A Strong Partner for Sustainable Development

Module
in
AGRI 104

INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGICAL
AGRICULTURE

College of CAFES
BSA
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Module No. _1_

INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND/OVERVIEW OF
AGRICULTURE; RELEVANCE OF ECOLOGICAL
AGRICULTURE PRACTICES AND BASIC
ECOLOGICAL CONCEPT
Topic

2ND Semester AY 2020-2021

VIMBEE A. ERESUELA
Instructor 1

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Cover page 1
Title Page 2
Table of Contents 3
Instruction to the Users 4
Introduction 5
Chapter

Title of the Chapter 6

Overview 6
Learning outcomes 6
Pre-test 6
A. Learning outcomes 6
B. Time Allotment 6
C. Discussion 6
a. Historical and Ecological Context of 7
Agriculture
b. An Ecological History of Agriculture 10
c. Modern Agriculture: Its Features and 11
Impact
d. Issues and Concerns In Agriculture 21
D. Activities/Exercises 28
E. Evaluation/Post-test 29
References 30
Greetings and Students information 31
Back Cover (WPU-Vision 2020, Mission and Core Values) 32

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INSTRUCTION TO THE USER

This module would provide you an educational experience while

independently accomplishing the task at your own pace or time. It aims as
well to ensure that learning is unhampered by health and other challenges. It
covers the topic about the _______________________________.
Reminders in using this module:

1. Keep this material neat and intact.

2. Answer the pretest first to measure what you know and what to be
learned about the topic discussed in this module.
3. Accomplish the activities and exercises as aids and reinforcement for
better understanding of the lessons.
4. Answer the post-test to evaluate your learning.
5. Do not take pictures in any parts of this module nor post it to social
media platforms.
6. Value this module for your own learning by heartily and honestly
answering and doing the exercises and activities. Time and effort were
spent in the preparation in order that learning will still continue amidst
this Covid-19 pandemic.
7. Observe health protocols: wear mask, sanitize and maintain physical
distancing.

Hi! I’m Blue Bee, your WPU Mascot.

Welcome to Western Philippines University!

Shape your dreams with quality learning experience.

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STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY!

INTRODUCTION

This module will serve as an alternative learning material to usual way of

classroom teaching and learning delivery. The instructor will facilitate and explain the

module to the students to achieve its expected learning outcomes, activities and to

ensure that they will learn amidst of pandemic.

This module will help you to understand the Background/Overview of Agriculture;

Relevance of Ecological Agriculture Practices and Basic Ecological Concept. The

Background/Overview of Agriculture will focus on the historical and ecological context

of Agriculture; modern agriculture: Its features and impacts; and issues and concerns

in Agriculture. This module also discusses the Relevance of ecological agriculture

practices to food Security and the Basic ecological concepts.

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND/OVERVIEW OF AGRICULTURE; RELEVANCE

OF ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE PRACTICES TO FOOD SECURITY AND BASIC
ECOLOGICAL CONCEPTS

Overview

Module 1 covers the topic about the Background/Overview of Agriculture; Relevance

of Ecological Agriculture Practices and Basic Ecological Concept. The
Background/Overview of Agriculture will focus on the historical and ecological context
of Agriculture; modern agriculture: Its features and impacts; and issues and concerns
in Agriculture. This module also discusses the Relevance of ecological agriculture
practices to food Security and the Basic ecological concepts.

At the end of this module, you can:

a. Explain the background/overview of agriculture

b. Discuss the relevance of ecological agriculture practices to food security
c. Enumerate the basic ecological concept

Pre-test
Directions: To start off, you have to answer the pre-test for you to measure how much
you know about the topic. You can start now. Read each question fully and carefully
take your time to explain in your own knowledge about the question being ask. GOD
BLESS!
Test 1. Explain the following
1. What ecological agriculture in your own understanding?
2. What is the modern agriculture?
3. Is it true that one of the facing problems of global agriculture is feeding a billion
people? Why?

