Food production system elements By improving the various
components of food production systems the efficiency,
resilience, adaptive capacity and mitigation potential of the
production systems can be greatly enhanced. Some of the key
improvements included in the publication are highlighted below.
1. Soil and nutrient management The availability of nitrogen and
other nutrients is essential to increase yields. This can be
done through composting manure and crop residues, more precise
matching of nutrients with plant needs, controlled release and
deep placement technologies or using legumes for natural
nitrogen fixation. Using methods and practices that increases
organic nutrient inputs, retention and use are therefore
fundamental and reduces the need of synthetic fertilizers which,
due to cost and access, are often unavailable to smallholders
and, through their production and transport, contribute to GHG
emissions. Improving soil nutrient content Many subsistence crop
production system soils are depleted and hav