)
during the years (2023-24). The farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost prepared by
use of farm-based by-products saved the nutrients by 146.39 kg N, 71.52 kg P,
144.7 kg K (total 362.61 kg NPK). Annually 598 man-days generated under various
components of IFS model. Among the enterprises of model, maximum 282
man-days/year were generated by field crop followed by dairy component (240/year),
horticulture component (36/year), fishery component (28/year) however, minimum
in vermicompost (12/year). The gross return (Rs.605793/year), net return
(Rs.281447/year) and B: C ratio (0.86) was obtained from IFS model. IFS model
has demonstrated notable improvements in the livelihood, nutritional status,
and economic security of small and marginal farmers in rural areas through its
implementation. The total sources for GHG emission were 7000.50 kg CO2
equivalent, while total sink was 15123.3 kg CO2 equivalent. Thus,
GHG emission form IFS model was -8122.8 kg CO2 equivalent. Inclusion of
horticulture components and boundary plantations in the IFS model also tend to
reduce GHG emissions. The IFS (Integrated Farming System) approach
implemented in the model successfully fulfills nearly all the household
requirements for cereals, pulses, oil, vegetables, fruits, and fish through its
various components. A six members of family having 4 adults and 2 children’s
requires 1650, 145, 125, 560, 55, 715 and 125 kg of cereals, pulses, oilseeds,
vegetables, fruits, milk and fish per annum respectively as per ICMR standards
to meet the nutritional requirement. It has been found that the synthesized
model for the 1.01 ha is able to produce sufficient quantity of these produces
required for the family.
