INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF FOOD CROP FARMING (Rice, Maize , Soybean) and LIVESTOCK WITH ZERO WASTE IN RAINFED RICE FIELDS
Tota Suhendrata dan Amrih Prasetyo
Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology (AIAT) of Central Java
Abstract
Rainfed rice fields are one of the potentials that have not been utilized optimally for farming, especially food crops (rice, maize and soybeans). Rainfed paddy fields are suitable to be considered in supporting self-sufficiency of rice, maize and soybeans, although there are many limiting factors in this agroecosystem such as unpredictable rainfall, low soil fertility and existence of weeds. On the basis of food crops with planting system of rotating time (soybean-rice-maize) and relatively narrow ownership/cultivation of paddy fields, farmers income is still low. One of agricultural system that can be developed in rainfed rice fields is integrated system of food crops farming (rice, corn and soybeans) with beefcattle. Integrated system of food crops and cattle is agricultural system inherited from ancestors (indigenous knowledge) that needs to be preserved for next generation. This system needs to be developed both in terms of technology and management according to local environmental conditions (specific to location). Integrated system of food crop and livestock zero waste is an improvement of integrated system of food crop and livestock and an alternative in effort to increase level of fertility of rainfed rice fields, production/productivity of food crops, cattle and farming income. Utilization of agricultural waste is used as production input (feed) for cattle and cattle livestock waste (manure, urine and feed waste) can be used as production inputs (organic fertilizer) for food crops. Furthermore, this can improve the efficiency of food crop farming and cattle. The objective of this study is to implement innovative system of integrating food crops (rice, maize and soybean) and zero-wastecattle beef breeding specific to location in order to increase the productivity of rainfed rice and farmer income. This study was carried out at Livestock Farmers Group of Loh Jinawi III in Boloh village, Toroh sub-district, Grobogan district in 2016 to 2018. This study was conducted by implementing several supporting technologies of integrated system of food crop and livestock zero waste, involving (1) technology of food crop cultivation (rice, maize and soybeans) to increase productivity, (2) beef cattle breeding technology through feed improvement and (3) technology of plant waste process for livestock feed and organic fertilizer. Integrated system of food crop farming and livestock zero-waste was feasible to be developed technically, financially and socially feasible in order to increase the productivity of rainfed rice fileds.
Keywords: integrated system, food crops, livestock, zero-waste.
Topic: Agricultural Development