Blog

why do people practice fallow farming?

People practice fallow farming for so many reasons but for the sake of this post I will center on a few of the reason for engaging in fallow farming. The reasons are not limited to the under listed. If you think that there are other reason other than the ones listed here then feel free to use our comment box to reach us.
The reasons for the practicing fallow farming are as follows
Fallow farming is usually practiced in communities with enough farm lands for agricultural activities.
Because in rural communities the planting of annual and biennial crops on a piece of land in one farming period if practiced, therefore it will not wise to cut down the biennial crops while they are yet to mature just because the farmer wants to re-plant on the that same land in the early planting season so he would rather look for another land to farm the next planting season
The practice of fallow farming serves as a natural means or method soil management to replenish the soil nutrient in places where access to fertilizer is scarce. During this time or period, the dead and decayed organic matters forms humus to enrich the soil
Fallow farming serves as a natural means of pest control.

problems facing the practice of fallow farming

It important to note that no matter the advantages of anything, there will be ways whereby that activity will have challenges. So with this notion in mind I am going to list few problems facing the practice of fallow farming agriculture. These problems are as follows
The practice of land tenure system of farming, land fragmentation by communities for farming purposes is always a problem to fallow farming. In this case the choice of land for the next planting season is dependent of the community===land tenure can be found here= and not just the farmer
Another problem facing fallow farming is the movement of large farm tools such as tractors, harvesters, planters, ridgers etc.
The cost of labour is always a problem to fallow farming in the sense that pre-planting activities and planting activities are to be re-performed every planting season thereby increasing labour costs

CONCLUSION
Fallow farming is also known as bush fallowing in agriculture. The fallow farm method or fallow system of farming is majorly practiced by peasant farmers who are also known as subsistence farmers

In fallow farming, the use of fertilizers is not much needed in the sense that the fallowed piece of land would have regained much of its lost nutrients during the fallow period or rest

Have any question? Feel free to use our comment box. Don’t forget to share with your friends and loved ones. Thanks for reading