Technologies suitable for a sustainable system
- Exploitation of biological nitrogen fixation (eg leguminous plants)
- Improved grazing management (cattle farming)
- IPM which avoids harming natural enemies and reduces the use of chemicals (vegetable gardening)
- Rhizobium inoculation on legume crops (available in Agri. Stores)
- Adaptation of mixed cropping to mimic the diversity of natural ecosystems
- Developing alternative energy sources (waste conversion to energy).
Adoption of technology by farmers
- Once technology has been generated, the next main objective is to introduce it to farmers for adoption
- Farming systems research and development has included farmers so that the technology being developed is more useful to farmers
Guidelines to be considered for technology adoption
- Tested under farm conditions, and recommendations made after consultation
- Frequent communication between researcher, extension worker and farmer
- Technology that sustains productivity (lower cost and environment friendly)
- Soil and water conservation measures (simple and minimum tillage)
- Low external input farming systems