Integrated Farming System (IFS) is an innovative approach wherein solo agriculture systems are integrated with livestock, aquaculture, forestry, or other inter-related set of enterprises to multiply gains and reduce input cost. Waste from one enterprise becomes an input for other, thus cost is reduced, production is increased and the ultimate income gets multiplied.
Integrated Farming System is best suited for small-sized farms with limited resources in the following ways:
- More output can be produced from small-sized farmers due to integration of different agricultural systems
- Major focus in IFS is on high value crops resulting in more income per acre
- Regular stable income through the products like egg, milk, mushroom, vegetables, honey and silkworm cocoons from the linked activities in integrated farming
- IFS has more resource use efficiency resulting in less cost and more income for farmers
- Sustainable soil fertility and productivity through organic waste recycling and is resilient and adaptive to climate variability.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed 60 location specific, cost effective, eco-friendly, socially acceptable multi-enterprise IFS models in farmers’ participatory mode to reduce risk in farming, enhance farm productivity/profitability and secure livelihoods of resource poor small and marginal farmers.