Protected farming is done on a global scale of about 125 million hectares. The US, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, and Australia are among the countries that promote protected farming. In India, protected cultivation is still in its early stages. In the last few years, an area of about 1.5 million hectares has expanded due to awareness and governments subsidies on protected farming.
What is Protected Farming?
Protected farming is a modern and scientific method of farming, under which the plants are protected from adverse natural conditions or unfavorable environments such as strong heat, strong cold, strong wind, strong light intensity, excessive rain, drought, etc. Plants are protected and provided with favorable conditions which help in their growth and in this way better quality and higher yields are obtained from them. This type of farming is called protected farming.
Different types of artificial structures are made under-protected farming like polyhouse, shadenet house, glasshouse, walking tunnel, low tunnel, etc. Inside these structures, the temperature, humidity, airflow, light intensity, and CO2 level are controlled to a great extent and all conditions conducive to plant growth are provided.
Protected farming is subset of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)
Importance Of Protected Farming
More benefits can be obtained by doing protected cultivation of crops with modern technology. In this, crops are cultivated in a controlled environment equipped with the latest technology, plastic low-tunnel, plastic high-tunnel, plastic mulching, and drip irrigation are used. Under the protected cultivation, an environment is created for the crops, where there is no adverse effect on the crops due to climate change.
Through protected farming, farmers can get better production in adverse conditions. In modern agriculture, protected structures have demonstrated their maximum potential for higher production with higher productivity. With the adoption of these latest technologies, the productivity of fruits, flowers, and vegetables can be increased by four to five times as compared to the environment. Under these techniques, the better quality of crops is also obtained along with good productivity. These techniques can be adopted by rural youth to get more income per unit area.
If we talk about Green House, then Green House is a house made of iron pipes which are covered with a transparent protected cover. If this transparent cover is polythene then we call it the poly house is usually used for cut flower cultivation i.e. stem flowers that can be planted inside a polyhouse in dessert areas like Rajasthan in India. We can also plant roses, gerberas, and in some places carnations. Apart from this, off-season vegetables can also be cultivated in poly houses.
It is said that the shadenet is such a structure made of iron pipes, which are covered with a green or white color net or shade net. Under Shadenet House, we can cultivate vegetables, off-season vegetables, vine tomatoes, green & colored capsicum, coriander, seedless cucumber, etc. The best business is the nursery business, which you can do inside Shednet House. Under protected farming greenhouse farming can also be beneficial for farmers. With the help of greenhouse farming plants can grow faster and the farm becomes efficient.
‘Low Tunnel’ Structure, Low tunnel means a small tunnel structure or a structure which is of small tunnel-shaped shape, a pipe or iron wire is put in a U shape or crescent shape, a plastic pipe or thick wire is bent and it is applied every two and a half to three meters. These are called hoops and these hoops are covered with polythene from above and farming is done inside them. Non-woven plastic can also be used in place of polythene and there is no need to pierce it. This type of cultivation is done inside the low tunnel is usually done in winter. There are some vegetables or crops which do not grow due to winter, but by making a tunnel-like this method, not only can they be grown well inside it, but good quality products and more products can be obtained, which can be sold at higher rates in the market. Greenhouse farming involves a set of technologies and practices which require the management and maintenance of crops.
Protected farming is proving to be a boon for our farmer and agriculture services brothers today and by adopting this farmers are not only getting a good income but are also making a good name, good respect, and good identity in society. Greenhouse farming creates a controlled growing environment for the crops, with that we will available to reduce the risk of pesticides.
Young people are also getting attracted towards this type of scientific and modern farming and their love for farming which was lost in the past. That passion is being born back and they are getting attracted towards farming and getting involved in it. Nethouse Farming is one type of protected farming method that is very much useful to farmers. It protects the crops from the attack of pests and also from natural disturbances like snow, rain, wind, etc. Nethouse farming creates an appropriate climate for the plants.