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Lesson 1

Background/Overview of Agriculture

A. Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lesson, you can:

1. Discuss the historical and ecological context of Agriculture

2. Explain the features and impacts of modern agriculture
3. List the issues and concerns in agriculture

B. Time Allotment: 2 hours

DISCUSSION

A. Historical and Ecological Context of Agriculture

What is ecological agriculture?

It is farming in harmony with nature, using cultivation techniques and breeding

programmes that follows the laws of nature such as nutrient cycling, biodiversity but
not using any soluble chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, or artificial genetic

Ecological agriculture

A production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. it
relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions,
rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects.

Crops grown without using synthetic pesticides, synthetic inorganic fertilizers,

or genetically engineered seeds, animals grown without using antibiotics or synthetic
hormones. The practice of ecological agriculture involves building the strengths of
natural ecosystems into agroecosystems, purposely disturbed to produce food and
fiber.

THE OVERALL STRATEGIES INCLUDE USING PRACTICES THAT:

•grow healthy plants with good defense capabilities

•stressing pests

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•enhancing populations of beneficial organisms.

ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE VS INDUSTRIALIZED AGRICULTURE

Ecological farming enables communities to produce enough food to feed

themselves. this form of agriculture fosters a future of healthy farming, and healthy
food, to all people. ecological farming helps the world’s population to mitigate and
adapt to climate change.

The benefits of ecological farming:

• ecological farming keeps food production in the hands of farmers and

away from corporate control.
• ecological farming helps cope with climate change.

BUILDING HEALTHIER SOIL

• Prominent among these practices is the addition of manure or compost

• Manure is an organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture, it contribute to

the soil by adding organic matter and nutrient such as nitrogen that is trapped by
bacteria in the soil.

• They are readily available and are important agricultural byproduct

• They increase the water holding capacity of the soil

• Stimulate activities of microorganisms that made plant food element in the soil
readily to crops

MANURE COMMONLY USED ON ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE

• Farm yard manure

• Green manure
• Vermi-compost
• Crop residue
• Bio fertilizer

INCREASING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF SYSTEM

• biodiversity of an agro ecosystem can help maintain its long-term productivity and
contribute significantly to food security since they have a better chance of copping with
change in climate than monocultures

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• diversity can be increased through increasing the variety of crops grown at one time
on the parcel of land, and by adding trees and/or animals into the system. • increasing
crop diversity itself growing different varieties of the same crop that have different
attributes

HOW ECOLOGICAL FARMING CAN MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE

• Reduce greenhouse gases, especially nitrous oxide, as no nitrogen fertilizer are used
• Organic agriculture enhances biodiversity, protects fragile soils, improves the
nutritional quality of food, ensures high standards of animal welfare
• Emissions and fossil fuel energy use, cuts nutrient and pesticide pollution and stops
potentially harmful pesticide residues entering our food chain.
• Organic agriculture builds resilient farming systems capable of combating climate
change and securing local food supplies and is highly effective in sequestrating carbon.

2.6 billion small-scale farmers already produce the majority of the

world's food.
Ecological farming is proven to be more profitable for farmers in studies from
Europe, Africa, Asia and America.

Analyses have also shown that ecological farming makes sense economically.
first, this modern farming method leads to increased crop yields. globally, ecological
farming can produce an average of approximately 30% more food per hectare than
conventional agriculture.
Organic farming is the main type of ecological farming, with a set of standards
which are recognized world- wide. in many countries it is called ‘biological’ farming.
organic pest control is another feature of ecological farming. instead of using chemical
pesticides, ecological farmers use non-polluting, long-term pest protection. one
method is to introduce beneficial insects to the field. Another method is to plant crop
fields strategically and to use “low-input” technologies that are available locally. as a
result, crops are less vulnerable to pest invasion. Using natural fertilizers also saves
on farmers’ costs; it eliminates the need for artificial inputs. with natural fertilizers,
soil is richer in organic matter, better able to retain water, and better protected against
erosion.
Finally, evidence indicates that ecologically farmed products taste better and
promote better health. a recent study in California shows that organically-grown
strawberries taste sweeter than their conventional, chemically-grown counterparts.

principles of organic farming that links organic farming with ecological

agriculture
The principle of health – organic farming should sustain and enhance the
health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible.

