About Integrated Farming System (IFS)

• A synergistic approach integrating multiple components: crops, livestock, horticulture, fishery, poultry, and apiary, on a single farm unit.
  • ~89.4% of Indian farmers are operating on small landholdings (<2 hectares)

Significance of IFS for Small Farmers

• Income Security: Diversified revenue streams buffer farmers against crop failure and market volatility, potentially increasing net income.
• Resource Efficiency: Recycling on-farm nutrients reduces input costs (fertilizers, feed).
• Nutritional Security: Provides a balanced diet (milk, eggs, vegetables) for the farming household, combating rural malnutrition.
• Ecological Diversity: Enhances biodiversity through scientific cropping methods (intercropping, mixed crop rotation) to reduce competition for water, nutrition, and space.

Challenges

• Capital Intensive: Establishing allied sectors (e.g., cattle sheds, fishponds) requires high initial investment.
• Knowledge Gap: Traditional farmers may lack technical skills to manage complex, multi-layered systems.
• Labour Requirement: IFS is labour-intensive.