Download or read book Extractive Farming Or Bio Farming written by Kodoth Prabhakaran Nair and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global farming is at a crucial juncture in its evolution. Over 9000 years ago, humanity shifted from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to stationary agriculture, sparking the "Agricultural Revolution" and putting soil at the forefront of agricultural focus. However, contemporary farming practices have seen an extreme shift in focus from the original revolution, that is, from tending plants to highly chemical-centric and extractive farming methods known as the "green revolution". In this process, soil has paid a heavy environmental price, with a substantial amount of land becoming unsuitable for agriculture over the past century. The 1992-93 World Resources Report by the United Nations issued alarming conclusions, revealing that nearly 10 million hectares of the world's best farmlands have been destroyed by human activity, including the green revolution. Additionally, over 1.2 billion hectares of land worldwide have suffered serious damage and can only be restored at a great cost. This loss of soil capability can result in significant food shortages in the next two to three decades. One significant impact of this issue is that as usual, people in the disadvantaged nations will bear the brunt of the consequences. Approximately two-thirds of the seriously eroded land is located in Asia and Africa, with around 25% of the cropped land in Central America being moderately to severely damaged. The percentage of affected land in North America is relatively low, at only 4.4%. Soil degradation is the primary cause for the dramatic decline in food production in 80 developing countries during the past decade, with nearly 40% of global farming conducted on small parcels of land measuring 1 hectare or less. This situation is characterized by ignorance and poverty. In India alone, more than 120.40 million hectares of the total 328.73 million hectares of geographical area have suffered from degraded soils due to the green revolution. The State of Punjab, known as the "cradle of Indian green revolution" is a clear example of this environmental hazard, specifically in relation to soil resources. Thousands of hectares in this region cannot sustain plant growth without significant investment in soil reclamation, resulting in a substantial drain of national resources. All of this, proves beyond a shadow of doubt, the critical role that soil plays in human sustenance.
Download or read book Extractive Farming or Bio Farming written by Kodoth Prabhakaran Nair and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-06-24 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global farming is at a crucial juncture in its evolution. Over 9000 years ago, humanity shifted from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to stationary agriculture, sparking the “Agricultural Revolution” and putting soil at the forefront of agricultural focus. However, contemporary farming practices have seen an extreme shift in focus from the original revolution, that is, from tending plants to highly chemical-centric and extractive farming methods known as the “green revolution”. In this process, soil has paid a heavy environmental price, with a substantial amount of land becoming unsuitable for agriculture over the past century. The 1992–93 World Resources Report by the United Nations issued alarming conclusions, revealing that nearly 10 million hectares of the world’s best farmlands have been destroyed by human activity, including the green revolution. Additionally, over 1.2 billion hectares of land worldwide have suffered serious damage and can only be restored at a great cost. This loss of soil capability can result in significant food shortages in the next two to three decades. One significant impact of this issue is that as usual, people in the disadvantaged nations will bear the brunt of the consequences. Approximately two-thirds of the seriously eroded land is located in Asia and Africa, with around 25% of the cropped land in Central America being moderately to severely damaged. The percentage of affected land in North America is relatively low, at only 4.4%. Soil degradation is the primary cause for the dramatic decline in food production in 80 developing countries during the past decade, with nearly 40% of global farming conducted on small parcels of land measuring 1 hectare or less. This situation is characterized by ignorance and poverty. In India alone, more than 120.40 million hectares of the total 328.73 million hectares of geographical area have suffered from degraded soils due to the green revolution. The State of Punjab, known as the “cradle of Indian green revolution” is a clear example of this environmental hazard, specifically in relation to soil resources. Thousands of hectares in this region cannot sustain plant growth without significant investment in soil reclamation, resulting in a substantial drain of national resources. All of this, proves beyond a shadow of doubt, the critical role that soil plays in human sustenance.
Download or read book Biodiversity in Agriculture written by Kodoth Prabhakaran Nair and published by Springer. This book was released on 2023-11-03 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book begins with the principal subject of biodiversity in agriculture. The onslaught of highly soil extractive chemical farming, euphemistically called the “green revolution”, has taken a heavy toll on soil biodiversity, hence, soil sustenance. Agrobiodiversity is a key resource for humanity. All of the food requirements humanity depends on are met by agrobiodiversity. Similarly, fodder fiber, firewood, and many other basic needs of humankind are also met by agrobiodiversity. The book puts forward ideas on how we are to develop a sustainable future, to provide a healthy and thriving environment for humanity by protecting, conserving, and augmenting agrobiodiversity. The pedosphere, the outermost layer of the Earth, composed of soil and subject to soil formation processes, is an integral component of biosphere, lying on the interface of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere and a lot more complex in its physicochemical and biological characteristics and functioning and quite distinguishable from that of the above soil-surface terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The biotic component of the pedosphere comprises a rich biodiversity of living species, dominated by microorganisms. This book considers and discusses the influences of soil formation processes. This book will be of interest to those engaged in researching biodiversity, agriculture, and crop science.