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o the principle of ecology – organic farming should be based on living

ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help
sustain them.

o the principle of fairness – organic farming should build on relationships

that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life
opportunities.

o the principle of care – organic farming should be managed in a

precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-
being of current and future generations and the environment.

o ecological farming is part of organic farming.

An Ecological History of Agriculture

10,000 B.C.-A.D. 10,000 opens with the first known agriculture and ends in a
future in which we might have to use fewer resources to feed more people. The book
describes past and present agriculture and looks at future possibilities.

Using environment, population, and available energy sources as the principal

determinants of agricultural systems, this is the first survey to cover preindustrial
agriculture and pastoralism on all inhabited continents and from equatorial forest to
tundra. The tropics present a tapestry: slash-and-burn in the forests, multistoried
gardens of trees and annuals, combinations of cultivation and nomadic pastoralism,
and a variety of "wet" systems on land that is part field and part swamp. The parallels
among dry lands and dry summer lands are striking; peoples thousands of miles apart
evolve like means to divert, deliver, and conserve water. In humid temperate climes
there is more divergence than convergence; East Asians, Europeans, and American
Indians find very different ways to exploit similar environments.

An Ecological History of Agriculture, 10,000 B.C.-A.D. 10,000 will be of special

interest to agriculturalists, agricultural historians, anthropologists, geographers, and
anyone concerned with agriculture and its history.

The problems of modern high input agriculture are presently causing some
concern. The fundamental problem is an undermining of the energy efficient self-
sustaining character of a biological system.

This has seven requirements:

1. It must be self-sustaining. It is managed to reduce losses to a minimum, and all by-

products are recycled. Decomposers and nitrogen fixers are encouraged. Fertility is
maintained by techniques such as humus application, crop rotations and correct
treatment and application of farmyard manure.

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2. It must be diversified in order to fulfill (1) above, also to increase stability and
maximize biomass production. The ratio of animals (including humans) to plants must
therefore be appropriate.

3. In order to maximize yields, limit the capital investment required and increase
employment, the unit size should be small, but appropriate to local conditions.

4. The net yield per unit area must be maximized. Appropriate techniques are outlined.

5. It must be economically viable. Conventional agriculture in the west is heavily grant-

aided. This alternative farming system is aimed to operate at a real profit.

6. The farm products should be processed on the farm and sold directly to local
consumers. Cottage industries would revitalize many country communities,
particularly in the developing countries.

7. It must be aesthetically and ethically acceptable.

Techniques employed to achieve these aims are described and discussed in

relation to arable crops (rotations, manuring, control of pests and weeds, and yields)
and grassland management. The concept of niche occupation and creation in relation
to animal husbandry is explored. The different criteria used in animal breeding, and
the ethical arguments involved with intensive animal husbandry are also outlined.
Energy and its production on the farm, the processing of farm products and crops,
conservation and utilization of wild-life and woodland, and the social and political
effects of ecological agriculture are discussed. Figures are given from a survey in
Europe of farms managed along these lines.

This type of agriculture would be of particular value to developing countries to

help them become more self-sufficient in food. It will become of much importance also
in the developed world in the future. Figures are given from a test-case farm which
show that such a farming system does work, and shows promise for development.

B. Modern Agriculture: Its Features and Impact

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Agriculture is an important source of livelihood because it is the process of

producing food, feed, fiber, and many other desired products by the cultivation of
plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). It is an art of managing the
growth of plants and animals for human use. Let's study how the development in the
agriculture techniques have impacted the environment and ecosystem.

What is Modern agriculture?

