Why is diversity in agriculture important?

Question

Why is diversity in agriculture important?

Answer 1

In short-You don't want to have all of your eggs in one basket. Say the market for cattle goes down the drain, hopefully you've got your crops to fall back on. It goes both ways.

Answer 2

It promotes maximum productivity.  Crop rotation is an older version of this concept.  With crop rotation, single crops (i.e. corn) are planted one year that take nutrients out of soil.  The following year, another crop (i.e. soybeans) is planted to replenish nutrients.  Constant switching of crops is inefficient.  Today, we plant both crops (i.e. corn and soybeans) together every year to balance out soil nutrient loss with nutrient replenishment.  It makes harvesting as well as the produce more consistent.   This type of thinking can end up with quite alot of complementary crops in the bunch.

If you prefer analogies, think of the reasons why a person who eats a poor diet would take a multivitamin.

Answer 3

because different plants and animals have different needs and take different resources out of the ecosystem, as well as giving back other vital resources (e.g. beans fix nitrogen in the soil). growing one crop in the same place repeatedly will deplete the soil and the risk of pests and diseases will be greatly increased.

try googling biodiversity in agriculture or have a read of the links below.

Answer 4

SUSTAINABILITY,SOIL HEALTH AND PEOPLE

Many things are interrelated so the answer is somewhat diverse as well.

Health of the  SOIL

Plants both require and secrete certain chemicals,

each specie is different .

If one plants all of the same specie ,

many plants consume the same chemical from the soil ,

and will TIRE out the soil in no time ,

depleting it of the chemical they require

At the same time they will all  saturate the soil  

with the same chemicals

and end up contaminating it .

To now fertilize the soil with chemical further counteracts Nature natural processes and the plantation becomes addicted to the chemicals,which leech down to subterranean water supplies also polluting this .

the use  of fertilizers.leaves Astregine(?) in the water ,this goes undetected and is unaffected by normal filtration processeses or water treatment that is done to get potable water.

Recent tests have shown that the tap water in agricultural areas such as in Missouri had  cocktails of agro chemicals in them compared to cities like New york  or Los Angeles ,there they find cocktails of pharmaceuticals.

The sperm count of farmers is far lower than that of city folks,.

But there is an overall drop in sperm counts across the nation compared to 50 years ago.

Only a billionth of a part is necessary ,to ensure s*x changes in frogs,going undetected by the normal antibodies.

Leopard frogs are becoming hermaphrodites ,they are the canaries of eco systems

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Pests and Plagues

Certain insects are drawn to certain plants,if the plants are all the same there will only be a few species of insects and far to many .and this will easily become a plague.

To again counter act with  chemicals,further  adds to the dangers mentioned above.And spraying for pests also kills the natural predators which we need

Natures response

will be to regard  a mono culture as a plague of corn ,for example  and sends elements to counter act this ,in the form of disease or predators.



Man AGAIN counters this with chemicals ,AGAIN adding to the contamination of the soil and the water ,which very quickly affects humanity.

So this type of farming is ALL the way uphill ,going against ALL the forces of nature

Costing billions of dollars spend on chemicals ,to undermine the health  of Humans ,with infertility ,s*x changes in the embryo,cancer ,skin .eye diseases etc,

and the Environment in general, with contaminated air ,soil and water,not to mention damaged eco systems because of the insect populations that are  affected by the wind spreading the chemical further than intended.

Diversity planting on the other hand ensures a variety of insects ,with a variety of predators that follow,rarely ending up as a plague,

As well as a varied chemical requirement ,and OUTPUT ,resulting in a balanced soil structure ,

And by NOT using harmful chemicals the mentioned dangers to humans as well as Nature can be avoided.

There are roughly 80.000 different Chemical compounds coming from modern society,that end up in the water ,the combinations are endless.and so are the effects

Man has researched individual chemical effects ,but the research for chemical cocktails has only just began.

Mono culture farming because of the Natural reactions and effects of Nature, entice  Farmers to use many of these chemicals.Often encouraged by the government

Agriculture is in places that are very close to the sources of water,

Bio diverse planting and organic pest control ,avoids the necessity to use these chemicals,and will help to some extent

That still leaves all the Chemicals people put in the toilets in the cities.

Another factor is that so many swamps and wet lands have been cleared to make space for more crops

these were the natural filters of the water courses .

in Australia some farmers are returning the trees to the banks of their rivers ,and they have stopped draining their wet lands

Permaculture is an organic philosophy which has all bets covered ,this goes into land design ,Water harvesting ,organic pest control ,Diversity ,companion and Guild Planting,using the natural energy flows as well as enhancing them,using niches,and a whole lot more

what is Permaculture

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Answer 5

How I understand in simple terms:

Diversity = Broadened spectrum of the world thus, creating acceptance.

Agriculture = Staying alive by means of 2 basic materials.  Rain and soil.  Animals may perish in some regions but agriculture can flourish and feed everyone.