Download or read book Organic Farming written by Sarath Chandran and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2023-07-04 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Organic Farming: Global Perspectives and Methods, Second Edition provides the core definition and concepts of organic farming, also addressing current challenges and goals. The book provides a comprehensive resource, from sustainability to influences on the ecosystem, including the significance of seed, soil, water and weed management, and other important aspects. In addition, it presents advancements in the field and insights on the future. This fully revised and updated edition expands coverage to include important economic considerations, understanding the influence of nanotechnology on organic farming, vertical farming, organic farming and livestock management, as well as the future of organic farming. Written by a team of global experts to provide current concepts of organic farming, this resource is valuable for researchers, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows from academia and research institutions. - Presents the latest insights, from basic principles to emerging practices and future prospects - Includes new chapters on emerging organic farming practices and opportunities to address animal agriculture and vertical and indoor farming - Includes coverage of standards, certification and accreditation, and presents insights on economics and marketing
Download or read book Drones and Geographical Information Technologies in Agroecology and Organic Farming written by Massimo De Marchi and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2022-09-29 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although organic farming and agroecology are normally not associated with the use of new technologies, it’s rapid growth, new technologies are being adopted to mitigate environmental impacts of intensive production implemented with external material and energy inputs. GPS, satellite images, GIS, drones, help conventional farming in precision supply of water, pesticides, fertilizers. Prescription maps define the right place and moment for interventions of machinery fleets. Yield goal remains the key objective, integrating a more efficient use or resources toward an economic-environmental sustainability. Technological smart farming allows extractive agriculture entering the sustainability era. Societies that practice agroecology through the development of human-environmental co-evolutionary systems represent a solid model of sustainability. These systems are characterized by high-quality agroecosystems and landscapes, social inclusion, and viable economies. This book explores the challenges posed by the new geographic information technologies in agroecology and organic farming. It discusses the differences among technology-laden conventional farming systems and the role of technologies in strengthening the potential of agroecology. The first part reviews the new tools offered by geographic information technologies to farmers and people. The second part provides case studies of most promising application of technologies in organic farming and agroecology: the diffusion of hyperspectral imagery, the role of positioning systems, the integration of drones with satellite imagery. The third part of the book, explores the role of agroecology using a multiscale approach from the farm to the landscape level. This section explores the potential of Geodesign in promoting alliances between farmers and people, and strengthening food networks, whether through proximity urban farming or asserting land rights in remote areas in the spirit of agroecological transition. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons 4.0 license.
Download or read book Organic Farming written by C. Sarath Chandran and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-14 with total page 139 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume provides an overview of the fundamental concepts and recent advancements in organic farming, a form of agriculture that is increasing rapidly in popularity. Readers will discover information on the history of organic farming, environmental friendly practices and challenges, and innovations in the field. The chapter authors analyze pertinent aspects of this integrated farming system including strategies to improve seed quality, methods to improve soil fertility, and the advantages of using organic fertilizers. Particular attention is also given to weed management practices, bioenergy production and insights into the ways organic farming can adapt to global climate change and build sustainable food systems for future generations. Scientists, decision-makers, professors, and farmers who wish to work towards making agricultural systems more sustainable will find this book appealing.
