Crop farming requires a suitable environment. How can one identify a Cultivable land?

The aim of farming is not solely in producing food for consumption but also selling off produce to get income for sustenance of both life and farm. When cultivating a land the farmer would usually estimate how much yield that piece of land can produce during harvest with the right conditions and techniques. Farming isn’t only labor intensive but it is financially demanding depending on the area of land the farmer wishes to cultivate and as such attention should be given to the whole farming process from site selection (identifying a cultivable land), cultivation to harvest and storage so as to get optimum yield of healthy farm produce.

Once the crop to be cultivated has been identified by the farmer the next step should be locating the right environment and type of soil that will be suitable for the growth of that crop. Little regard is given to the environment and soil type good for different crops by most local farmers in developing countries and as such harvest of farm produce is usually below average. When selecting a site location for a farmland various factors must be considered to avoid calamities or poor yield.

1. Soil Type, Topography and climatic requirements of the crop

The first step before selecting land for your farm is knowing the crop about to be grown by taking note of its environmental adaptation. With such data the choice of an acceptable location and farm will proceed. Assuming, by means of example, that the crop to be full-grown is lowland rice, associate degree upland farm won’t be appropriate. However, it’s troublesome to seek out a particular farm that possesses all the requisites of the crop during which case it’s necessary to form modifications like correcting soil hydrogen ion concentration by liming, applying soil modifications, and providing irrigation water.
The soil demand of a specific crop includes such specific characteristics as type of soil, depth, drainage, texture, organic matter content, pH, and fertility with relevancy the macronutrient and substance content of the soil. The topographical demand of a crop refers to its natural adaptation or tolerance to land options like elevation, slope, and parcel of land.
The climatical factors which will influence the expansion and yield of crops embody temperature, water or rain, lightweight (including photoperiod or lightweight duration), ratio, and wind. These factors could vary with geographical location and, on microclimate, from farm to farm. Plants are distinguished into numerous classification in step with climate adaptation like temperate, sub-tropical and tropical crops.

2. Organic phenomenon factors and also the prevalence of pests and diseases

Land choice could take into account the natural population of some organisms like bees and alternative pollinators. wherever the agriculture venture involves the assembly of kape alamid, farmlands adjacent to wooded areas is also most popular. However places with an extended history of the presence of significant pests and diseases is also avoided. Likewise, caution ought to be exercised in selecting farm sites dominated by weeds that area unit troublesome to eradicate.

3. Value of acquisition or lease and in getting ready the land

Wherever monetary practicability or affordability could be a thought, the price of procuring or leasing the farmland could be a limiting issue. this might take into thought additionally the price of modifying the physical options of the land like in flattening or modifying the landscape if thus desired, the removal of barriers like unwanted trees, clumps, stumps and boulders, diversion of flood ways, construction of evacuation, roads and hearth lanes; and in getting ready the land for crop growing as well as the obliteration of major weeds and disease-causing organisms, soil amendment, and provision of irrigation water.

4. Frequency of hurricane and alternative calamities

The frequency of hurricane and also the potential occurence of alternative calamities like flood, drought and eruption area unit forever thought-about in each location and land choice as a result of they’ll cause severe loss in investment or total failure. Above all, some crops like banana are at risk of injury because of sturdy winds.

5. Accessibility

A farm that’s managed as a business should have access to supplies, equipments, and also the market. It should be given infrastructures (e.g. roads) and, if the merchandise is meant to be marketed elsewhere, shipping facilities or airports. Moreover, there’s a general preference for farms in acquainted locations and that area unit simply accessible to owner-managers.

6. Labor provide and value

Skilled labor should be accessible at affordable rates. Otherwise, laborers from alternative components of the country could need to be foreign.

7. Security and political stability

The farm ought to be secure from thieves and wide animals. Otherwise, further investment is also provided for fencing or security personnel. Additionally, farms area unit most popular in locations wherever the native and regional people is compliant to the rule of law and wherever there’s stable existence of peace and order.

8. forms and investment advantages

Site choice favors those locations wherever officialdom procedure is minimal in order that business permits and alternative papers if thus needed will be processed with haste. Likewise, countries and localities which supply incentives, like tax exemption, area unit most popular.

Reference: www.cropsreview.com

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