Module 3: Agricultural &
Aquacultural Practices
Prepared by: Angelo M. Ordanel
Agriculture – practice of cultivating plants and
raising animals to produce food, fiber, medicinal
plants, and other products essential to sustain
human life.
It involves various activities such as farming,
animal husbandry, and agroforestry, which are
fundamental to providing food and raw materials
for society.
Key Elements of Agriculture:
• Soil, water, seeds, climate, tools, labor,
fertilizers, pesticides, livestock, biodiversity,
energy, and knowledge.
• Proper management of these elements ensures
productivity, sustainability, and environmental
protection, helping to secure food supplies and
support rural economies.
Goals of Agriculture:
1. Food Security – ensure a stable and sufficient supply of food to meet the
nutritional needs of a growing global population.
2. Economic Sustainability – create viable livelihoods for farmers and
contribute to local, national, and global economies.
3. Environmental Stewardship – minimize the environmental impact of
agricultural practices and promote sustainability.
4. Resource Efficiency – maximize the efficient use of natural resources such
as water, soil, and energy.
5. Innovation and Technology Advancement – adopt and promote
technological advancements to improve agricultural productivity and resilience.
Agricultural Practices – refer to the methods and
techniques used in farming to grow crops and raise
animals.
• Vary based on geography, climate, available
technology, and cultural traditions.
• They include everything from land preparation,
sowing, irrigation, pest control, and harvesting to post-
harvest processing and animal husbandry.
Two General Practices:
1. Traditional
2. Modern
General Practices:
Traditional Practices
• Often based on indigenous knowledge passed down through
generations.
• Rely on manual labor and natural processes.
• Focus on sustainability and harmony with the environment.
• Examples: terracing, crop rotation, organic farming, and the use of
traditional seeds.
1. Rice Terracing (Banaue Rice Terraces)
• Method: Farmers carve terraces into the
mountainsides, controlling water flow for irrigation.
• Significance: Helps in sustainable rice production in
mountainous regions and preserves cultural heritage.
It promotes food security, particularly for rice, the
staple food in the Philippines.
Banaue Rice Terraces – Ifugao Province of the Cordillera Region
2. Slash-and-Burn (Kaingin)
• Method: Farmers clear a patch of land by cutting and
burning vegetation to plant crops.
• Significance: Although widely discouraged due to its
environmental impacts, this method has traditionally
been used to clear forests for farming.
It's a subsistence practice in rural areas,
contributing to local food production.
3. Multi-Cropping
• Method: Planting different types of crops on the
same piece of land simultaneously.
• Significance: Increases biodiversity and maximizes
land use, reducing the risk of crop failure and
supporting local economies.
4. Crop Rotation
• Method: Growing different crops in the same field
across different growing seasons (planned sequence).
• Significance: A typical rotation could be corn (which
depletes nitrogen), followed by legumes (which fix
nitrogen into the soil), and then a cereal crop like wheat
or barley.
General Practices:
Modern Practices
• Make use of scientific and technological advancements to increase
productivity.
• Focus on efficiency, yield optimization, and scalability.
• Often involve machinery, synthetic fertilizers, and genetically modified
organisms (GMOs).
• Examples: precision farming, use of chemical pesticides and
fertilizers, and genetic engineering of crops.
1. Precision Farming
• Method: Involves using GPS, satellite imagery, and
sensors to monitor and manage fields with more
precision.
• Significance: Improves crop yields by optimizing
resources like water and fertilizers, which supports
food security by producing more food with fewer
inputs.
2. GMO Seed Technology
• Method: Farmers use hybrid seeds, especially for
crops like rice, corn, and vegetables, to increase
yields and pest resistance.
• Significance: Boosts food production, helping
ensure a steady supply of food for local markets
and export.
Genetically Modified Organisms:
• Created by directly altering the plant's genetic material
using biotechnology.
• This involves inserting, deleting, or modifying
genes, often from entirely different species, to
introduce new traits that would be difficult or
impossible to achieve through traditional breeding.
3. Aquaponics and Hydroponics
• Method: Uses nutrient-rich water to grow crops
without soil, often in urban settings or areas with poor
soil quality.
• Significance: Allows year-round food production and
contributes to food security, particularly in urban
centers or regions where traditional farming is
challenging.
END
Aquaculture Practices – refer to the
methods and techniques used to cultivate
aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish,
and plants in controlled environments.
These practices are applied to enhance
food production, conserve aquatic species,
and support economic activities.
1. Pond Culture – raising fish in enclosed ponds where
water quality and feed can be controlled. Common for
species like tilapia and catfish.
2. Cage Culture – fish are grown in cages or enclosures
submerged in natural water bodies such as lakes,
rivers, or the ocean. This allows access to natural water
flow while confining the fish.
3. Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) –
practice where multiple species are farmed together in a
complementary way.
4. Seaweed and Algae Farming – cultivating marine
plants for food, cosmetics, or biofuel. This is often done
in open water or controlled tanks.
5. Shellfish Farming – cultivating species like oysters,
clams, and mussels in natural bodies of water, often
using racks, bags, or cages anchored to the sea floor.
Pond Culture
Cage Culture
IMTA
Impacts of Agricultural and
Aquacultural Practices
• Soil Degradation
• Water Quality
• Biodiversity Loss
1. Soil Degradation
Soil Erosion – over-plowing, monoculture, and deforestation
expose soil to wind and water erosion, stripping away topsoil
that is vital for fertility.
Nutrient Depletion – repeated planting of the same crops
without crop rotation or adequate fertilization depletes essential
nutrients, reducing soil fertility.
Salinization – irrigation in poorly drained soils can lead to the
accumulation of salts in the soil, making it less productive for
plant growth.
2. Water Quality
• Nutrient Runoff
• Pesticide and Herbicide Contamination
• Sedimentation
• Aquaculture Pollution – fish farms can release uneaten feed,
feces, and chemicals (like antibiotics and pesticides) into water
bodies, polluting local ecosystems and contributing to algal
blooms.
3. Biodiversity Loss
• Habitat Destruction – clearing forests and wetlands for leads
to habitat loss for many species.
• Overuse of Chemicals – harm beneficial insects, birds, and
other wildlife, disrupting ecosystems and reducing biodiversity.
• Invasive Species – involve farming non-native species that
can escape into the wild and outcompete local species,
disrupting ecosystems.
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