Modern agriculture is an evolving approach to agricultural innovations and

farming practices that help farmers increase efficiency and reduce the number of
natural resources like water, land, and energy necessary to meet the world’s food, fuel,
and fiber needs. The agribusiness, intensive farming, organic farming, and sustainable
agriculture are other names of modern agriculture.

MODERN AGRICULTURE: DEFINITION AND CHARACTERISTICS

The Modern Agriculture is one in which the success of the process depends on
the use of technology, access to resources, management, investment, market
characteristics and support at the government level.

This type of practice allows a better control of the factors involved in the
processes of agricultural crops and animal husbandry. In this way, the results that will
be obtained will depend on the success that is had in the handling of these factors.

However, maintaining the soil fertile with a quantity of nutrients and adequate
irrigation can be achieved with the help of technology and the machinery suitable for
it.

Broadly speaking, the global demand for food represents a real challenge, since
in the developed countries the middle class population gets better incomes and in turn.
This type of activity is compatible with the subsistence farming. Which resists in some
areas to disappear.

Some studies estimate that between 2010 and 2050 the population of developed
countries will need about twice as much agricultural output. As a consequence, it will

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be necessary to increase the production requirements so that it will suffer a delay,

raising the price food.

Techniques of modern agriculture

The new technologies adopted for the development of crops bring with it a
number of elements, among which we can mention: the variety of high yielding seeds,
adequate irrigation practices, fertilizers, pesticides, planting various types of crops at
the same time, what is known as crop rotation, etc.

Each of these techniques put in place by this type of agriculture is

detailed below:

High Performance Seeds

This type of seeds is identified as HYV (High Yield Variety) seeds, have their
own characteristics that make them able to take better advantage of irrigation water,
nutrients. The quantity of product that is obtained by surface planted is superior in
comparison with a traditional seed.

However, they are very delicate and in order to obtain the desired results,
special care must be taken with them as any change in crop management causes
reduced production and productivity without a successful crop.

Irrigation practices
It is known that water is necessary for crops to grow, which is why it is called
the blood of the life of agriculture.

Water plays a decisive role in the development of the crop pattern, the crop
combinations, the intensity of the crop and the extent of the land sown and the
seasonal rhythm for each crop.

Therefore, it must be taken into account that without adequate irrigation it is

not possible to use high-yielding seeds, and proper fertilization cannot be carried out
either.

Fertilizers
The use of fertilizers is an important ingredient for modern agriculture. With
them you can increase the productivity of high yielding seed culture.

However, it is important to make the selection of biofertilizers as they are sustainable

and more environmentally friendly. In many cases such practice is achieved with the
addition of nitrogen fixing bacteria in high yielding seeds.

Pesticides
Pesticides are chemical substances used to control pests that attack crops.
However, many of them contaminate crops causing health problems.

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In modern agriculture, farmers are adopting integrated pest management

(IPM) as a sustainable alternative to the use of pesticides.

This type of management allows the incorporation of a series of techniques to

control pests that attack crops but with less damage to the environment.

An example of this practice is planting pest-resistant crops, using biological

control with eating insects, destroying areas where they are nesting, among others. In
this way the use of chemical pesticides is a last resort.

Crop rotation
The rotation of cultivation allows to plant different types of crops in the same
place by which the soil is allowed to recover the nutrients that were removed by a
previous crop.

This technique is considered to be one of the most powerful in modern

agriculture, since it avoids the consequences of the same type of cultivation in the same
area, year after year.

Another of the benefits of crop rotation is the biological control of pests, as

many of them like a specific crop, planted each year on the same surface so they are
guaranteed to have enough food for their growth and development .

An example of crop rotation initiated by some farmers has been to plant

soybeans and other legumes. Thanks to this practice the farmers have been able to
replenish the nutrients in the soil so that in the next season, in that same space that
already has enough nutrients, they will plant corn.

Cattle raising
Modern agriculture and livestock farming depend on each other and are part of
the valuable resources that the land offers. Each plant or animal has a specific role
within this process.