Download or read book Dirt to Soil written by Gabe Brown and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2018-10-11 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A regenerative no-till pioneer."—NBC News "We need to reintegrate livestock and crops on our farms and ranches, and Gabe Brown shows us how to do it well."—Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation See Gabe Brown—author and farmer—in the Netflix documentary Kiss the Ground Gabe Brown didn’t set out to change the world when he first started working alongside his father-in-law on the family farm in North Dakota. But as a series of weather-related crop disasters put Brown and his wife, Shelly, in desperate financial straits, they started making bold changes to their farm. Brown—in an effort to simply survive—began experimenting with new practices he’d learned about from reading and talking with innovative researchers and ranchers. As he and his family struggled to keep the farm viable, they found themselves on an amazing journey into a new type of farming: regenerative agriculture. Brown dropped the use of most of the herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic fertilizers that are a standard part of conventional agriculture. He switched to no-till planting, started planting diverse cover crops mixes, and changed his grazing practices. In so doing Brown transformed a degraded farm ecosystem into one full of life—starting with the soil and working his way up, one plant and one animal at a time. In Dirt to Soil Gabe Brown tells the story of that amazing journey and offers a wealth of innovative solutions to restoring the soil by laying out and explaining his "five principles of soil health," which are: Limited Disturbance Armor Diversity Living Roots Integrated Animals The Brown’s Ranch model, developed over twenty years of experimentation and refinement, focuses on regenerating resources by continuously enhancing the living biology in the soil. Using regenerative agricultural principles, Brown’s Ranch has grown several inches of new topsoil in only twenty years! The 5,000-acre ranch profitably produces a wide variety of cash crops and cover crops as well as grass-finished beef and lamb, pastured laying hens, broilers, and pastured pork, all marketed directly to consumers. The key is how we think, Brown says. In the industrial agricultural model, all thoughts are focused on killing things. But that mindset was also killing diversity, soil, and profit, Brown realized. Now he channels his creative thinking toward how he can get more life on the land—more plants, animals, and beneficial insects. “The greatest roadblock to solving a problem,” Brown says, “is the human mind.”
Download or read book Nature s Matrix written by Ivette Perfecto and published by Earthscan. This book was released on 2009 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Landscapes are frequently seen as fragments of natural habitat surrounded by a 'sea' of agriculture. But recent ecological theory shows that the nature of these fragments is not nearly as important for conservation as is the nature of the matrix of agriculture that surrounds them. Local extinctions from conservation fragments are inevitable and must be balanced by migrations if massive extinction is to be avoided. High migration rates only occur in what the authors refer to as 'high quality' matrices, which are created by alternative agroecological techniques, as opposed to the industrial monocultural model of agriculture. The authors argue that the only way to promote such high quality matrices is to work with rural social movements. Their ideas are at odds with the major trends of some of the large conservation organizations that emphasize targeted land purchases of protected areas. They argue that recent advances in ecological research make such a general approach anachronistic and call, rather, for solidarity with the small farmers around the world who are currently struggling to attain food sovereignty.Nature's Matrix proposes a radically new approach to the conservation of biodiversity based on recent advances in the science of ecology plus political realities, particularly in the world's tropical regions.
Download or read book Hand Book of Organic Farming Organic Foods with Vermi composting and Neem Products written by and published by Engineers India Research In. This book was released on 2008 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Beyond Organic written by Jana Bogs and published by . This book was released on 2014-03-03 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our foods have lost up to 70% of some nutrients in the last 70 years. Even organic foods have little more nutrient density than those conventionally grown. This loss of nutrition may explain our increasing health concerns. Whatever your goals and dreams in life, all will be more easily achieved when your body and mind receive the best nutrition from optimally-grown foods.Learn how the Beyond Organic Growing System (BOGS) can produce Nutrition Grown foods, with many times the nutrient content of typical produce. Plants must receive the optimal nutrition they need to be able to express their full potentials to create large arrays of health-giving phytonutrients. In turn, people and animals who eat these Nutrition Grown plants receive the phytonutrients and biophoton energy they need to help them express their full potentials."The cure just might be in the garden-the Nutrition Grown garden!"Praise for Beyond Organic..."In order to take control of your health, I recommend you make an attempt to grow your own food the Beyond Organic way." Jordan Rubin, NMD, PhD, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Maker's Diet, Founder, Garden of Life"For decades 'fast, convenient and cheap' seemed to be what food production was all about. Now Dr. Bogs suggests it might be about 'nourishing people.' What a novel idea!" Frederick Kirschenmann, Author of Cultivating an Ecological Conscience: Essays From a Farmer Philosopher, Distinguished Fellow of Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, President of Stone Barns center for Food and Agriculture, and President of Kirschenmann Family Farms"Any type of food produced on fully mineralized soil in proper balance contains much more nutrition. I'm not talking here about the insignificant 20 percent more nutrient density that the organic farming industry claims their fruits and vegetables have when compared to conventionally grown stuff; I'm talking about 200 to 300 percent more nutritional content, which is possible to achieve by going beyond what most people think of as 'organically grown.' In case you don't realize the benefits from taking in several times more nutrition than the average person gets today, the reasons why you should are explained in plain talk (and unobtrusively documented with peer-reviewed publications) by Dr. Jana Bogs, a soil-health consultant working in Hawaii. Her book Beyond Organic: Growing for Maximum Nutrition and Flavor will make you stand up and demand nutrient-dense food." Steve Solomon, author of The Intelligent Gardener"Beyond Organic: Growing for Maximum Nutrition and Flavor, the important new book by Dr Jana Bogs, is a tour-de-force covering the profound relationship between soil health and human health. In her personal, passionate and articulate style she demonstrates that we are what we eat, and what we eat comes from soils that are a shadow of their former selves. Beyond Organic is a call to arms for both food producers and consumers. While industrial, extractive agriculture has often delivered contaminated, sub standard produce, the prevalent 'organic by neglect' model has also failed us. On many occasions we pay premium prices for chemical-free food that is demonstrably lacking in the immune-enhancing nutrients for which there is such a need. Jana"s nutrition-focused alternative offers proven solutions and strategies for both home and commercial food producers. Growers and gardeners will discover the secrets of profitable, chemical-free food production whilst acquiring an invaluable insight into their own health, happiness and longevity. Beyond Organic: Growing for Maximum Nutrition and Flavor is a must-have for those seeking to produce nutrient-dense food with forgotten flavors and enhanced medicinal qualities. Thank you Jana, for sharing your personal journey and your in-depth understanding of both the problem and the solution." Graeme Sait, CEO Nutri-Tech Solutions and author of Nutrition Rules!
