SHeLF 6, Multiple Cropping – From One Field With More Crops Growing Almost At The Same Time, Harvesting More – Higher Incomes!

“Multiple cropping” equals “crop mix” – Grow more than 2 crops and harvest more than 2 kinds and earn from more than 2 harvests! You multiply your costs, but since they are relatively low, you continue to multiply your returns!

(image from agriculturistmusa.com)

Katharina Waha et al. (Science Direct, sciencedirect.com) say:

Multiple cropping… is a widespread land management strategy in tropical and subtropical agriculture. It is a way of intensifying agricultural production and diversifying the crop mix for economic and environmental benefits.

A native of Asingan, Pangasinan in Central Luzon, I have not seen multiple cropping either in Asingan, or in the Pangasinan towns I have visited over the years: Bimmaley, Binalonan, Lingayen, Malasiqui, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Santo Tomas, San Vicente, Tayug, Urdaneta, and Villasis.

Waha et al say that there are more than 200 multiple cropping systems:

Multiple cropping is common and a widespread land use management strategy in lowland tropical and subtropical agriculture where rainy seasons are long enough or irrigation is viable.

More than 200 multiple cropping systems – If so, why don’t I see many examples of multiple cropping in the Philippines? (See my list of towns above in my province I have personally visited.)

Not only economic but environmental benefits, as Waha et al. say (above). According to Anon (agriculturistmusa.com):

(What are) the benefits of multiple cropping?

Modern intensive cropping systems have created the following 9 good impact(s) in Bangladesh (numbering FAH’s):

(1)   Improved stability of food and feed suppl(ies) throughout the year;

(2)   Increased productivity per unit area, time, input, and total production accompanied by an increase in the total income of the farmer;

(3)   Improved distribution of income throughout the year with quick out turns and thus an increased possibility of recycling working capital;

(4)   Increased total employment and distribution of labor and other capital use throughout the year and opportunities for on-farm seed production, preservation, processing, and marketing.

(5)   Minimized… scope of soil erosion and degradation;

(6)   Maximized… possible utilization of land, residual effects of manures, fertilizers, moisture, and management practices;

(7)   Minimized… rental value, irrigation charge, and other imputed costs per unit of production;

(8)   Broadened the scope to select and substitute crop varieties matching the agro-ecological situation, the cropping pattern, and programs based on home requirements and market competitions;

(9)   Extended the possibilities of almost complete removal of weeds as reduced fallow period minimizes the reproduction of weeds.

Two added values are indirect:

a)     Improved nutrition for the farm family from crop diversification;

b)     Created employment opportunities for farm laborers and others related to the processing and marketing of agricultural products.

So much for so many! Farmers have more than 200 multiple cropping systems to choose from, none of them complicated as I can see from the sidelines. I say, if farmers are not sure, they should ask their Municipal Agricultural Officer (MAO) who is based in their hometown.

What can farmers do when they learn that their MAO doesn’t know much? Complain to the Department of Agriculture!@517