Some studies have determined that for the production of one kilogram of meat,
3 to 10 kilograms of grains are needed. In this sense, most farmers raise cattle to feed
their families or to sell them in an increasingly competitive market.

But to achieve a balance between yield, food stability and environmental

conservation, there must be appropriate incentives to encourage livestock farming.

One element of this incentive is the biological knowledge and agricultural

practices applicable to the different types of ecosystems, regions, types of soil and
relief.

Although many problems caused by livestock rearing are difficult to control, the
allocation of adequate incentives can help to increase the benefits of agricultural
production to society.

For this reason, the coordinated participation of the offices or ministries of

agriculture and environment is necessary to develop a common goal, which allows to

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achieve sustainable development in addressing the concerns of both entities regarding

the use and management of land and the resources.

However, it should be borne in mind that, without adequate investment, the

perceived gains from crop yields as well as environmental protection may be
insufficient to achieve the transition to sustainable agriculture.

Machinery
This is an element of great importance in modern agriculture, since, like the
aspects discussed above, without them, it is not possible to develop a good agricultural
process.

Access to modern machinery and technology are decisive factors for the success
of modern agriculture. Both elements provide a great help, since each plays a decisive
role in a determined stage of the agricultural process.

For soil preparation, irrigation, seed sowing, crop harvesting, fertilization and
pest control, each of these activities requires the participation of modern machinery to
ensure the success of the process.

Technology
Agricultural technology is considered one of the most striking and
revolutionary areas of this field as it is focused on producing enough food to meet the
growing demand of the population.

Although it should not be forgotten that technology evolves quickly. Modern

farmers can do a better job compared to their ancestors.

The technology has changed the way the machines operate, the use of computer
systems, global positioning systems (GPS), automatic management programs, reduce
fuel consumption, loss of seeds and fertilizers, among others.

The road to sustainable agriculture

Modern agriculture allows farmers to plan their goals with the sustainability of
their practice in mind. This involves conserving and protecting natural resources,
providing food and fuel to a growing population, all in a financially viable way for
producers and consumers.

Nevertheless, everything depends on the good management that is made of

each one of the elements that integrate the system of the modern agriculture. If any of
them fail, it will not be possible to achieve the desired yield and productivity and as a
result will reduce the quality and quantity of food available.

To be successful in this work, investment in agricultural research, development and

extension as well as the implementation of better goods and services and improvement
in the practice of processes, which are derived from the research, is necessary.

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In this research process, government entities and private companies must be

immersed in order to implement programs and policies that provide the regulatory
framework and that in turn provide incentives to those who take the risk of innovating.

As the latest data, the United Nations Organization for Agriculture says that
global agriculture has been able to meet the demand for food during the last half
century. However, productivity growth will depend on the proper management of
available resources.

IMPACT OF MODERN AGRICULTURE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

As we know that modern agriculture improved our affordability of food,

increases the food supply, ensured the food safety, increases sustainability, and also
produces more biofuels. But at the same time, it also leads to environmental problems
because it is based on high input–high output technique using hybrid seeds of high-
yielding variety and abundant irrigation water, fertilizers, and pesticides. The impacts
of modern agriculture on the Environment are discussed below:

Soil Erosion

The top fertile soil of the farmland is removed due to the excessive water supply.
This leads to the loss of nutrient-rich soil that hampered productivity. It also causes
global warming because the silt of water bodies induces the release of soil carbon from
the particulate organic material.

How has climate change affected human life?

Contamination of groundwater

The groundwater is one of the important sources of water for irrigation. From
agricultural fields, nitrogenous fertilizers leach into the soil and finally contaminate
groundwater. When the nitrate level of groundwater exceeds 25 mg/l, they can cause
a serious health hazard known as “Blue Baby Syndrome”, which affects mostly infants
even leading to their death.

Water-logging and salinity

The salinity of the soil is one of the reasons of low productivity just because of
the improper management of farm drainage. In this situation, the roots of plants do
not get enough air to respiration then it leads to low crop yield as well as low
mechanical strength.

