Hillside farming a growing practice
Published:Wednesday | August 4, 2010 | 12:00 AM
One of the sustainable farming practices in Kingston and St Andrew is hillside farming and, according to a Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) extension and marketing officer, this method can be improved using affordable means.
The miniature version of hillside farming, displayed in the Kingston and St Andrew parish pavilion, demonstrated the creative use of tree stumps, old tyres and stones.
"If you're cutting trees, the stumps can be used to make log barriers. Just pick up tyres anywhere and fill them before using them as barriers too.
"Stones can be used to create a wall, which also acts as a barrier," said Errard Stephenson, RADA extension and marketing officer for Kingston and St Andrew.
Popular agricultural practice
Considering the Blue Mountain Range and other hilly areas of St Andrew, one of the most popular agricultural practices is hillside farming.
However, heavy rainfall tends to cause land slippage, resulting in damaged crops and blocked roads.
"Pineapple is also a good live barrier," Stephenson said, noting that this will help to prevent landslides.
The hillside farm model showed coffee crops being grown at the highest point, where the top is flat and cool. A bit further down the slope, the forest areas are maintained.
"Trees help to prevent the impact of rain," the extension officer said. "The leaves break the rain and the trickle is much slower and is slowly absorbed into the soil," Stephenson explained.
As he continued down the slope, he made note of the log, stone and tyre barriers that are put into place.
"Then the dams come into play."
Stephenson, who is also a backyard farmer, suggests that farmers not use pesticides. If necessary, he said, they should use pesticides containing biochemicals, as crops might be reaped and eaten within one to two days after pesticide use.
"Personally, I check on the damage impact. I go through and check and pick off insects so I don't have to buy chemicals," he said.
One of the most important details of farming, Stephenson noted, is to make sure that a drain is built right across the water flow so that flood water might be directed away from crops.