Three Easy Farming Innovations Today

 

Agriculture is a constantly evolving industry that keeps changing and growing to meet the ever-increasing nutritional demands for the human population. While the food requirements keep on ballooning each day, the space resources and time available for food production keep reducing, bringing up the need for new innovative ways that are less dependent on natural factors as rain, soil, and temperature to produce.

Let's look at a few examples of innovations that we can practice in minimal input requirements:

1. Modern Storey- gardens

Storey farming is an innovation that targets to utilize vertical space in the production of vegetable crops and herbs. Some common crops suitable for storey farms include; Coriander, Capsicum, Tomatoes, Okra, Amarantha, and kales.

The method is a very cost-effective model that helps in water conservation, disease control, weed control, and can utilize locally available materials to construct. These materials could be; old sacks, plastic containers, and dam liners.

The main benefit of this farming system is that it can be used as a method of urban farming since it

 It requires very little space to establish, and can also be modified to become a soil-less farming technology.

2. Drip Irrigation Farming

This is an irrigation method that allows water to trickle at the plant's base through a system of perforated tubes and valves. It is also a relatively easy system to set up that creates healthy growing conditions, thus higher yields at low costs.

For those considering drip irrigation, you may be surprised at the many benefits of the system, including:

Improved plant health since water is placed at the roots where it is needed; thus, crops grow optimally without water stress.

Uses less water-drip watering uses only a quarter of the amount of water used during the traditional sprinkling methods since there are minimal losses through evaporation and erosion,

Reduced risk of diseases like mildew since there is no dampness.

Uses little time to install and also irrigate, thus saves the most important resource, time

Drip irrigation is also easily adaptable to any soil or terrain

Drip irrigation thus ensures the growth of crops throughout the year boosting food security.

3. Soilless Farming system

It is a farming method that eliminates the need for the soil in the supply of nutrients, moisture, and support in plant growth. The technology makes farming a universal possibility since crops can grow virtually everywhere, from arid lands rooftops to hanging spaces. Soilless farming can be made practical through methods like; hydroponic and Aeroponic farms.

In this system, the nutrients and moisture are supplied artificially, where nutrients are provided together with irrigation water. Plant anchorage is then done using any other available solids, including sawdust, sand, and ballast.

Common crops that can be grown using this technology include; kales, capsicum, lettuce, tomatoes, and potatoes.