Eutrophication

It refers to the addition of artificial or non-artificial substances such as nitrates

and phosphate, through fertilizers or sewage, to a freshwater system. It leads to an
increase in the primary productivity of the water body or the 'bloom' of phytoplankton.

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Excessive use of fertilizers that consists of nitrogen and phosphorus leads to

over nourishment of the lakes/water bodies and gives rise to the phenomenon of
eutrophication (EU = more, trophication= nutrition).

Excessive use of Pesticide

There are many pesticides that are used for destroying pests and boosting crop
production. Earlier arsenic, sulfur, lead, and mercury was used to kill pests. For
Example- Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane (DDT) content pesticides were used, but
unfortunately, it also targeted the beneficial pests. Most importantly, many pesticides
are non-biodegradable, which also linked to the food chains which are harmful to the
human being.

The relative significance of farming has dropped steadily since the beginning of
industrialization, and in 2006 – for the first time in history – the services sector
overtook agriculture as the economic sector employing the most people worldwide.
But we forget that if we need food to survive then we need agriculture.

EFFECTS OF MODERN AGRICULTURE

1. Agriculture has been considered as a way of life. Ever increasing population

places greater demands on agriculture to increase the production, to match the
increasing demands for food supply.
2. With agricultural development though food production has successfully
increased nearly everywhere but it has failed to match with the growing
population in many areas - specially developing countries of Africa, Asia and
Latin America.
3. Over the period of time, the development of agriculture was achieved in terms
of:
o Expansion and /or conversion of agricultural lands
o Increased agricultural productivity
o Multiple-cropping pattern
o Conversion of single-cropping system to two tier / or three tier
cultivation
o Expansion of natural limits.
4. In due course of time, agricultural development became possible due to
o Development of modern scientific techniques
o Advanced technology
o Expansion of irrigational facilities
o Use of chemical fertilizers
o Use of pesticides and insecticides
o Development and use of high yielding varieties of seeds
o Changed agricultural practices
o Mechanization of agriculture
o Varying crop sequences and
o Land ownership and the land tenure.
5. Expansion and Conversion of Agricultural Land
o Conversion and expansion of agricultural land and forest areas changes
in their natural limits. Thousands of millions of tons of soil is lost

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annually due to large-scale deforestation and/ or poor land

management records chain reaction in the broad areas.
6. Application of Chemical Fertilizers, Pesticides and Insecticides
o Fertilizer application in South Asia including India has multiplied with
widespread introduction of the Green Revolution. Not only the number
of fertilizer plants has gone up but also the production has multiplied,
resulting in many a disorder.
7. The High Yielding Varieties Programme
o The introduction of high yielding varieties has changed the agricultural
environment by creating a variety of pest problems. Many of these
either were unknown or were of minor importance in the early sixties.
o The increased irrigational facilities, higher use of fertilizers and the
high yielding varieties led to the resurgence of pests.
8. Development of Irrigational Facilities
o The multiple cropping and intensive uses of chemical fertilizers and
heavy watering of the agricultural land result in the rise of the water
level. As a result, such areas have developed the problem of water
logging, ultimately damaging the standing crops, microorganisms,
animals and even the human population.
9. Intensive and Extensive Cultivation
o The introduction of intensive cultivation to get the maximum
production and the variety of crops through multiple cropping, crop-
rotations, changing crop-combination from the same unit of land has
resulted in the decline of the productivity and total production due to
critical limit of the soil.
10. Mechanization
o The use of tractors, combined with harvesters increased with suitable
machinery to work on difficult soils became practicable and has brought
such lands under plough. Increasing use of machinery arid tractors with
the development of two-tier and/or three-tier cultivation system has
pulverized the land.
11. FERTILIZERS & INSECTICIDES
12. Substances which are added to the soil to increase its fertility are called
Fertilizers. • Many natural substances like leaves, cow dung, bone meal
compost etc are used to make up the deficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium in soils. These substances are known as natural fertilizers.
13. Artificial inorganic fertilizers (Synthetic fertilizers) Nitrogenous fertilizers:
Important nitrogenous fertilizers are 1) Ammonium sulphate 2) Ammonium
phosphate 3) Calcium Cyanamid 4) Urea.
14. Phosphatic fertilizers: - Important phosphatic fertilizers are 1) Super
phosphate of lime (Calcium super phosphate) 2) Triple super phosphate 3)
Ammonium superphosphate
15. Mixed fertilizers:
o A fertilizer which contains more than one plant nutrients is called mixed
fertilizer.
o Mixed fertilizer Containing nitrogenous, phosphatic and potash
fertilizers in definite proportions.
o Such fertilizers are called NPK fertilizers
16. Impact of excessive use of fertilizers on environment
o The increased use of fertilizers to expand food supplies have come at a
large cost to our environment.