Different Types Of Protected Farming
Hi-Tech Poly House
This protected farming structure is the costly and latest technology in all the structures as all the operations used in it like irrigation, temperature Controls, raising and lowering plastic walls, etc. are all operated by computers. The use of such structures is highly valued Used to grow crops. These types of structures are adopted by very few people due to the high cost but under these structures, the production of crops is higher and of quality than other protected structures.
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Natural Ventilated Poly House
In Naturally Ventilated Polyhouse structures irrigation, fertilization, and all other agricultural services are done manually. These structures cost less than hi-tech but more than others. Hence these structures come under mid-range cost structures. the wall of the structure standing walls are made of stainless steel and the ceiling is made of plastic. Polythene sheets used in manufacturing prevent the penetration of ultraviolet light. Conserves carbon dioxide, which increases the growth of the plant. The temperature and humidity inside the poly house are higher than the condition outside Which makes photosynthesis better and plant growth uniform.
Hi-Tech Net House/Green House
Hi-Tech Farming Greenhouse State-of-the-art Climate Control Facility, Photosynthetically Active Radiation Facility, Advanced Ventilation & Screening System, Plant Trailing is equipped with the latest micro-irrigation and fertigation systems for various horticultural crops in spite of adverse climatic conditions. It is considered one of the real innovations to provide healthy plants and their overall growth. It damages crops with harmful ultraviolet and protects from infrared radiation. Along with this, it helps to protect the plants from extreme temperatures, retain air and soil moisture. This structure is used to protect valuable crops from extreme sunlight, cold, strong wind, and pests/birds. Hi-Tech Greenhouse
Customized sizes can be available from 500 sqm to 20000 sqm area.
Plastic Tunnel Poly House
These small structures are considered effective structures for making a nursery. It protects plants from adverse climatic conditions like rain, wind, hail, etc saves from these which are mainly used for raising nurseries. These structures help in early seed germination and with the help of farming is possible throughout the year. These structures are of the following two types.
Plastic Low Tunnel
It is a temporary structure built on top of vegetables for 1-3 months. It looks like a tunnel, so this structure is called a tunnel. To make this low-tunnel structure, 2-3 meters long and 0.6-1.0 cm thick GI (iron) bars or bamboo sticks are used. In the shape of a semi-circle/moon-shaped, they have been buried at a distance of 2 meters on 1-1.5 meters wide beds. 25-30 microns transparent over the tunnel thus formed. The polythene covers the seat completely. In this way, a tunnel of 2.5-3.0 feet height is completed. Plastic low-tunnels in plain areas pumpkin category are mostly adopted to promote early cultivation of all vegetables. Production with this technology was in the market 1.5-2 months ago.
Plastic Hi-Tunnel Poly House
This structure is a large form of plastic low-tunnel poly house that can be easily moved inside. That’s why it is called a walk-in tunnel. walk-in
The structure of the tunnel is covered with UV film, suitable for all kinds of crops like fruits, flowers, and vegetables. these structures
Mostly adopted by farmers due to small size and low initial cost. There is no temperature control in these structures. But the internal climate differs from the outside. Vegetable growing farmers of temperate regions in low-cost protected structures. You can increase your income by growing early crops.
Hydroponics Farming/ Hi-tech Farming
The hydroponics or Hi-tech farming method is a process in which plants grow and develop nutrients not on the soil but on the soil. The elements depend on the solution. Various substances like sand pebbles, coconut sawdust (coco-pit), perlite, etc., are used to support the plants. Plants are planted by filling them in pots, bags, troughs, tube tanks, etc., in which the solution can flow easily for nutrition. By adopting this method, plants are saved from the outbreak of soil-borne diseases. The quality of the products obtained by this technology is of high quality, which is demanded in the market, and the prices are also high.
