Farming system approaches

1. JEMMARIE G. SUETOS
Subject-in-charge
SY: 2020-2021
Suetos, J.G., 2021

2. Few farmers follow recommendation in their
entirety because of :
1. Some argue that farmers are at fault
2. Some claim that extension is ineffective
3. Others say that credit is unsuitable
4. Some point out that inputs are not available when needed
5. Rec. tech are simply not appropriate to farmer’s condition
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Farmers’ perspective

3.  Clarify some concepts (or misconcepts) about FS
from a wide range of perspective
- micro-perspective – based on legally and
culturally acceptable farm boundaries
- macro-perspective – include both external &
internal factors to the farm
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Farming System

4. Suetos, J.G., 2021
Terminologies
• Is an activity (of man), carried out primarily to produce FOOD and
FIBER (and fuel as well as many other materials) by the deliberate and
controlled use of (mainly terrestrial) plants and animals
AGRICULTU
RE
• Is an activity of man carried out primarily to produce food and money
(as well as many other materials) by the deliberate and controlled use
of plants and animals in either a terrestrial or aquatic habitat.
FARMING
• Is a highly organized integrated set of operation, which exist in a
complex of natural, social, political, and economic environment.
Farm
Note: Farming activity per se involved DECISION (

5. Suetos, J.G., 2021
Terminologies
• it implies action
Activity
• it implies other important products
Primarily
• it implies purpose
Deliberate
Controlled • it implies farming

6. Suetos, J.G., 2021
Terminologies
• Is a group of interacting components, operating together for a
purpose, capable of reacting as a whole to external stimuli;
• It is affected directly by its own outputs and has specified boundary
on the inclusion of all significant feedbacks (Colin Spedding)
SYSTEM
• Is defined as the farming pattern or a mix of farming enterprise
farm family allocate its resources (land, labor, capital) to efficiently
exploit the existing environment (rainfall, soil properties, solar
market, credit infrastructure and service institution) for the
of the family’s goal (increase income, improve quality of life, etc.)
FARMIN
SYSTEM

7. Suetos, J.G., 2021
ATTRIBUTES OF
Farming Systems

8. 1. Based on enterprise mix(es)
 Monocropping
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

9. 1. Based on enterprise mix(es)
 Diversified farming
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

10. 2. Based on the
Dominant Crop (s),
which form the
major enterprise
 Rice-based FS
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

11.  Sugarcane-based
FS
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

12.  Coconut – based FS
– multi storey
cropping
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

13.  Fruit trees – based FS
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

14. 3. Based on agro – environment
 Moisture/water source (rainfed/irrigated)
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

15.  Topography (lowland, hilly land  agroforestry 
SALT)
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming

16. 4. Based on the use of inputs in farming
 High external input (HEI) FS – modern/ scientific
agriculture
- green revolution
- chemical fertilizer, pesticides, HYV seeds
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

17.  Low external input (LEI) FS – purist, which pursue farming
chemical free
- nature farming
- organic farming, etc…
- external input come in the form of machines
- more liberal minded accept minimal
application of chemical inputs
- environment & health hazard impact
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

18. Organic
Farming
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming

19. 5. Based on the central or unique
feature of the farm
 Crop centered FS
 Livestock centered FS
 Integrated crop & livestock FS
 Integrated crop & aquaculture FS
 Integrated livestock & aquaculture FS
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

20. 6. “Evolving Types” of FS
 Recreational or hobby FS
- prof and businessmen engaged in farming during
weekends
 Agro-tourism-oriented FS
- the aim of FS design for agro-tourism is to have free space
for “AGROTOURIST”
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

21. 1. Farm resort
Irrigationswimming poolwater
fishpond or rice field/vegetable
Suetos, J.G., 2021
6. “Evolving Types” of FS
Typology of Farming
2. Open farm - farm level marketing
allow/ accept visitors to harvest for
themselvesweighprice

22. Suetos, J.G., 2021
7. Specialized farming system
 Production of high valued crops – limited space – high valued crops
Typology of Farming

23. Aquaculture – fingerlings
production
Aquarium fish
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming

24. Love Birds Farming
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming

25. 8. Others
Urban agriculture (Receptacle Farming)
- is farming in the city and other highly urbanized area.
It is the growing of crops and raising of livestock in a small
area within a city for home consumption or for sale in the
neighborhood market.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

26. Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming

27. Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming

28.  Protected cultivation (green house, net house, net tunnel and black
plastic mulch)
- means modification of natural environment such as temperature,
humidity, light and carbon dioxide to achieve optimum plant growth.
- also it means, sparing the crop partially or totally from negative
effects of abiotic and biotic agents.
The purpose of protecting the crop is to make their availability during
off-season.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming Systems

29. Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming

30. Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming

31. It is a group of interacting components, operating
together for common purposes, capable of
reacting as a whole to external stimuli.
It is unaffected directly by its own outputs and
has a special boundary based on the inclusion of
all significant feedbacks.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
What is a System

32. It is an orderly set of interdependent and
interacting components, none of which can be
modified without causing an unrelated change
elsewhere in the system.
Example:
 The vascular system in our bodies
 Integrated Farming System (Crop + Livestock + Fish)
Suetos, J.G., 2021
What is a System

