Multi-layer farming : The Why and the how.

It is a type of intercropping that involves growing of plants at different heights on the same field at the same time. This method of cropping is mostly practised in orchards and plantations.

The method came into practice to have good utilisation of available land as well as solar energy. Those plants are planted at the top which requires more sunlight and is less prone to transpiration while those require to shed and high humidity are situated at the bottom.

Process of Multilayer Farming

●     The method involves the use of a multilayer seed sowing method in which vegetables and fruits are sown in the deep middle or topmost region based on their favorable conditions.

●     The seeds of various creepers like bottle guard, the bitter guard are sown in small pits along with the mixture of organic manure and soil.

●     Several farmyard manure, leaf-based liquids are applied for proper growth and to maintain the health of crops.

●     There should be mixed Cultivation in multilayer farming like leguminous crops should be planted along with non-leguminous crops. Deep-rooted crops should be mixed with shallow-rooted crops.

●     Crops like sweet potato and elephant foot yam should be mixed with leafy crops.

Benefits of Multilayer Farming

●     Multilayer Farming sustains the cash flow. As multiple crops avail farmer to remail financially capable throughout the year.

●     Also, it employs a lot of people for the entire year.

●     It also reduces the impact of heavy rainfall, landslides and soil erosion.

●     Multiple crops require multiple nutrients and hence soil gets enriched with numerous nutrients increasing its fertility.

●     Multiple crops also enhance biodiversity which indirectly helps to prevent crop attacks of weeds, pests and several other crop diseases.

●     Water retention capacity of the soil improves by this method.

●     The farming method maintains ecological balance in

Multilayer Farming is a very useful farming method for farmers having a small piece of land. Moreover, it gives a satisfactory amount of income to farmers throughout the year. Also, the chances of crop failure degrade due to multiple cropping. Therefore, one should try this sustainable agricultural method and get benefitted. Specially plantation crops like Coconut, Areca nut, Coffee, and Cashew receive high benefits from multi-layer farming and you can try your hands at this. The method will maximize the proper utilization of resources with higher efficiency.

Even the use of water is efficient since multi-layer farming saves 90 per cent water and uses the same amount of water as required by a single crop, but is used to grow five crops.

Due to the nature of the plantation, pest attacks are minimal, therefore, no chemicals are used to control them. The farm either has crop guards which are yellow and blue sheets, smeared with mustard oil and jaggery to trap flying insects so that they do not reproduce. Biopesticides are generally not required, but when in need, these too are brewed on the farm. While one concoction mixes 60-day old buttermilk with ginger, dry chillies and garlic, other methods include spraying neem oil.

He is also committed to sharing his knowledge through free training sessions and workshops to help other farmers benefit. Since 2013, he has trained close to 48,000 farmers and told them about 12-15 combinations of crops that are suitable for multi-layer farming.

He has also created a seed bank with like-minded farmers to preserve and multiply indigenous varieties. The process works in two ways—a farmer can take seeds from the bank, multiply them and return twice the number of seeds the following year. But if he is unable to multiply them, he has to pay the price, so that more seeds can be bought and given to other farmers.

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