what is meant by agricultural diversification ?

Question

thanking you all for answering to this. this is regarding my subject economics. class 11th
kind regards

Answer 1

Changing crops each year to replenish the soil.

Answer 2

Agricultural diversification is the agricultural practice that seeks the dynamic integration of
the broad natural resource diversity, from the genetic to the ecosystem level. It therefore
represents an agrobiodiversity component that genuinely embraces the ecosystemic dimensions
of agriculture, integrating elements such as crops, livestock, farming practices, ecological
processes, and land uses. It consists in the diversification of agricultural systems and practices
to better balance social and ecological factors, such as nutrition provision, agroecological
management, marketing options, gender equality in farming, conservation of the natural
resource base, optimisation of land uses, and low-input agricultural modes.
Agricultural diversification represents an optimal strategy to combat food insecurity and
AIDS impact among the rural poor. In particular, it broadens household options for food
production and nutrition, expands income-generation sources, provides practical and affordable
means for agroecological management, and helps alleviating agricultural labour pressures.
Agricultural diversification is strongly connected to agrobiodiversity and relies upon
indigenous agroecological knowledge and practices. In particular, many traditional, neglected
and under-utilised crops (as discussed earlier in chapter 3) represent critical resources for
Woman in her intercropped field with maize, beans and cassava
(cereal-legume-rootcrop system) in Agoriata village, eastern Uganda.
Agrobiodiversity strategies to combat food insecurity and
HIV/AIDS impact in rural Africa (J.A. Garí / FAO / 2003)
effective agricultural diversification processes. The introduction of new crops and varieties can
strengthen agricultural diversification, provided due regard is devoted to ecological, cultural
and socio-economic impacts. Local genetic resource management systems, including their
gender dimensions, are relevant instruments to advance agricultural diversification.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, farmers have traditionally hold diversified agricultural systems,
which are however declining, if not vanishing. Agricultural diversification constitutes a new
agricultural development strategy that diversifies agricultural systems to better address
agroecological, food security, nutrition, livelihood, and gender conditions. It is thus not a
simple activity that merely consisted in increasing the number of crops grown by rural
households or in "rescuing" some traditional polyculture systems. It is rather an interdisciplinary
and cross-scale process of agricultural development that interconnects traditional
agricultural systems, crop diversity, indigenous knowledge, agroecology science, and new
research frontiers. Farmer-based and farmer-led approaches are indispensable.
Agricultural diversification comprises a wide range of potential systems and practices (box
22). Its goal is not the indiscriminate distribution of seeds or encouraging farmers to plant
many crops. Agricultural diversification requires creating spaces where indigenous knowledge,
innovative agroecological research and farmer-based experimentation concur and reinforce
each other. It equally requires the deployment of adequate policy and programme support
schemes; for instance, legitimating and promoting the indigenous genetic resource and
knowledge base, increasing training to fully divulge the value and benefits of agricultural
diversification, supporting research tailored to agricultural diversification, and implementing
participatory experimentation. Farmer-to-farmer cooperation schemes are also useful to
facilitate an horizontal flow of experiences, knowledge, and agrobiodiversity resources. It is
finally important to empower actors that are generally excluded in the process of development,
but hold enormous resources and knowledge relevant for sustainable agricultural
diversification processes, such as particularly rural women.

Answer 3

Not growing the same crop all the time, and not just growing one crop on your entire farm