ABOUT THE BOOKFarming system is an integrated set of activities that farmers execute in their farms under their resources and circumstances to maximize the productivity and net farm income on a sustainable basis.
Farming systems research is considered a powerful tool for natural and human resource management in developing countries such as India.
This is a multi-disciplinary whole-farm approach and very effective in solving the problems of small and marginal farmers.
The approach aims at increasing income and employment from small-holdings by integrating various farm enterprises and recycling crop residues and by-products within the farm itself.
The need for Farming Systems Approach in the present scenario is mainly due to high cost of farm inputs, fluctuation in the market price of farm produce, risk in crop harvest due to climatic vagaries and biotic factors.
Environmental degradation, depletion in soil fertility & productivity, unstable income of the farmer, fragmentation of holdings and low standard of living add to the intensity of the problem.
The farming system approach, therefore, assumes great importance for sound management of farm resources to enhance farm productivity, reduce the degradation of environmental quality and improve the quality of life of farmers and above all to maintain sustainability in farm production and productivityThe book on �Farming System - Concepts and Approaches� brings out the comprehensive information about the definition and classification of cropping system, plant interactions in cropping system, agronomic requirements of cropping system, evaluation indices, importance of forages, classification of feeds and forages, cultivation of forage crops, forage quality,  fodder preservation, forage seed production, importance of farming system, farming system research, concepts, objectives, steps and characteristics of farming system research,  integrated farming system for different agro-climatic zones, crop and animal waste utilization, enterprises in farming system, interactions of components, evaluation of farming system research under major chapters viz.
, cropping system, forages and farming system.
Thus, this book will definitely serve as a reference book for the agricultural students, extension personnel, scientists and policy makers.