However, most of the growers get information about technologies from pesticide vendors/agents who advocate their product even for non-biotic issues, including nutrient and water management, pH, salinity, temperature, stress, etc. This has caused additional loss of yield, low income, non-sustainable food production systems, and pollution. There is an urgent need to extend professional advisory services for a whole range of crops, from production to marketing. Improved pre and postharvest management (reduce field heat, cooling, etc.) could reduce produce water loss and respiration, while increasing the fresh mass and quality (freshness) of produce with extended shelf-life at the consumer end. Activities such as cleaning, sorting, grading and packaging of fresh farm produce are also important to minimize losses and increase farm income.
In South East Asia, India, Nepal, Kenya and the Central American countries, farms are generally family-owned and operate with less than one hectare of land. Their livelihood solely depends on farming with intensive cropping systems. Therefore, a well-planned comprehensive program needs to be introduced to improve the production system.
This presentation is on a range of cultural practices, including land preparation, liming, nutrient and water management, soil and soilless substrate formulation, transplant establishment, mulching, cropping systems, use of pesticides and integrated pest management, harvesting, postharvest technology, and shipping of produce practiced by the growers.