Types of Agriculture — Geography STD 6 — Question

Mixed farming is a form of farming in which crops are grown and animals are reared on the same farmland. Farmers grow a variety of crops and also keep a number of dairy animals to get milk. Sometimes poultry is also kept. Farmers practise mixed farming mainly with a view to increasing their earnings, from two different sources. One of the major benefits of mixed farming is that if one form of farming enterprise fails, the farmer could still depend on the other. Modem machinery and tools, selected high-quality seeds, chemical fertilizers in large quantities and other highly advanced techniques of farming are used. The natural manure provided by the animals helps in minimizing soil erosion, rotation of crops, and conservation of water. Mixed farming makes good use of crop residue which, if not used as animal feed, can be used as fertilizers in the soil.