by Nigel Hilton
Sustainability in agriculture is the future. There have been many advances made in recent years that allow farmers to make changes to how they cultivate their land and the technology they use. Thus giving them many ways they can make more environmentally friendly changes to how they operate.
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The fact is, if we aren't looking at ways we can protect the land, the quicker we will deplete its resources. The phrase 'keep it simple' isn't one that applies to agriculture. Sustainable and productive systems that are put in place can be every bit as diverse as nature itself. If you are serious, you will be looking at every area of your land and working practices to see how you can not only protect your livelihood but also the land and its ecosystem for many years to come.
Energy Usage
The nature of farming means that you will require energy usage to be able to carry out the job that you do. Whether in the form of gas or petrol for machinery to lighting and heat to cultivate crops or warm-up areas of your property.
Looking at how you can reduce or change to more reusable methods or sustainable practises is essential. You can buy LED light bars to use around your farm or on machinery that will give you the lighting you require in the dark as well as being more sustainable. LED lighting has a longer lifespan making it better for the environment as you need to replace it a lot less than other standard lighting options.
Changing to solar power by adding panels to your property is a good way to cut down on your energy bills and reduce your emissions from other traditional energy sources. If your property is big enough, can you install a wind farm?
Reusing Water
Farms use a lot of water. There is no getting away from that fact. However, collecting rainwater and runoff from the water you do use is a good way to conserve your water and reuse what you collect.
Watering crops, feeding animals, washing machinery. These actions and many more require a lot of water usage, so installing water collection tanks and/or water butts will help you cut down and become more sustainable as you do.
Reducing Tillage
Tillage prepares fields for planting and prevents weeds issues. But it can result in the loss of a lot of soil. Opting for reduced till or no-till methods can improve soil health and reduce erosion. This can be done by inserting seeds directly in undisturbed soil.
Minimise Chemical Usage
Chemicals are bad for the environment but for farmers, they can be essential. By applying integrated pest management methods, including mechanical and biological controls, you can keep pest populations under control through a systematic application. This, in turn, will help you reduce the use of chemical pesticides. You might also want to look into the use of air rifles for pest control as well, if you really want to move away from chemical intervention. You may be wondering how this type of equipment could be used as a pest deterrent, but, there are a huge range of air rifles for sale which are ideal for pest control. This lends a helping hand to farmers who are doing their best to keep their land safe.
Crop Rotation
By planting a variety of different crops throughout the year, you can encourage healthier soil and pest control. Crop diversity practises such as intercropping can be beneficial to maintaining healthy soil.