Farm produce is an essential part of every farmer’s life, and it influences the profitability of farmland. Learning how to improve farm produce is vital for the success of any agricultural activity. Access to new farming technologies and methods of farming rank high in enhancing farm produce.
Among the many challenges facing society today, the food crisis ranks highly. Nations struggle to find sustainable, efficient, and equitable ways to enhance agricultural production.
The coronavirus pandemic has worsened, while events such as wildfires do not offer hints of hope on agriculture, especially to communities that rely on farm produce.
If you want to improve your farm’s produce, here are innovative strategies to use.
Scout your Field
The first thing you need to do to improve your farm’s produce is scouting your farmland on foot. This is an opportunity to identify any issue that requires urgent attention.
You can determine soil conditions, observe if there are weeds, and check for the presence of rodents and parasitic animals on your farmland. This is what you need to know what to do next.
After hitting the ground, you can identify possible solutions to existing issues around the farm.
Utilize Agricultural Technologies
The success of modern-day farming depends on many factors, and technology is at the top of that list. Agricultural technologies are designed to make work more manageable and enhance production.
For instance, you no longer need to plow the land by hand if you can use a tractor to do the job faster and more efficiently. Additionally, technology will help you manage your farm better.
New Holland Agriculture service manuals offer reliable agricultural technology resources you can use to improve your farm’s produce.
Smart Water Management
Water is crucial to any farm activity, and smart water management can increase production. Water management is considered among the best ways to enhance agricultural production, especially since water resources are scarce.
The good news is that there are many ways to manage water on the farm. For instance, you can use sprinklers to increase output and save up to 50% of the water that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Additionally, you can construct a dam for your livestock’s water needs.
Plant Densely
The simplest way to enhance crop production is to utilize your space efficiently by planting crops closer. Some farmers choose to keep vegetables extensively away to give room for growth.
This is particularly clever, but it also leads to the wastage of farmland. You do not want to abandon large chunks of land in-between crops if you’re going to increase your farm’s produce.
Utilize all the available resources efficiently by planting densely.
Select More Tolerant Varieties
The world is battling climate changes that make it hard for farmers to improve crop and livestock production like yesteryears. Therefore, it is essential to choose crop and livestock varieties that are more tolerant to prevailing climate conditions.
Go for crops that can tolerate higher temperatures if you live around the tropics.
Get Smart
You should know that you can’t handle all farm activities by yourself. That is why you need to work with consultants to improve farm production.
If you are not good at keeping farm records, you need a farm financial officer to help you with that task. You also need people who can advise you on appropriate purchasing decisions, financial management, and agribusiness aspects.
Use Fertilizers
Crops need fertilizers, specifically nitrogen, to grow better. More than 100 million tons of nitrogen are applied to crops annually to enhance productivity.
This shows the importance of fertilizers in improving farm production. Use such products on your farm and see your productivity increase significantly.
Protect your Plants and Animals
Insects, pests, and diseases destroy almost 5% of crops and animals. This stat echoes the importance of using medicines and insecticides to improve agricultural production.
You should take the necessary step to protect your farm’s produce by using certified medicines against pests and diseases.
Time your Planting
The success of your farming activities relies heavily on your timing. Perfect timing ensures that your crops receive enough rainfall and favorable temperatures for growth.
Additionally, good timing will help you know when your soil is ready for planting. You can perform tests to determine your farm’s readiness. Accordingly, you can rely on expert analysis to know when to start planting.
Use Farm Management Software
You cannot manage your farm effectively if you are not tracking progress. Luckily, technology has made things more manageable for farmers, with farm management software helping track farm progress and production capabilities.
Take control of your farm by using smart farm management tools to identify weak points and make the necessary adjustments.
Consider Composting
You need to keep your agricultural soil healthy, especially now that many farmers are experiencing climate shocks. The best way to do this is by supplementing the available minerals and replacing the exhausted ones using fertilizers.
Composting is a more affordable alternative to commercial fertilizers. Additionally, a compost pit is another clever way to reduce food wastage by putting leftovers to good use.
You can make your compost pit using animals and plant wastes as well as leftover food from your home. Here are simple steps to making compost:
- Dig a hole in one part of your farm.
- Cut dry maize stalks into small chunks and pile them in the pit. You can also mix them with green leaves for better results.
- Avoid adding wood shavings to your compost.
- Add animal droppings to the pit.
- You can cover the pit using a layer of soil.
- Pour some water to moisten the compost. You can use a fork to turn the pile for better moisture administration.
- Keep checking the composts at least once every month.
- By the end, you have compost that is ready for use.
Manage Farm Dynamics
Dynamic farm management is a strategy that helps farmers adjust to the prevailing conditions without affecting their farm’s produce. For many farmers, the most concerning variables are always rainfall, followed closely by pests and diseases.
You need to know how to manage these dynamics in a way that improves your farm’s produce. For instance, you should be in a position to recognize the changing conditions.
Additionally, you should be prepared to tackle any issues fast enough before they escalate.
Prepare for Market
At the end of the day, you need a ready market for your farm’s produce to ensure they do not go to waste. This is one area that most farmers fail in terribly.
You cannot improve production without a ready market unless your farm produces for home use alone. If you want to enhance production, you should ensure your produce is sold at reasonable prices so you can focus on the next production cycle.
The best way to prepare for the market is by joining farmers’ unions to leverage joint marketing efforts.
The Bottom Line on Improving Your Farm’s Produce
The changing climatic conditions are exerting a lot of pressure on crop and livestock production. Therefore, even if your land is suitable for farming, you may find it hard to improve your farm’s produce due to these reasons.
If you’re in such a situation, you should understand that there are better ways to tackle such issues and improve agricultural production. First, you should know that agriculture is a joint effort venture that requires collaborations.
Thus, if you are doing farming as a business, you can use the above tips to realize your farm’s full potential. Identify areas that are not doing well and make the necessary adjustments, and also ensure you focus on the most promising aspects of the business.