Six Key Factors to Help Boost Farming Productivity

Farming is one of the primary sources of livelihood and food production for many countries worldwide. According to the Food Agricultural Organization, over 60% of the global population directly utilizes agriculture as an essential source of their survival. 

Without adequate and sustained farming, it is nearly impossible to fulfill the dietary requirements of the growing population. It is interesting to note that Agriculture also contributes significantly towards the global economic generation.

However, catering to farming productivity is even more crucial at present. A variety of factors are hindering crop growth. For instance, overexploitation of resources, climatic challenges, and soil degradation require special attention. Hence, observing various factors, including soil, seeds, and weather patterns, are essential to ensure farming efficiency. 

The following sections cater to such key aspects in detail and discuss their impact on the farm yield.

Regulate and monitor water supply

Inadequate supply of water can be one of the undermining factors for farm productivity. For instance, crops dispersed over a large area evaporate extensively where the regular water supply may be insufficient during hot weather. Hence, carefully observing specific water requirements of varied crops is essential to prevent their drying out.

Similarly, groundwater can contain substances like heavy metals, which may be damaging to crop health. It is also essential to monitor additional sources of water contamination, such as industrial or domestic sewerage, and their impact on crops. Sustained contamination can create long-term challenges for the soil’s productivity. 

To improve water purity, farmers can utilize water treatment methods that help filter out unnecessary constituents from water and minimize their negative consequences for the productivity of fertile land.

Implement sustainable agricultural practices

The significance of sustainability in farming is one of the highly explored subjects in research studies, expert meetings, and global agendas. It entails farming in a way that does not create harmful consequences for nature and its constituents, such as air, water, and soil. The concept is also important to cater to the ongoing climate crisis.

It means a one-time booming crop yield is not a comprehensive measure to depict farming productivity, but instead, year-round. Hence, productivity should consider water consumption, land exhaustion, environmental impact, waste production, and public well-being dangers.

Practically, farming is sustainable if it satisfies economic, social, and environmental aspects. Observing soil health, water usage, environmental and biodiversity impact is crucial Traditional farming can implement sustainable practices. In return, sustainable farming can maximize crop yield and economic return while reducing footprint and farmers’ expenditure.

Incorporate alternate cropping technique

Primarily, farming yield reduces due to overexploitation of the soil. Producing the same crops every season can exhaust the land and slow down its natural replenishing mechanism. One of the methods to enrich land is harvesting alternate or rotating crops. 

Incorporating diversity in crops not only improves soil health but also prevents pest attacks and soil degradation. In addition, intercropping reduces the consumption of fertilizers and enables the soil to attain the required nutrients naturally.

On the other hand, farmers can utilize genetically adapted seeds. These seeds are capable of adapting to diverse land and atmospheric conditions. The resultant crops are also effective in dealing with persistent pests due to their intentionally altered tolerance. 

By harvesting soil-suitable crops, farmers can achieve higher growth and prevent crop diseases. In the end, it is possible to utilize comprehensive field resources effectively.

Employ technology-assisted methods

At present, technology’s assistance is unavoidable in the agricultural sector. Rapid growth in population and subsequent food shortages demand immediate and abundant harvests. Traditional harvesting techniques can only satiate only a limited amount of people during each cropping season. 

Expanding demands require flourishing produce in a shorter time, resources, and efforts. Hence, achieving ambitious goals is only possible through the application and assistance of technology. 

From selecting suitable seeds to harvesting, technology’s contributions are becoming pervasive in framing. Modern tools enable farmers to monitor crops throughout their life cycle. In addition, technology facilitates observing seasonal variations. 

It is also possible to evaluate fluctuating atmospheric conditions, including humidity, wind, and temperature. In addition, technology enables the calculated use of pests controlling medicines, fertilizers, and water as per specific requirements of various crops. The advancements of equpiment is also important. From skid steer landscape rakes and tillers to prep the land, seed driller, combines that use GPS, and balers all reduce time needed and increase yield. 

Manage and control varied pests

Apart from influencing crop productivity, pest management has a profound impact on other aspects of agriculture. Thus it is crucial to evaluate and categorize pests as per their level of threat. It means some microorganisms may be symbiotically related to crops’ health and enhancing their growth. 

Hence, it is crucial to observe crops’ requirements comprehensively and manage the population of harmful pests.

As such, observing the impact of pest control chemicals on vital microorganisms, the well-being of the consumers, crop-dependent livestock, and the environment is fundamental for overall farming productivity. It is the reason why pest management is one of the highly explored areas in the agricultural field.

To minimize the damaging impact of pest control, agricultural experts advise the implementation of integrated pest administration. The technique focuses on observing pests and spraying specific chemicals that control them.

• Administer effective use of fertilizers 

To irrigate properly, soils require essential nutrients, such as potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Otherwise, crops encounter challenges during their growth cycle. Though fertilizers enhance crop productivity, extensive usage can be damaging for the crops. One of the consequences is changes in the pH level of the soil.

As a result, the fertile layer of the soil becomes acidic, which hinders the growth of twigs and saplings. Research studies also suggest that the overuse of fertilizers is harmful to soils’ biological activity. 

Hence, it is vital to incorporate crop benefitting practices, such as organic farming. Organic farming uses plant and animal manure and natural compost material to enhance crop growth.

Concluding remarks

At present, farming is becoming a challenging occupation. Ensuring crops’ growth and sustainability is not only a headache of farmers but one of the prevailing global concerns. To deal with the growing burden on the agricultural sector, increasing farm productivity is now a global agenda. 

Hence, comprehensive efforts are underway to improve existing agricultural practices and minimize multifaceted damage to crop yield.