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o Modern agricultural techniques are typically wasteful in their use of

fertilizers.
17. Often, many farmers add large amounts of fertilizer or manure at the time of
sewing in order to cover and protect the young plants.
o This technique is inefficient, since the young plants are unable to
absorb most of the nitrogen.
o Therefore, much of the nitrogen is lost to the environment in a number
of ways.
18. BIO FERTILIZERS:
• Biofertilizers are ready to use live formulates of such beneficial
microorganisms which on application to seed, root or soil mobilize the
availability of nutrients by their biological activity in particular, and help
build up the micro- flora and in turn the soil health in general
• Benefits from using biofertilizers
o Increase crop yield by 20-30%.
o Replace chemical nitrogen and phosphorus by 25%.
o Stimulate plant growth.
o Activate the soil biologically.
o Restore natural soil fertility.
o Provide protection against drought and some soil borne diseases
• Advantages of bio-fertilizers
1. Cost effective.
2. Supplement to fertilizers.
3. Eco-friendly (Friendly with nature).
4. Reduces the costs towards fertilizers use, especially regarding
nitrogen and phosphorus.

19. PESTICIDES
• Pesticides are chemical substances used to kill insects, fungi, rodents,
weeds or other living things which are harmful to plants, animals or
foodstuffs. •Pesticides function as poisons for the important biological
process of insects, fungi etc which lead to the death of these organisms.
• Classification of pesticides • Depending upon the purpose for which the
pesticides are used, they are classified as follows. • i) insecticides v)
algaecide • ii) herbicide vi) molluscicides • iii) fungicides vii) miticides •
iv) rodenticides viii) nematocides.
• Insecticides: - •Chemicals used to kill the insects are called insecticides.
Insecticides are further classified into Stomach poisons, contact poison
and fumigants. Herbicides • Herbicides are used to destroy weeds
(destroy the growth of plants). eg: 2,4 D (2,4 dichloro phenoxy acetic
acid)
• Fungicides: - •Fungicides are are chemicals which are used to prevent
the growth of fungi or eradicate fungal diseases of plants. Eg: Lime,
sulphur, formalin etc Rodenticides: - •These are chemicals used to kill
rats and mice which destroy crops and spread deseases. Eg: Sodium
fluoroacetate, Zinc phosphide etc
• Algaecide: - •These are chemicals added to water to destroy algae. Eg:
copper sulphate Molluscicides:- •These are chemicals used to destroy
mollusks like snails , slugs etc eg: Copper sulphate, metaldehyde etc

