BSA Agro 3 First Semester

Included among the suggested solutions to the world's food problem are population control and the development and use of improved food production technology. Success in population control depends on many factors and will take a longer time. It appears that increased food production is the only immediate course that can save millions from hunger, starvation, and premature death.

The farmers are primarily instrumental in the move to overcome this worldwide problem with the inexhaustible assistance of scientists from various disciplines and other people who are committed to the task of improving farm productivity.

The farming systems in the tropics need further intensification to improve productivity of small land-holdings which predominate in most tropical areas. The farmers have to adjust their practices to the circumstances of their natural, social, and economic environment.

The Philippines, being a tropical country, generally has a year-round hot humid climate. The temperature is favorable for growing crops throughout the year provided there is adequate water supply. Of the country's total land area of about 30 million hectares, only about 8.11 million hectares are devoted to  food crops such as rice, corn, vegetables, fruits, root crops, etc., and 3.67 million to commercial crops like coconut,  sugarcane, abaca, tobacco, rubber, ramie, etc. (Celestino et. al., 1968). This small land area devoted to crop production to feed more than 60 million people, plus the population growth  which is accelerating at an alarming rate of about 2.78% annually, tells us that in the near future our food supply will not be enough to feed the growing nation. A sharp increase in the production of food and other crops will be needed to keep pace with the rise in consumption caused by the increase in population.

Increased farm productivity can be better realized by optimizing utilization of land and other resources through farming systems. Every agricultural worker who is dedicated to help improve farm productivity of his country must, as an essential requisite, know the different farming systems technologies under different agro-climatic zones, and learn important elements and techniques of doing researches in Farming Systems.