An Evaluation about Diversification of Agricultural Production

Some of the people who do not produce agricultural products want to produce food and agricultural products or want to contribute to people who produce. Distribution of fruit saplings in places where scientifically appropriate conditions exist can be considered as an option for those who want to contribute to people producing agricultural products. It would be more appropriate to explain this with an example; For example, in a village where 100 farmers live and whose main source of income is animal husbandry, it is possible to provide many benefits by giving 20 fruit saplings to each farmer, provided that there are scientifically appropriate conditions. Of course, if the conditions are suitable, farmers can purchase or produce these fruit saplings themselves.

For example, you wanted to give fruit saplings to a village and decided to give almond saplings based on the advice of an agricultural engineer. You distributed 2000 almond saplings to 100 farmers, 20 almond saplings for each farmer. Thanks to the saplings you give to this village, whose main source of income is animal husbandry, people will be provided with additional income every year during the harvest season. Assuming that one almond sapling produces an average of 30 kilograms of fruit, 2000 saplings will yield approximately 60 tons of almonds in total. For these 60 tons of almonds produced in the village, farmers can contact wholesale traders and sell their products. While it is difficult for a farmer to find buyers for the limited amount of fruit produced by a few trees, when most farmers in the same village plant the same fruit saplings, the amount of product obtained will increase and marketing opportunities will become easier.

Of course, it is important to ensure diversity in agricultural production, and it would not be right to give advice to farmers living in the same village to always plant the same fruit saplings, but if farmers find common ground in some of the products they produce, they can be more successful in generating income by increasing their marketing opportunities. For example, there are milk collection centers in some villages whose main source of income is dairy farming, and these milk collection centers were established and developed because milk production is a common value in such villages.

Farmers living in the same village can plant many different fruit saplings, but if they find common ground by producing the same type of fruit saplings in at least one or two types of fruit saplings, the production amount of the same type of product in the village will increase and thus marketing opportunities can be improved. These fruit saplings planted by farmers in the village will provide additional income directly as well as many indirect benefits; these will cause many other positive effects, such as fruit trees providing shade for animals in hot seasons, providing resources for bees to use in honey production, and contributing to the prevention of soil erosion.

A point that should be taken into consideration here is that when fruit saplings are distributed to a village whose main source of income is animal husbandry; Late-blooming saplings that are not affected by weather events such as frost and hoarfrost can be selected, and at the same time, saplings that are resistant to diseases and drought can be selected. Because people whose main source of income is animal husbandry and who specialize in animal husbandry may not be able to spare time to learn information about sensitive fruit saplings that need compulsory care at certain periods, and therefore may not be able to do necessary care to fruit saplings.

Kind regards
Zekeriya Gümüşhan