There are different types of Agriculture or modern Farming when it comes to the current society. In meeting the rising food demand of the world population, the intensive agriculture plays a critical role. Most of the commercialized farms producing food in large amount uses this intensive method of farming to meet this food demand.
What is meant by Intensive Farming?
Agriculture is the main source of food for the people. The world population increases day by day. But the land extent of our dearly planet remains constant. Land plays an important role in the production process. As the number of mouths to feed increases the food production also should increase relatively. As mentioned, land area is constant and we have to take the maximum use of the prevailing land in the food production or farming. So, this concept called the intensive farming came to use.
In here the main aim is to maximize the production from the given land area. For that as the land remains constant the farmers have to increase the other inputs needed in the production process. Therefore, here uses large amounts of labor and capital. High use of the fertilizers and pesticides are more common here.
This is common for the animal rearing including cow farming and goat farming. There also uses highly formulated concentrates, vaccines and so on in the production process making a higher profit during a shorter period of time.
What are main practices under Intensive Farming?
In here application of large quantities of fertilizers is more common. Along with the use of higher quantity of pesticides and herbicides high mechanization can also be seen Practicing monoculture is also a common thing we can see here.
In addition, when rearing animals highly formulated concentrates are given. High use of vaccines
Main Types of Intensive Farming
In here this can be mainly divided in to two parts. Like non-industrialized intensive agriculture and industrialized intensive agriculture.
Non- industrialized farming
A farm can consider as a non-industrialized intensive farm if there is prominent labor usage in managing the farm practices.
Industrialized intensive farming
This gives the idea that the farm is mechanized instead of using much labor. Capital plays a major role in this type of farms. With the intensification coupling with the mechanization is a common characteristic you will come through under this intensive farming.
Advantages of Intensive Farming
As we already know higher production is the main pros here. With the use of lesser land area, we can have a higher output to meet the world food demand. There by plays a great deal in reducing the hunger population of the world.
By mechanizing the farm, the farmer will able to save the labor as well as the time. Sometimes lead to save money also.
Moreover, you can have a higher profit as your production is large through this mechanism.
Disadvantages of Intensive Farming
The main and the most unethical or unfavorable thing related to this intensive farming is the bad effect on the environment. This leads to loss the biodiversity of the eco system. As well increased greenhouse gas emission due to mechanization leads for the global warming.
The high use of chemicals indeed affects the nature badly. It causes to erode the soil, pollute the soil and also leads to water pollution.
This practice also affects badly on the health of the humans or the consumers. Because there are traces of the chemicals accumulates in the output which we consume. Hence, this leads to have many non-communicable diseases.