Government is planning to promote multi-layer farming as part of its efforts to help increase farmers’ income.
Multi-layer farming means growing compatible plants of different heights on the same field and at the same time. It is generally practiced in orchards & plantation crops for utmost use of solar energy even under high planting density.
Agriculture Ministry said multi-layer farming opens a new door for cultivators to earn all round the year as there is less risk of complete crop damage. In addition, it is a potential technology as it makes use of natural resources properly. The system helps in better use of environmental factors, better yield stability in different environmental conditions and conservation of soil & other resources.
Regarding a question on the utility of multi-layer farming, Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture Minister said that the Directorate of Arecanut & Spices Development in Kozhikode together with the Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, Kasargod has successfully displayed Arecanut based cropping Systems in Kerala and Karnataka from 2006 to 2018.
The Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research located in Modipuram, Meerut is carrying out research (on-station) & technology validation via farmers’ participatory research (on-farm research) on Integrated Farming Systems & Cropping Systems in around 24 States.
In a written reply, the Agriculture Minister said that “The adoption of coconut based multi-layer farming (coconut, nutmeg, pepper, banana, turmeric/ginger, cinnamon) is more profitable than the traditional systems. Multi-layer Farming Models on high-value vegetable cultivation under a 3-tier system was started in the backward districts of Bihar by the ICAR. Cultivators were able to grow 3 different vegetables on the same piece of land at a time”.