Download or read book Bioeconomy and Global Inequalities written by Maria Backhouse and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-05-17 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book focuses on the meanings, agendas, as well as the local and global implications of bioeconomy and bioenergy policies in and across South America, Asia and Europe. It explores how a transition away from a fossil and towards a bio-based economic order alters, reinforces and challenges socio-ecological inequalities. The volume presents a historically informed and empirically rich discussion of bioeconomy developments with a particular focus on bio-based energy. A series of conceptual discussions and case studies with a multidisciplinary background in the social sciences illuminate how the deployment of biomass sources from the agricultural and forestry sectors affect societal changes concerning knowledge production, land and labour relations, political participation and international trade. How can a global perspective on socio-ecological inequalities contribute to a complex and critical understanding of bioeconomy? Who participates in the negotiation of specific bioeconomy policies and who does not? Who determines the agenda? To what extent does the bioeconomy affect existing socio-ecological inequalities in rural areas? What are the implications of the bioeconomy for existing relations of extraction and inequalities across regions? The volume is an invitation to reflect upon these questions and more, at a time when the need for an ecological and socially just transition away from a carbon intensive economy is becoming increasingly pressing.
Download or read book The Biological Farmer written by Gary F. Zimmer and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biological farmers work with nature, feeding soil life, balancing soil minerals and tilling soils with a purpose. The methods they apply involve a unique system of beliefs, observations and guidelines that result in increased production and profit. This practical how-to guide explains their methods and will help you make farming profitable and fun.--COVER.
Download or read book Agricultural and Food Waste written by Montserrat Dueñas Patón and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2020-11-20 with total page 82 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The food processing industries produce millions of tons of losses and waste during processing, which are becoming a grave economic, environmental, and nutritional problem. Fruit, vegetable, and food industrial solid waste include leaves, peels, pomace, skins, rinds pulp, stems, seeds, twigs, and spoiled fruits and vegetables, among other waste released in food production, which can be formed during cleaning, processing, cooking, and/or packaging. These wastes are characterized by being an important source of bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, dietary fibers, polysaccharides, vitamins, carotenoids, pigments, and oils, among others. These bioactive compounds are closely associated with beneficial effects on human health. These by-products can be exploited in different industries: in food industries for the development of functional ingredients and/or new foods or natural additives; in pharmaceutical industries for medicinal, healthcare, or cosmetic products; in agricultural industries as fertilizers or animal feed; and in chemical industries, among others. The reutilization of these by-products will ensure the sustainable development of food industries and reduce their environmental impact, which will contribute to the fight against environmental problems, leading to potential mitigation of climatic change. Therefore, the determination of bioactive compound composition in agricultural and food waste and the production of extracts containing these compounds is the first step towards its reutilization.
