In my recent conversations, the debate of growing crops traditionally was compared to the modern techniques that exist for crop production.
In this article, we will analyse both the pros and cons of both and the best options for small-scale farmers and commercial farmers.
Traditional agriculture can be defined as a primitive style of food production and farming that involves the intensive use of indigenous knowledge, land use, traditional tools, natural resources, organic fertiliser, and cultural beliefs of the farmers.
Technology-driven agriculture is the use of digital technology to integrate agricultural production from the farm to the consumer. These technologies can provide the agricultural industry with tools and information to make more informed decisions and improve productivity.
We can further analyse the two methods under the following parameters:
Number of crop varieties
Hydroponics, precision agriculture, and mono-cropping
Higher input required
Scientific knowledge system
Crop rotation, agroforestry, slash and burn cultivation
Manure, vegetable waste, ash, synthetic fertilisers
Lower input required
Traditional knowledge system
Traditional agriculture is still heavily practised because of its benefits to the producers and consumers, including availability and price. However, there are also disadvantages attributed to this method.
Technology-driven agriculture reaps many advantages, and it is being highly promoted as we aim to practise sustainable agriculture.
Technology-driven agriculture is a modern approach to agriculture and uses advanced technology. It is less labour intensive than traditional agriculture, and the yield quantity is larger because there is a focus on maximising production and maintaining a consistent quality and hence it wins my vote.
However, a marry of traditional and technological allows for the best of both worlds.
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