Synergizing the land, water, human, animal and solar energy is need of the hour to make the climate resilient profitable multi-enterprise models in farming systems perspective. The Directorate is moving in the same direction and plane to characterize, create, study and refine the farming system models in all the agro climatic regions. The challenge before us is that achievements made in cropping systems research are to be translated in to farming in order improve the standard of living of small and marginal household which is expected to be more than 90% in next 15 years.
The initial result of farming system research from various locations suggests up to 70% of nutrient requirement can be met with in the farm itself through recycling and various integrations. However, the farming system to be of self-sustainable should aim to meet all the input and energy requirements within the boundaries of farm besides providing the household nutritional security. Since, it involves highly location specify and dedicated multi-disciplinary team, development of self-sustainable farming system across the region may consume time and resource, but once created, it will meet the long term goal of the nation such as reducing the poverty, unemployment and malnutrition. Modeling the farming system under given constraints is the area which needs attention of researchers. Capacity building for the all the stakeholders such as farmers, developments departments, scientists and all those who are related in farming systems domain is also an important area to develop quality manpower. The Directorate has planned regional training cum workshop for the field staff of on-farm research units. Cluster based demonstration of successful IFS models through farmer participatory approach involving tribal dominant areas/villages will pave way for large scale adoption of the scientific farming system models. This requires change which is considered to be difficult, but change is must for moving ahead. Let us look forward to make small and marginal house hold as bountiful with concerted research and development efforts in farming system perspective.