Plastic Mulching
Plastic mulching is the method of covering the land of plants in the field properly with plastic film from all sides this movie many. It comes in many types and colors. As per the requirement of soil moisture conservation, controlling the temperature of the land and solarization of the land, etc. The color of plastic mulch film can be selected as black, transparent, milky, mirrored, blue, red, etc. This technique is used to reduce soil erosion in the field. It is helpful in preventing and controlling weeds in horticulture and helps in keeping the plants safe for a long time. This is due to the low hardness of the land due to the technique, the development of the roots of the plants is good. Normally 90-180 cm width film only is put into use. Plastic mulching techniques are useful for most of the vegetables grown in open fields like tomato, pumpkin, and cabbage category, etc. is proved. Yield and quality increase by 30-40 percent as compared to normal farming. Compared to traditional farming by this technique, almost Along with saving 20-25 percent fertilizers, 40-50% irrigation water is also saved. In the expenditure on weed control, about 80 there may be a decrease of 90 percent.
Current status of Protected Farming In India
In the last decade, India has greatly accepted this new technique, and today this farming method is done by almost every Indian state. The Government of India offers various schemes related protected cultivation of greenhouse farming at state and central levels. As per the report, by the end of the 20th-century area under the protected cultivation, was about 110 hector in India and the world over 275,000 hectares. With time, this area increased by 10%. States that have continuously expanded the area under protected farming for 2007-2012 are Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, and Maharashtra. Maharashtra and Gujarat had a wide area of 5,730.23 hectares and 4,720.72 hectares, respectively, under the protected cultivation till 2025. In Gujarat, there is one of the best leading companies named Vagad Agro Services which provides high-tech protected agriculture services and other related farming services.
Advantages and disadvantages of protected farming
Protected farming is a farming system that allows permanent cover of crop residues on a soil surface, with minimal or no soil contamination, and promotes crop diversification. Thus, this farming principle promotes biodiversity and natural biological activities above and below the surface of the soil, which contribute to increased water and nutrient use efficiency to sustain and improve crop production.
Advantages of protected farming
- In protected farming, the main focus is on the protection of crops.
- Production rate increases by 5-10 times as compared to open farming.
- Protected farming yields high-quality crops, which are generally difficult to obtain from plants in open environments.
- Vegetables can be grown for a long time in Protected Cultivation. Also, all types of vegetables are grown in every season.
- Farmers get more profit from unseasonal crop production.
- By doing protected farming, natural resources can be used in a good way.
- Protected farming proves useful and effective for areas with different types of climate.
Disadvantages of protected farming
- All the types of crops are not possible to grow.
- Due to the less evaporation of water, water will be conserved.
- The amount of sunlight reached to the plants will be reduced due to it nematode named disease caused to the plants.
- Due to the high quality and quantity produce needs high demand (nearby market) needed to sell the produce.
Subsidies On Protected Farming In India
The crops are grown by the farmers working tirelessly, due to excessive rain or less rain, hailstorm, storm, etc. The crops get spoiled in a few moments due to it, farmers have to bear the loss of lakhs, and standing crops get ruined. Keeping these problems in mind and for their solution, In India government encourage farmers for protected farming to get high yield production by offering up to 90% subsidy of project setup cost in construction for greenhouse/net house. It also helps farmers to get maximum benefits given by the government in the greenhouse farming scheme, the process of application for the project, subsidy on agriculture services, and other farming services.
The government has defined some standard norms for the construction of greenhouse/net houses to get subsidies. According to government guidelines, Structure cost is between 25 lacs to 6o lacs for 1 acre (4000 sq.mt.) size of the structure according to applications.
Conclusion
Protected farming provides a new dimension to agricultural research and development apart from traditional research, whose main objective is to determine the supply of food production in India. Primarily, protected farming provides opportunities to arrest the ever-degrading level of resources, reduce the cost of cultivation and promote agricultural development. Along with the benefits of many types of protected farming, there are many obstacles in adopting it, so there is a need to change the old concepts of farmers regarding zero tillage. There is a need to motivate the farmers about the latest agriculture farming services on a large scale in order to reap the various benefits of protected farming by converting dense tillage to zero or minimum tillage.
Kalpesh Pathak
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