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What are the criteria for the choice of crops?
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Family and Animal Nutritional Needs
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Cash crop and marketing
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Crop fits a specific planting calendar
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Know how to cultivate the crop
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Plan the crop production unit in terms of crop
arrangement and dimensions, and family needs.
Introduction:
According to the FAO, the average supply per capita
of calories, protein and, to a lesser extent, fat has
improved during the eighties. However, the poorest countries
still suffer from shortages of these nutrients, as well
as of minerals, vitamins, and fiber. The crop production
unit can supply the family's diet in the form of calories,
protein, vitamins, fiber, and minerals at a comparatively
low cost (#1). The crop production unit, if properly
planned, can provide enough food for a family of up
to seven members.
Crop planning is the most important step for implementation
of the crop production unit (#2). Family and animal
nutrition (and income) will depend on the selected crops
success. Any mistake, any carelessness by part of the
planner, may have negative effects on crop yields and
the implementation of the program throughout the community.
Therefore, from the beginning, everything must be done
carefully, especially choosing the crops, planning their
arrangement, and amount of land allocated for each one.
Concept 1:
What are the criteria for the choice of crops?
a. Family and animal nutritional needs:
The nutrient needs of the family and of the animals
they produce primarily influence the crops to be grown
and the specific amount of land devoted to each crop,
each season. The crop production unit must supply the
family and animals integrated in the program with at
least the minimal nutritional requirements. Table 1
gives a general accounting of daily nutrient requirements
per person for a mixed-age family (#3). These nutrient
requirements can be obtained from the following crops,
as follows:
Calorie source: Since grain crops
are the principal food sources of the world, they constitute
the calorie base for both humans and animals in the
program (#4). Grain crops such as corn, rice, wheat,
or other species most commonly grown in the target area
should be considered.
Protein source: A food legume, such
as dry beans, peanuts, garbanzo beans, lentils, peas,
etc., together with the animal products, provide part
of the protein base for the human diet (#5). Soybeans
or other high protein seeds, such as sunflowers, peas
or lupine, form the protein source for animals.
Vitamins and minerals: A vegetable
garden provides variety to the family diet and critical
minerals and vitamins, particularly A and C (#6).
Small animals are feed efficient and can be maintained
on the amount of feedstuffs produced in the crop production
unit, with minimal nutritional supplementation of minerals
and vitamins.
b. Cash crop and marketing: The crop
production unit must produce economic incentives so
that income can meet the family's basic needs and give
reasons for adopting it (#7). A revenue source, either
food, non-food (flowers, etc.), or small animals, is
to be raised solely for cash purposes. This creates
some of the income for the family and becomes an economic
driver for the crop production unit.
c. Crop fits a specific planting calendar:
Sometimes crops are selected based on conditions suitable
for a specific growing season (#8). The course leader
needs to identify which crops are planted during what
season's growth period and for what reason. It could
be that during the rainy season one crop will require
more pesticides than during the dry period. Other crops
might be sensitive to light or temperature variations,
etc.
d. Know how to cultivate the crop:
It could be possible that farmers are not familiar with
certain crop production practices. The course leader
will need to provide special training and information
on such practices, especially if a new crop or even
a new variety is introduced.(#9).
Learning Activity 1:
Course Leader fills out table of "Crop Selection" by
asking participants for ideas first (#10). If no more
ideas are forthcoming and some crucial ones were omitted,
the leader then asks "Well, what about protein sources?"
for example, etc. Course leader can use a poster with
the four food groups with this activity or can ask participants
to bring a dish (beans, oats, lentils), fruits and vegetables
grown in the area. Note: You may need to get more basic,
for instance, "What happens when you do not get enough
to eat? (weak, tired) Where do you get energy to walk
-run -work, from calories-energy (corn. sorghum). Where
do muscles for strength and growth come from? (protein)
What keeps you from having brittle bones and watery
eyes?" (vitamin and minerals). All of these nutrients
must be present for a person to be healthy.
Concept 2:
Plan the crop production unit in terms of crop arrangement
and dimensions.
One hectare of land represents the land holding of
the majority of small farmers in the world. Thus, it
would be a realistic basic production unit. With the
help of Table 1, we can calculate the daily minimum
dietary requirements for a family of four. Mix different
crops to provide the necessary protein, calories, and
vitamins and minerals for the family (#11). Also, we
can calculate the feed needs of the animals chosen to
be incorporated in the production unit. With this information
and the average yields of the different crops, we can
determine the amount of land required per crop. Even
though the assumption was made that one hectare of land
would represent the land holding of most small farmers,
it is possible that the amount of land to cultivate
may vary depending on crop yields. As an example of
a production unit, dimensions of a one hectare model
with crop arrangement is given in Figure 1. This production
unit represents the land distribution (%) for the following
crops in one hectare, as follows:
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40% for corn as calorie source for human and animal
consumption.
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20% for soybeans as protein source for animal consumption.
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20% for dry beans as protein supplement for human
consumption.
d 20% for melons, cucumbers, onions, etc. as cash crop
for family income source and a small amount of land
(175 mē) dedicated for vegetable production to provide
vitamins and minerals for the family.
Learning Activity 2:
Participants form small groups of 4 to 5, and 2 members
of each group will instruct his fellow farmers, how
to choose the crops, arrange them in the plan, and calculate
the dimensions of each. If a certain group of farmers
would like to start a crop production unit, participants
can apply their skills with that group, teaching farmers
in a real situation.
Learning Activity 3:
Participants are shown how to delineate crop arrangements
and dimensions in a one hectare parcel of land. Each
section of the parcel should be measured according to
the crop being planted. This particular crop production
unit plan is for a family of 6 members, and 12 layers.
The number of people and animals will vary according
to circumstances in each production unit. In this unit
we need to produce enough crops to feed the family and
animals for a year.
Ask the group to take 20-30 minutes to make a plan
with their selected crops, their cropping arrangement
and specific dimensions. Also, ask participants to estimate
their crops' expected yields.
Note: Animal component might
include: poultry (broiler and laying chickens),
rabbits, milking goats, fish, or other animals adaptable
to the region and cultural patterns. Except for the
goat, whose purpose is primarily milk production, the
animals are small enough to be consumed by the family
in a single meal, thus eliminating preservation problems.
The animals provide the family with a constant supply
of quality protein and serve as a food reserve as well.
Large animals do not fit the module because there is
not enough feed available to feed them.
List of figures for lesson 1.1
(Click on the numbered links below to view and
print full-sized figures)
 1. Drawing of a poster showing four food
groups
2. Drawing of crop production unit showing
different crops.
3. Table 1 (from lesson)
4. Drawing of a field with a grain crop.
5. Drawing of a field with a legume.
6. Drawing of a group of fruits and vegetables.
7. Drawing of money $ $ $ or stand of fruits,
vegetables and flowers for sale.
8. Drawing of a calendar.
9. Drawing of pamphlets with crop production
information.
10. Table 1
11. Figure 1 (from lesson)
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