Protected Agriculture - Climate Smart Agriculture

PPT on Protected Agriculture presented at the three-day 'Training and Validation Workshop on Modules of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Technologies in South Asia' workshop on April 22, 2024.

1. Protected Agriculture
Dhruba Raj Bhattarai, PhD
Senior Scientist and Chief
National Agricultural Environment Research Centre (NAERC)
,
Government of Nepal
Nepal Agricultural Research Council
Khumaltar, Kathmandu, Nepal

2. Background
❖Protected agriculture is a process of growing crops in a
controlled environment
❖Temperature, RH, light can be regulated partially or fully
❖The micro-environment surrounding the plant body is
controlled partially/ fully to maximize the yield while saving
resources
❖Protected Agriculture (PA) can better optimize the use of
resource vulnerable to climate change and build a more
robust sustainable food system

3. Slide 3
Advantages of protected agriculture
Protected Agriculture
High yield
High income
Better quality
Mechanization
Automation
Off season farming
Efficient management
of water, nutrient,
diseases, paste & weeds
Gender responsive
Reducing negative
effects of climate
change
Healthy, uniform
planting materials

4. Limitations of protected agriculture
❖High initial cost (capital cost)
❖Repair and maintenance
❖All operations are intensive
❖Requires higher degree of management
❖Skilled human resource at local level
❖Not all crops are profitable under protected condition

5. Slide 5
Concept of protected agriculture
❖Imagine a plant, it mainly has two parts i.e. root and
stem
❖The root which is inside the soil and the stem is above the
soil
❖Imagine there is excess water in the root zone, will our
plant be able to survive?
❖If there is no water in the root zone, will our plant
survive?
❖Both excess water and insufficient water will cause
problems for the plant
How to give the right amount of water?
We have technology for this, from there
protected farming begins.

6. Slide 6
Major factors affect the plant
Arial environment
Insect
Disease
Wind
Hail
Heat
Light
Humidity
Rain
Soil environment
Soil
Water
Nutrition

7. Slide 7
❖If our plant is to be protected from insects, then we can use
the right kind of insect net
❖If we want to protect the plant from strong wind, then we can
use shade net or insect net. In such a situation greenhouse
can also be used
❖If problem is much sunlight, we can use shade net.
❖If problem is high temperature, we can use shade net, a
humidifier, fan and pad cooling system
❖If temperature is lower, plant needs a higher temperature, we
need a heating system
❖If the temperature of the environment is 30 to 40 degree
Celsius; but plant needs 25 degree Celsius to grow, we have to
make arrangements so that the temperature can be lowered
to the optimum level

8. Slide 8
Commonly used PA technologies
1.Forcedventilatedgreenhouse
2.Naturallyventilatedpolyhouse
3.Plastictunnel
4.Shednethouse
5.Insectproofnethouse
6.Hydroponics
7.Mulching&dripirrigation

9. Slide 9
Greenhouse cultivation
❖Among all the protected farming options, greenhouse
cultivation provides maximum benefits
❖Main components of greenhouse: Frame, Cladding material,
Climate control system
Forced ventilated
Naturally ventilated

10. Slide 10
Source: Sudip Mitra, IIT, Guwahati, India
Structural design of greenhouse

11. Polyhouse Plastictunnel
Shedhouse

12. Dripirrigation
Mulching

13. Source: Sudip Mitra, IIT, Guwahati, India

14. Hydroponics
❖Hydroponics is a soil less cultivation system, here the root
system is supported using an inert medium such as coco coir,
vermiculite, peat moss etc.
❖The basic principle of hydroponic is to allow the plants roots
to come in direct contact with the nutrient solution (NPK
mix, calcium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, ammonium nitrate)
❖Organics can also be used in hydroponic with proper
precautions

15. Conclusion
❖Protected agriculture delivers the benefits of improved
quality and productivity
❖A valuable solution is also for small-scale farmers to
modernize cultivation practices, optimize resources and
increase crop yields
❖Dropping workload; woman friendly
Protected Agriculture is a sustainable alternative for increasing
productivity, while reducing the negative effects of climate
change.

16. Thank you!