Forget what you’ve heard about investing in the latest machines, bringing in state-of-the-art crops and everything else that’s been thrown about in the world of agricultural business; the secret to success still lies in the most basic area of this industry. Yes. We’re talking about soil conservation. It’s about doing all you can to protect the soil from degrading and failing, and that means treating the soil as its own eco-system, one that lives and breathes and adapts. The reason this is so important is simple: your soil is the only medium you have for commercial plant growth. It’s out most important resource when it comes to producing food, as well as creating a habitat for the organisms that live in the soil and the livestock that feed off the food. But what you might not realise is: all of this treatment aids the structure of the soil for food production. With that in mind, we’ve pulled together some strategies to help you better conserve your soil for better sustainability and food production of all kinds:
1. Try Out No-Till Operations
One of the habits most agricultural farmers have gotten into is ploughing fields the moment the crops it bore have been harvested. But it could be far more beneficial to let the residue from your crops remain on top of your soil instead. Not only will this layer of organic matter prevent your soil from becoming susceptible to wind and rain erosion, it will also give your soil the nutrients it needs.
2. Cover Your Crops Up
The benefits of cover cropping are two-fold. On the one hand, you have the advantage of protecting the surface of your soil from the dreaded erosion and, on the other hand, you will be enhancing the activities of the organisms in your soil. If you really want to get the most out of the strategy, you should try leguminous cover crops, which have the added bonus of improving the nutrient content of your soil.
3. Fertiliser Is The Future
If you do one thing today, make sure it’s contacting your fertilizer dealer and asking them about a new attachment whereby you pulse the fertiliser in exactly where you would like it. Once again, the advantages of this are meta. Not only will you be saving money on fertiliser, you will be able to ensure it’s planted exactly where the plants need it, saving you both time and money. It’s called Accushot and it could well be the future.
4. Get Into Contour Farming
Terrace farming is popular in those parts of the world where steep surfaces need to be better managed to ensure the water’s movement is slowed down, which is similar to contour farming. The way it works is simple. All you need to do is plant your crops following the contour of the landscape. This will create natural pathways for water to flow. The long and short of it is: the better your soil, the better your crops. But not just that. There is also a need for farmers to better protect the soil to ensure a continuous production of food at a time when we really need it.
This is an article provided by our partners' network. It might not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of our editorial team and management.
Contributed Content
