This document discusses several non-conventional farming systems: Organic farming uses techniques like crop rotation and compost to cultivate land without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Hydroponics grows plants without soil by suspending roots in nutrient solutions. A grow box is an enclosed container that creates ideal indoor conditions for growing plants using hydroponics or soil. Trough culture grows crops in containers or structures and allows plants to be grown in places unsuitable for traditional farming. Urban and peri-urban farming cultivates crops and raises animals in and around cities to provide fresh food and income opportunities for urban communities.

1. NON- CONVENTIONAL FARMING SYSTEMS
Organic farming: Organic farming is a non-conventionalmethod of farming
primarily used to cultivate land and grow crops using techniques such as
crop rotation, compostand green manure. Organic farming aims to keep
the soil alive and in good health by using organic wastes (crop, animal, and
aquatic wastes) other biological materials and beneficial microbes to
release nutrients to crops for increased yields in a pollution-free
environment. Organic farming aims to avoid the use of synthetic and
harmfulpesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators, hormones, antibiotics and
livestock feed additives.
Hydroponics: Hydroponics is the growing of plants withoutsoil. The name
is derived from two Greek words; hydro (water) and ponic (labour).
Hydroponic plants can be grown in gravel, water, sand, or even in the air.
They are suspended in, or misted with, a nutrient solution. The roots
receive nutrients directly instead of having to grow out into the soil to
reach them. This allows plants to be grown in smaller spaces. Hydroponic
plants are not at risk of attack frompests or diseases found in soil. They
also haveno competition fromweeds found in soil. Thereforehydroponics
plants reduceor eliminate the use of pesticides and insecticides.
Grow box : A grow box is an enclosed container usually used for growing
indoor plants. A grow boxcreates the ideal conditions required for the
growing and flowering of plants indoors. Plants can be grown by using
hydroponics or soilin a grow box. They can be used to grow for many
reasons such as a lack of available outdoor space, the desire to grow
vegetables, the need to grow vegetables during cold weather months and
to protect plants against pests or disease. Grow boxes vary in size
depending on the space available and can be constructed fromnatural or
manmade materials. In the Caribbean we constructgrow box fromnatural
materials such as bamboo and wood and man-madematerials such as
blocks, bricks and galvanized sheeting. A special mixture of top soil, animal
manure, sand and rotted leaves can be used as the growing medium in
grow boxes.

2. Trough culture: This is the growing of crops in containers or structures that
have the required width and depth. This is usually done on a small scale.
Trough culture is a rapid method of expanding agriculture. Itallows people
to grow crops in places that were not suitable to grow crops. Theseplaces
include rooftops, empty lots, indoor gardens and home gardens. Trough
culture along with grow boxes enable plants to be grown wherethere is
limited space and poor or no soil. There are various growing mediums that
can be used in troughs, depending on the location of the trough and the
types of plants to be grown. They rangefromsoil-less substances, such as
perlite, vermiculite and wormcastings (the end product of composting
worms in the soil also known as wormmanure) to organic soil mixes.
Urban and peri-urbanfarming: Urban and peri-urban farming is the
cultivation of crops and the rearing of animals in, around or near cities,
towns, or villages. Urban farming is usually done on small areas of land
whilst peri-urban farming is usually done on larger areas of land on in a
semi-intensive or commercial way. Urban and peri-urban farming produces
fresh vegetables (lettuces, cabbages, pak choi, celery and spinach), fruit
(tomatoes, sweet peppers and cucumber) and animals such as poultry and
goats. Urban and peri-urban farming providethe following benefits:
urban and peri-urban income and e
of the economy informally. The costs of supplying, transporting and
distributing food fromruralareas to urban and peri-urban communities
continue to increasebecause of the increase in ruralproduction and import
costs. When the producereach the urban and peri-urban areas they
become very expensive, thereforefactor like this ensure urban and peri-
urban farming.