"The conservation agriculture system is the right way to deal with serious problems in the agricultural sector due to global warming, which has had an impact by reducing water supply for agriculture," Dr. Ir Leta Rafael Levis said when contacted here on Wednesday.
The agricultural sector needs to adapt to the global warming phenomenon so that productivity can increase, especially on dry agricultural land, he said.
The conservation farming system, he said, would be an ideal choice to deal with the effects of global warming.
Through conservation agriculture, agricultural resources can be managed by optimizing existing agricultural potential so that crop yields can be obtained, while ensuring water and soil conservation, he informed.
The system uses three main approaches, including not tilling the land or digging a hole, he said. Then, covering the ground using a system of mulch and ground cover crops as well as crop rotation, he added.
He said the conservation farming system has been developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in recent years.
Related news: Asia-Pacific nations to address pandemic-induced damage to livelihoods
In East Nusa Tenggara, the system has been implemented by hundreds of farmers spread across Sumba Island, Flores Island, and Timor Island, he noted.
Levis said a study in the province showed that the conservation farming system increased soil fertility because it was able to add soil organic material and increase crop productivity, especially corn.
However, the implementation of such an agricultural system has not been carried out on a massive scale in the regions, he highlighted. In fact, the system is very suitable for dry agricultural land in Indonesia, including in East Nusa Tenggara Province, he said.
Related news: Millennials encouraged to apply MSF technology in shrimp farming
Translator: Katriana
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
