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Hello there , My

Name is Enlightening

Bigfoot and I'm here

to tell you about the

green revolution,

traditional

agriculture, soil

erosion, and soil

conservation. Now

let's get started !

      First off the Green Revolution ! This revolution had three main steps; First develop plant
monocultures of selectively bred or genetically engineered high yields of key crops; second
produce high yields by using large inputs of fertilizers , pesticides and water ; Third increase
the number of crops grown per year on a plot of land through multiple cropping.
       Also there are two Green Revolutions. The First Green Revolution was a high input approach
dramatically increased crop yields in developed Countries between the 1950-70 . A Second Green
                                            Revolution has been taking place since 1967. It involves introducing fast
                                               Growing dwarf varieties of rice and wheat into several developing
                                                      countries . Thus producing more food on less land.
                                                    Remember the positives of the Green
                                               revolution are, increased yields,
                                                    the use of less lands,
                                                  and the increase of global
                                                        food production.



                                                 And here is another example
                                                               of a
                                                   "Green Revolution"

Now let us talk about some growing techniques used in traditional agriculture. First off
interplanting which involves growing several crops on the same plot. Interplanting
strategies vary. One type is polyvarietal cultivation which involves planting a plot with
several varieties of the same crop. Another is intercropping which involves growing
two or more different crops on the same plot. A third type is agroforestry in which
                                                    crops and trees are grown together. A fourth type
                                                    is polyculture in which many different plants
                                                    at various times are planted together. Phew!
                                                         Now let us
                                                          get going!

Now my friend let me explain to you the necessary facts of soil
erosion ! The main causes of soil erosionis water, wind, and people. Soil erosion has two major harmful effects
One is loss of soil fertility through the depletion of plant nutrients in
the top soil. The other harmful effect occurs when eroded soil ends
up as sediment in nearby waters , where it
can pollute water and kill aquatic life.
So obviously soil erosion leads to land
degradation and desertification. Land
dergradation is when natural or
human processes that reduce the soil
future ability to support crops.
In desertification the productive potential
of arid or semiarid land falls by 10% or
more because of a combination of natural
climate change and human activities that cause
prolonged drought .

Ready for some soil conservation information ?
In conventional tillage farming , farmers plow
the land and break up and smooth the soil to
make a planting surface. U.S farmers use
Conservation tillage farming to disturb the soil
as little as possible while planting crops.;
the soil is not disturbed over the winter and
when planting time arrives special tillers break up
and loosen the the sub surface soil without
turning over the topsoil. Other forms to reduce soil erosion
involves terracing; converts land into a series of broad
nearly level terraces that run across the land contour.
Another method is contour farming, which involves of the plowing and planting
crops in rows across the slopes on the land. Each row acts like a small dam to hold the
soil and to slow water runoff. Farmers also use strip cropping to reduce soil erosion.
It involves planting alternating strips of row crop and another crop that completely
covers the soil. Another method for slowing erosion is alley cropping / agroforestry
in which several crops are planted together in strips or alley between trees and
shrubs that can provide fire wood or fruit.

Tired yet? to prevent wind erosion is the
use of windbreaks or shelter belts of trees.
These usually help to retain soil moisture,
supply wood for fuel, and provide habitats
f or birds, pest eating and pollinating insects
and other animals.

We are almost done here my friend! Let me
share you a little bit of information about restoring
nutrients into the soil. Fertilizers can partially restore lost
plant nutrients. Farmers can use organic fertilizers from
plant and animals materials or commercial inorganic
fertilizers produced from many minerals . One type of
organic fertilizer is animal manure: the dung and urine of
cattle, horses, and poultry. It improves soil structure, adds
organic nitrogen , and stimulates beneficial soil bacteria
and fungi.

A second type of organic fertilizer called green manure
consists of freshly cut or growing green vegetation plowed
into the soil to increase the organic matter and hummus
available for the next crop. A third type is compost,
produced when microorganisms in the soil break down
organic matter in the presence of oxygen. One
last reduce nutrient depletion is crop rotation;
farmers plant areas with nutrient depleted one
year. The next year they plant the same area
with legumes helping to restore soil nutrients.
this method reduces erosion by keeping the
soil covered with vegetation