33. Rice Bran
DRAFT POWER
Straw & Rice
Bran
Manure
Manure
Water
Water & Pond Mud
CROP
(RICE)
ANIMAL
(CARABAO)
FISH
(TILAPIA)
Food & Money Food & Money
Food & Money
Family Market Family Market Family Market
CROP + ANIMAL + FISH FARM
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Typology of Farming
Systems

34. Is it right to conclude that anything can be a system? YES
or NO
If YES, the concept would be useless
System has properties, summarized in phrase “BEHAVIOUR
AS A WHOLE IN RESPONSE TO STIMULI TO ANY PART”.
Thus, collection of unrelated item does not constitute a
system.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems definition

35. Example:
A bag of marble is not a system; if a marble is added or
subtracted, bag of marble remains and maybe completely
unaffected by change.
The marbles only behave as a whole if the whole bag is
influenced, for example by dropping it, but it bursts the
constituent parts will go their own way.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems definition

36. Objective or Purpose – single or multiple objectives.
Objectives are achieved by employing resources within a
framework of constraints.
Interaction – is a dynamic, hence, the system will change
with different objectives, resource combinations and a new
set of constraints
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Elements of a system

37. Resources – are at the same time, constraints
when they occur in limited quantities or when
their quality deteriorates
Environment – systems also possess as
environment. They do not exist in a vacuum but
are affected by their surroundings
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems definition

38. Self-regulating – it is the characteristics of a
system to maintain itself in a steady state of
equilibrium.
If there is a stress, the system will seek another
equilibrium state
Is accomplish through dynamic interaction of system
component parts
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Characteristic or feature of a system

39. FEEDS:
WEATHER:
Starter Mass
Warm
Environment
Growing Mass
Ordinary
Environment
Laying Mass
* egg laying capacity is
weather temp. sensitive
= Hot temp. – sizes of egg
decrease, food respired
= Comfortable weather, egg
sizes bigger, less food is
wasted through respiration
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems

40. Seedlings
(after transplanting)
Vegetative Reproductive Ripening
- urea (good start)
- cool weather
- less urea, more on P & K
- warm weather
= high yield
= better grain quality
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems

41.  Self-correcting or adjusting – an interaction with the
environment in some instances, results in conditions that
upset the normal self-regulatory operation of system.
 Organized complexity – between and among component
parts of subsystem of a system, there is organization. System
is viewed as an organized whole.
 The organization in a system is also achieved due to feedback or
interaction.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems definition

42. POULTRY
HOUSE
FISH POND
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems

43.  Hierarchy – is universal in all systems whether it is physical,
biological, political, social system. The order can be ascending or
descending, depends on where the starting point is.
- macrohierarchy – represented by astronomical universe
-microhierarchy system – represented by the terrestrial (earth
system)
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems definition

44. CLASSES OF SEEDS
Breeder seeds
Foundation seeds
Registered seeds
Certified seeds
Good seeds
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems definition
Tag color
White
Red
Green
Blue
Sources
Comes directly from plant breeder
Grown from breeder seed
Grown from foundation seed can be grown by
selected farmers
Grown from either foundation, registered or
certified seed, for commercial planting
Seed that maybe produced from varieties not
yet approved by NSIC

45. International trade in
Agricultural Products
Level of focus in agricultural development
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Intra-national trade
Agricultural System
Farming Systems
Sub-systems
Components
Politicians
Economists
Traders
Farmers
Agriculturists
Merchants
Plant & Animal Scientist
Agricultural engineers
?
Implication of the systems definition

46. Boundaries – identifying system boundaries is
important in the study of system analysis as
there can be no end in the study of systems
system
Suetos, J.G., 2021
Implication of the systems definition

47. The fact that there is something that can be called an
approach implies that there must be:
1. A philosophical foundation upon in which in rests.
 Karl Popper’s view appeal most.
 He argues that all organisms live by hypothesis about solution
to the problems they encounter, as the hypothesis are proved
wrong they are discarded and new ones evolved until the
problem is solved.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
System Approach

48. 2. A set of principles to guide action.
The first of which is to identify, classify and describe the
system in which one is interested in order to establish their initial
state, and most importantly, their purpose.
3. A way of proceeding (a method of operation)
After we have decided what system it is we are talking
about and how it operates now, if our purpose is to improve it,
we must identify and clearly define the problem that stands in
the way of achieving the improvement.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
System Approach

49. The next steps are:
a) Analyze the problem in relation to system purpose
b) Hypothesize a solution
c) Synthesize the system under investigation
Suetos, J.G., 2021
System Approach

50. In this last we can proceed in one or all the three ways:
a) Accept the hypothesis as a reasonable estimate of the truth and
go ahead and test it in ad hoc way (on-farm research)
b) Test the hypothesis physically in a controlled, scientific way
c) Test the hypothesis in an abstract way by using computer models
in which changes in system variables can be manipulated.
If the solution is not acceptable then we have to forget about it and
go back through the whole process again.
Suetos, J.G., 2021
System Approach