Concepts like organic farming and natural farming have now got a formidable competitor in a new system termed `integrated crop management' (ICM). This form of agriculture has already started gaining ground in Europe and many other developed farm economies. It imbibes the spirit of the earlier concepts without over-obsession with any of their essential components. Many experts view ICM as the sustainable and competitive agriculture of the future.
ICM is broadly defined as a whole farm system which involves managing crops profitably but with respect for the environment, in a way which suits the local soil and climate and safeguards a farm's natural assets in the long term.
ICM is not a rigid form of crop husbandry but a dynamic system that is constantly adapted to make sensible use of the latest research, technology and experience. The best traditional land management principles, such as crop rotation, biological controls, organic and mineral fertilisers, etc., form an integral part of the new system. The main focus is on environmental sustainability, profitability and productivity.
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Components of ICM include crop rotation, crop nutrition, wild life and landscape management, site-specific soil management, waste and pollution management, energy efficiency, crop protection and progress auditing.
Crop rotation is an age-old tool for maintaining soil and environmental health. ICM lays stress not only in judicious crop sequencing for attaining these objectives but also on choosing appropriate crop varieties resistant to the prevailing pests and diseases. This helps reduce the need for toxic chemicals.
ICM does not preclude the use of chemical fertilisers in crop nutrition management but insists on their proper choice and timing of application.
Wild life and landscape management is important in most farm systems to a maintain natural balance. The emphasis is on active management and understanding of local flora and fauna. Without it both farming and wild life would suffer. Good management requires evaluation of what exists, planning improvement where possible and conducting monitoring to measure the outcome and plan for the future.
The soil is a highly location-specific basic natural resource that is often abused or neglected. The soil features of the farm site are more or less fixed and need to be taken into reckoning while taking crucial management decisions. Correct management of this resource is an essential element of ICM to ensure short-term production and profitability gains and long-term soils health.
Waste and pollution management has been included in ICM because careless disposal of farm refuse can turn this otherwise potentially useful asset into an environmental hazard.Considering the high cost of energy, ICM lays emphasis on its efficient use. Unnecessary use of a non-renewable resource is not deemed compatible with this system of farming.
In the vital area of crop protection, ICM believes that it is the nature and dimension of the problem that should dictate the solution. Reduction of chemical inputs is usually possible by evaluating all available options and opting for the most appropriate measures.
Progress auditing is viewed as an essential part of the process of determining priorities in line with the standards and targets set for the farming venture. The auditing also helps in measuring the benefits of ICM.
The ICM approach has been tried in India under the integrated pest manage programme. However, success has not been total because of the limited and piecemeal application of ICM principles. Testing it in its totality may be worthwhile.