In our ancient times around 7000 BCE at Mehrgarh, era of Indus valley civilization the agriculture method shifted from early one as now people were cultivating the crops with the rearing of cattle, sheep, and goats alongside. 

And at the middle of the age the introduction of three-year crop rotation led to mixed farming and crop production as stable manure became increasingly available.

What is mixed farming ?

• Mixed farming is a type of farming in which boh rearing and cultivation of animals and crops are practiced respectively, it is a combination of crop cultivation and livestock rearing. 
• This type of farming is the native to many countries such as India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, South Africa, China, Central Europe, Canada and Russia. 
• Although previously It primarily served domestic consumption, countries like the United States and Japan now use it for commercial purposes.

Examples of Mixed Farming Systems:

• Cattle, sheep, goat: It includes mixed cultivation of maize and fodder crop to feed dairy or beef cattle, along with protein crops like soya or broad beans to provide protein for animals and nitrogen for the soil. Also for the feeding sheep and goat cereals like barley are produced on land.
• Poultry and cattles: Chickens eat insects and worms in the droppings of cattle, reducing parasite pressure on the cattle and providing the chickens with a natural food supplement.

Types of mixed farming 

There are some important types and methods of practising mixed farming from domestic to global level, here are some of them: 

1. Subsistence farming: This type of farming is practiced for self consumption or to fulfill one's own family needs, with little to no surplus for sale or trade, it signifies the real objective of agriculture.

• This farming supports self reliance and sustainability in which farmers grow enough crops for themselves. 
• Subsistence farming is mainly practised on small plots of land with simple machines and irrigation methods, Farms usually consist of no more than a few acres.
• As this farming is done on small land therefore there are o more labour costs needed, It relies on fire itself, sometimes using animals for help. 
• Also it does not require much expenses on fertilizers as it generally requires organic compost.

2. Shifting agriculture: Shifting agriculture is often known as slash and burn agriculture and swidden agriculture which is an old traditional method of farming. 

• In this type of agriculture farmers clear a small area of forest or brush by cutting and burning the vegetation to create arable land. This is done for practicing agriculture or growing crops for a limited time. 
• Cultivation is done for mainly two or three seasons until the soil will lose its fertility again or the field is overrun by weeds when the cultivation is done once ten farmers move to a new place and leave the area for growing of natural vegetation.
• Shifting cultivation relies heavily on human labor for clearing the land, sowing seeds, and harvesting crops which directly or indirectly relies on heavy machines like jcb and tractors.

Also Read: Commercial farming in India: Meaning, Types, Characteristics & Benefits

3. Intensive Farming: Intensive farming is practiced for the better quality high yield crop growth which generally requires significant amounts of labor, capital, and technology to increase crop yield per unit of land. 

• In this type of farming there is complete reliance on substantial inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation to achieve maximum yield. 
• Advanced technology is used for agriculture such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to boost productivity. 

4. Crop rotation: The method of planting different crops in an same plot of land in a quest for improving the soil fertility, optimizing nutrients in the soil, and combat pest and weed pressure, it helps to balance the fertilisers and compost expenses. 

• Appropriate crop rotation increases organic matter in the soil, improves soil structure, reduces soil degradation, and can result in higher yields and greater farm profitability in the long-term.
• Crop Rotation is the act of establishing various harvests consecutively on a similar plot of land to further develop soil wellbeing, streamline supplements in the soil, and weed pressure. 
• A short turn may include a few harvests, and complex rotation may join at least twelve. 

5. Dry agriculture: This farming is also called dryland farming in which the cultivation is done with the moderate climate in limited regions that require annual precipitation of less than 20 inches.

• This farming mostly relies on a natural irrigation system and natural water resources rather than advanced and modern technology. 
• Dry farming is a set of techniques and management practices used by farmers to adapt to the lack of moisture in a given crop cycle. 
• This farming is used to save water by utilizing the stored moisture in soil and depends on natural rainfall. 
• The native of this farming belongs to the western United States, Arabic countries, the Mediterranean, and parts of Africa, as well as certain areas of India and China.

6. Terrace Cultivation: Terrace farming is an agricultural method of cultivating crops in steep and rugged terrains into productive farmland by creating flat, levelled steps or terraces. 

• It is practice from ancient times that was used by the different cultures around the world to maximize arable lands into limited flat terrains.
• This technique is mostly practiced in the hilly regions and mountainous regions, where traditional farming methods would be challenging due to the slope of the land. 
• By effective water source and manageable land terrace farming set a bar for human ingenuity in adapting agriculture to challenging landscapes. 

Features of mixed farming

There are some important key features of practicing mixed farming that aim to improve farm profitability and better manage the environment by limiting external inputs and adapting to the natural environment. 

Here are some of them: 

• Crops and animal interrogation: Animals are raised and crops are grown on the same farm for agribusiness and livestock.
• There are generally small scale farms that are typically average in size also sometimes. Utilizing compost from creatures guarantees supported harvest creation and sets aside cash that would be used to purchase fertilizer.
• Extra crops can be used for grains along with it animal waste can be used to fertilize the soil. This farming allows diverse production which is Higher profitability without compromising the ecological balance.
• Pay increases. Mixed pay from selling crop gather and animal items are bigger when contrasted with crop cultivating alone or creature raising alone.