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• Miticides:- •Chemicals used to destroy mites are called miticides . eg:

organo phosphates. Nematocides:- •These are chemicals used for the
distruction of nematodes like round worms, thread worms etc . eg:
dimethoate
• Environmental impact of pesticides
o The excessive use of pesticides have created tremendous adverse
effects on environment 1) Environmental pollution: Pesticides
drained to water bodies causes water pollution. hence water in
river, lakes and seas gets polluted which becomes hazardous to
aquatic animals like fishes. Pesticides may also washed down to
ground water which pollute drinking water. During the spraying
of pesticides, it may reach in to atmosphere and pollute the air.
o Certain pesticides such as DDT, BHC etc persisted in the
environment accumulated in blood,milk and fat of
animals.Beyond certain permitted levels, they are very
dangerous to human beings and animals • Pesticides may kill the
friendly insecticides along with the inimical insects during its
action • Different herbicides used for destroying weeds can
destroy the vegetation in the neighboring areas also.
o Repeated use of pesticides may produce immunity or resistance
in insects. Resistance has been observed in houseflies,
mosquitoes etc. • Effect on human health; - Pesticides cause
several harmful effects in human body. Pesticides are proved to
be lethal if their intake exceed a maximum limit.

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C. ISSUES AND CONCERNS IN AGRICULTURE

The Issues Facing Global Agriculture

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One of the most pressing concerns of the agricultural sector is the rampant
conversion of agricultural land into golf courses, residential subdivisions, and
industrial parks or resorts. In 1993 the nation was losing irrigated rice lands at a rate
of 2,300 hectares per year. Small land-holders find it more profitable to sell their land
to developers in exchange for cash, especially since they lack capital for seeds,
fertilizers, pesticides, and wages for hiring workers to plant and harvest the crops.
Another concern is farmers' continued reliance on chemical-based fertilizers or
pesticides that have destroyed soil productivity over time. In recent years however,
farmers have been slowly turning to organic fertilizer, or at least to a combination of
chemical and organic inputs.

Environmental damage is another major concern. Coral-reef destruction,

pollution of coastal and marine resources, mangrove forest destruction, and siltation
(the clogging of bodies of water with silt deposits) are significant problems.

D. Activities/Exercises

Directions: Please do this activity to a separate paper.

Let’s do this…

1. Choose at least one issue facing of global agriculture and apply to

Philippine situation. Explain why did you choose that issue.
2. Enumerate the impact of modern agriculture. Make a table list in one
column all the good effect and to other one the bad effect of modern
agriculture.
3. Briefly discuss the history of ecological agriculture. From the beginning.
You can make it in a chronological event.

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E. Evaluation/Post-test

Directions: Read carefully and answer the following questions. Answer on

separate sheet of paper. This is a graded exam. This test will evaluate how much
your effort to learn this topic.

Test 1. Explain the following

1. Explain the ecological concept of agriculture. Why called

ecological agriculture?
2. Enumerate and briefly explain the techniques of modern
agriculture
3. Enumerate the impact of modern agriculture to environment.
4. Explain briefly each issues facing of global agriculture

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References

Waiton Sherekete, (2016) Student at Bindura University Of Science

Educationhttps://www.slideshare.net/waitonsherekete/ecological-agriculture-
70018647

Daniel E. Vasey (1992). Department of Sociology, Divine Word College, Epworth,

Iowa. http://www.thepress.purdue.edu/titles/format/9781557532725

M. Kiley-Worthington, 1981. Ecological agriculture. What it is and how it works,

Agriculture and Environment. Volume 6, Issue 4. Pages 349-381. ISSN 0304-1131.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-1131(81)90039-4.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0304113181900394. Copyright ©
1981 Published by Elsevier B.V

SHAKEEL ANWAR (2020). Modern Agriculture and its impact on the Environment
ttps://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/modern-agriculture-and-its-impact-
on-the-environment-1518163410-1

Sakthi Vel. (2014). EFFECTS OF MODERN AGRICULTURE, FERTILIZERS,

PESTICIDES. https://www.slideshare.net/SakthiVel125/effects-of-modern-
agriculture

https://www.lifepersona.com/modern-agriculture-definition-and-characteristics

https://croplife.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf_files/Feeding-Nine-Billion-The-Issues-
Facing-Global-Agriculture.pdf

https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Philippines-
AGRICULTURE.html

https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-
Pacific/Philippines-AGRICULTURE.html#ixzz6nqEyNvmF

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Vision 2020
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development of West Philippines and beyond.

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development through relevant instruction,
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