Hiral Dutia Miranda Aufiero Alex Becker

Monoculture: a single crop planted over a wide area. Assessment • Used excessively on American farms, especially on corn •Online survey: and soy farms. • Farmers: Polyculture: a multitude of different crops grown on a • Register with the Farm Bureau. given expanse of land, either through crop rotation or • Record crop data online. Inspectors: planting rows of different crops side-by-side. • • Inspect crops twice a year. • Uses nutrients, space, and energy in a balanced manner. • Contact farmers if problems are present. • Increases self-reliance, food security, and economic • Post general data online. growth. • Include survey at marketplace to compare with generalized data. Polyculture vs. Monoculture •University extension programs that aid farmers with new Disadvantages of Monoculture: agricultural practices. • Depletes soil of its nutrients and water content. • Eliminates soil microorganisms. Promotion • Increases soil erosion. • Inform farmers about the benefits: • Reduces species diversity. Proposal • Show farmers that polyculture farming provides higher yields • Contaminates water. • Introduce polyculture to mainstream farming. to create incentive for them to transition to polyculture Benefits of Polyculture: • Encourage farmers to transition to polyculture farming. farming. • Increases biodiversity. • Inform farmers of the benefits. • Distribute educational brochures through farming Promote and provide training. • Enhances soil health. • associations. • Inform consumers of the benefits of polyculture farms. • Eliminates fossil-fuel fertilizers and pesticides. • Arrange talks with successful local polyculture farmers to: • Encourage consumers to buy polyculture products. • Facilitate transition to polyculture farming. • Promotes clean water run off. • Recognize corporations that buy polyculture products. • Reduces disease severity. • Offer a support network. • Act as a forum for queries. • Increases yields. Mechanisms and Solutions • Inform consumers about the benefits: • Decreases soil erosion. • Distribute brochures through farmers’ markets. • Sequesters carbon. Principles to Consider: •Mimic the structure of natural vegetation. • Advertise online and through other media. •Use native perennial plants. •Plant compatible species. •Maximize natural processes. •Place crops to ensure optimal interaction. Farming Methods: •Crop rotation: growing dissimilar crops sequentially on the same field. •Multi-cropping: the cultivation of two or more crops in the same area simultaneously. •Inter-cropping: the planting of smaller crops between the spaces of the larger crops.