Download or read book Handbook on Food Biotechnology Extraction Processing of Fruits Vegetables and Food Products 2nd Revised Edition written by NIIR Board of Consultants & Engineers and published by NIIR PROJECT CONSULTANCY SERVICES. This book was released on 2017-11-08 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Modern biotechnology refers to various scientific techniques used to produce specific desired traits in plants, animals or microorganisms through the use of genetic knowledge. Since its introduction to agriculture and food production in the early-1990, biotechnology has been utilized to develop new tools for improving productivity. Biotechnology is a broad term that applies to the use of living organisms and covers techniques that range from simple to sophisticated. In contrast, modern agricultural biotechnology techniques, such as genetic engineering, allow for more precise development of crop and livestock varieties. The potential benefits of biotechnology are enormous. Food producers can use new biotechnology to produce new products with desirable characteristics. These include characteristics such as disease and drought-resistant plants, leaner meat and enhanced flavor and nutritional quality of foods. This technology has also been used to develop life-saving vaccines, insulin, cancer treatment and other pharmaceuticals to improve quality of life. It is estimated that in the next 20-30 years demand for food will increase by 70%. Biotechnology will be key to meeting this demand. This handbook is designed for use by everyone engaged in thefoodtechnologysuch as fermentation, developing and testing of food and students who are pursuing their career in food biotechnology. It provide all information on modern cooking, food processing and preservation methods, juice preparation methods, etc. The major content of the book are Fermenter and Bio-Reactor Design, Development and Testing of a Milled Shea Nut Mixer, Production of Pure Apple Juice in Natural Colour, Drying of Ginger using Solar Cabinet Dryer, Roasting of Coffee Beans, Processing of Guava into Pulp Guava Leather, Processing and Preservation of Jack Fruit, Quality Changes in Banana, Processing and Quality Evaluation of Banana Natural Colour, Large Scale Separation and Isolation of Proteins, Preparation and Storage Studies on Onion-Ginger-Garlic Paste, Bitterness Development in Kinnow Juice, Effect of Incorporation of Defatted Soyflour, Gum from Ber Fruits, Juice Extraction of Aonla (EmblicaOfficinalisGaertn.) Cv. ‘Chakaiya’, Defatted Mucuna Flour in Biscuits, Detoxifying Enzymes, Processing Methods and Photographs of Machinery with Suppliers Contact Details. This book will be a mile stone for its readers who are new to this sector, will also find useful for professionals, entrepreneurs, those studying and researching in this important area.
Download or read book Abundant Agriculture written by Mark R. Edwards and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2010-11-07 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abundant agriculture can transform modern extractive agriculture from an unhealthy, food insecure and expensive proposition to a healthy, sustainable and affordable food and energy, (SAFE) production system based on abundant inputs; available and affordable to everyone. Abundant agriculture exploits the green solar energy in algae to permit farmers to recover, recycle and reuse the energy and nutrients from farm waste streams. Farmers are able to transform a cost - waste management - to a profit center. Abundance significantly improves yields and crop quality while reducing costs, consumption of fossil resources and environmental pollution. Abundance offers an alternative food production method that uses no or minimal fossil resources consumed by industrial agriculture. Farmers who practice abundance use 360 microfarms on their existing farms as they produce food and other forms of energy using only plentiful resources that are free or surplus and will not run out - sunshine, CO2 and wastewater. Abundance farmers close the loop as they recover, recycle and reuse energy and nutrients from farm waste streams. Abundance enables sustainable and affordable food and energy (SAFE) production. Diffusing abundance methods globally will enable hungry people to produce sustainable and affordable food and energy for the needs of their family and community locally.
Download or read book On Good Land written by Michael Ableman and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 1998-05 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chronicles the life of the one-hundred-year-old Fairview Gardens, a thriving farm in the heart of suburban Santa Barbara.
Download or read book Combating Global Warming written by Kodoth Prabhakaran Nair and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book critically examines the environmental hazards posed by global warming with regard to future food security, which will depend on a combination of stresses, both biotic and abiotic, imposed by climate change; variability of weather within a growing season; and the development of cultivars that are more sensitive to different ambient conditions. Furthermore, the ability to develop effective adaptive strategies which allow these cultivars to express their genetic potential under changing climate conditions will be essential. In turn, the book investigates those plant species which are very closely related to field crops and have the potential to contribute beneficial traits for crop improvement, e.g. resistance to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses, enriching the gene pool, and ultimately leading to enhanced plant yield, known as "Crop Wild Relatives" (CWRs). CWRs hold tremendous potential to sustain and enhance global food security, contributing to human well-being. Accordingly, their development, characterization and conservation in crop breeding programs have assumed great practical importance. Professor Kodoth Prabhakaran Nair is an internationally acclaimed agricultural scientist, with over three decades of experience in Europe, Africa and Asia, holding some of the most prestigious academic positions, including the National Chair of the Science Foundation, The Royal Society, Belgium. A Senior Fellow of the world renowned Alexander von Humboldt Research Foundation of The Federal Republic of Germany, he is best known, globally, for having developed a revolutionary soil management technique, known as "The Nutrient Buffer Power Concept", which, while questioning the scientific fallacies of the highly soil extractive farming, euphemistically known as the "green revolution", has opened up an alternative path for sensible and scientific soil management.
