Draft:Prevention Agriculture

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Preventive Agriculture (PA), as an agricultural operation model, aims to effectively provide crops and livestock with sufficient nutrition, prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases and physiological disorders, or intervene in the early stages of agricultural disasters. The goal is to reduce the operating costs and losses for farmers while promoting the yield and health of crops, agricultural products, and large-scale livestock and domesticated animals.

The implementation of PA is not limited to open field or facility cultivation and applies to both livestock housing and free-range systems. Depending on the specific crop cultivation or animal husbandry model, the promotion of PA will involve different application plans and treatment methods.

Unlike conventional, toxin-free, organic, regenerative, or natural farming methods, PA combines the advantages of various farming practices. It begins by supplementing nutrition during the seed or seedling stage of crops or the pregnancy or early life stages of livestock, enhancing natural immunity. This is further supported by external control measures to promote the growth and health of plants and animals. On the agricultural spectrum, PA is Closer to toxin-free farming but does not exclude the use of chemical control methods, allowing farmers to choose the management approach that best suits their need under the PA framework.

Additionally, PA can incorporate the use of smart agriculture or precision agriculture. By utilizing early warning platforms, big date, or diagnostic reports, including agricultural meteorology, soil monitoring, plant tissue analysis, and epidemiological analysis, element distribution, climate change, or livestock disease notifications.

Crop management

PA on crop management primarily revolves around the Integrated Crop Management (ICM) program, which is further divided into Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). ICM emphasizes a comprehensive crop production management approach, including the cultivation of disease-resistant crop varieties, seed treatment, application of microbial and organic fertilizers, foliar supplementation of macro, secondary, and micronutrients, biologicals control using natural predators, the use of bio-stimulants, the application of high-yielding varieties, and crop rotation.

• Integrated Nutrient Management (INM): INM in crop soils uses a simple model that combines organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, and beneficial microorganisms. Organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, and beneficial microbial preparations can be mixed to treat the soil, or commercially available microbial compound fertilizers can be used. This approach increases the organic matter in the soil, supplements the essential nutrients for crops, and introduces beneficial microorganisms. These elements interact to enhance the crop roots' ability to absorb soil nutrients. INM can also be applied to the above-ground parts of crops through foliar supplementation, which increases the crops' ability to absorb soil nutrients uptake, particularly when the roots are damaged and unable to absorb nutrients. This immediate provision of nutrients can repair root damage. These two treatment methods can meet the plant's nutritional needs, reduce input costs, create favorable soil physicochemical conditions, and promote a healthy rhizosphere environment, ultimately improving crop quality and yield.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): IPM is an effective and environmentally friendly pest management method that relies on a combination of various pest and disease control methods to manage crops in the most economical way, reducing harm to human health, costs, and the environment. ICM can use seeds (including toxin-free seedlings and disease-resistant varieties), minimal chemical control (using chemical pesticides), biological and biochemical control (using beneficial microorganisms, predatory insects, and biostimulants), physical control (removal, flooding, burning, steaming, and high temperatures), and agricultural control (crop rotation and intercropping). Farmers can use two the three of these control methods or follow the treatment plans provided by PA promoters to effectively reduce the incidence of crop diseases and pests.
• Management between the two: Sometimes, the boundaries between nutrient management and pest management are not clear. For example, crop residues may contain nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, iron, and manganese, as well as proteins, amino acids, cellulose, or lignin, along with opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms and insect eggs. Therefore, microbial preparations that quickly decompose plant residues can be used to rapidly break down crop residues after harvest, providing some of the nutrients needed for the next crop while decomposing the pathogens and insect eggs in the crop residues. Additionally, biochemical substances used to treat crops can provide nutrients, promote the absorption of soil nutrients, and control pests and diseases. For instance, potassium phosphite can provide long-lasting phosphorus and potassium while inducing disease resistance in crops. Using root-promoting microorganisms can release lysozymes, siderophores, antibiotics, organic acids, and natural plant hormones targeted at pathogenic microorganisms, creating a healthy rhizosphere and aiding in nutrient absorption form the soil. Agricultural surfactants can reduce the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the soil or on leaves while improving the crop's nutrient uptake.

The success of PA in crop management depends on the effectiveness of the program in the specific soil conditions, climate types, and crop varieties of the implementation area. Agricultural inputs need to be a adjusted according to these different conditions to maximize benefits for farmers and consumers. Sustainable agriculture, circular agriculture, and regenerative agriculture are the goals of PA, and ICM in PA also serves as a practical promotion for regenerative, circular, and sustainable agriculture.

Integrated Animal Health Management

Prevention Agriculture in livestock management primarily focuses on the Integrated Health Management (IHM) program, which emphasizes nutritional management and is complemented by improvements in the rearing environment. By supplementing sufficient minerals, proteins, and vitamins, along with appropriate feed and the use of plant-based agents and beneficial microorganisms, IHM promotes healthy animal growth, increases the productivity of livestock, and extends the health and lifespan of pets. In terms of improving the rearing environment, natural repellents, natural deodorizers, and microbial decomposition agents can be used to reduce the presence of parasitic insects, harmful gases, and pathogenic microorganisms in the environment, thereby lowering the risk of animals contracting harmful organisms.

IHM is a proactive strategy designed to enhance animal health and well-being while reducing reliance on antibiotics and pharmaceuticals. This comprehensive approach is built around three key components: disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Prevention

The concept of "prevention is better than cure" is the cornerstone of IHM, with this phase focusing on implementing preventive measures to minimize the risk of disease occurrence. The emphasis is on strict hygiene and biosecurity protocols, regular vaccination, and careful livestock management to reduce the likelihood of pathogen invasion.

Preventive measures include, but are not limited to, the following as:

1. Nutritional Management: Effective nutritional management is crucial in prevention strategies, as nutrition directly impacts an animal's well-being, growth, productivity, and disease resistance. Nutritional management involves designing diet plans tailored to the animal's specific life stage, physiological condition, and environmental parameters. Incorporating functional additives such as probiotics, essential oil, enzymes, organic acids, or nutritional supplements like minerals and vitamins into the basic feed is an effective way to address special nutritional needs. For instance, probiotics and prebiotics have the potential to promote a healthy gut microbiome, enhance digestion, nutrient absorption, strengthen the immune system, and improve overall animal health.
2. Environmental Control and Facility Management: Good environmental control and facility management are critical contributors to disease prevention. Proper rearing conditions, including temperature and humidity control, ensuring adequate space, and reducing stress, can significantly improve livestock health.
3. Waste Management: Proper waste management is essential in maintaining a sanitary environment free of disease vectors and pathogens. It helps control odors, prevent the breeding of disease-carrying pests, and protect nearby water bodies from contamination.

Diagnosis

IHM encourages regular check-ups and disease testing to expedite the diagnostic process. Routine health monitoring, including behavioral and body condition scoring, combined with advanced diagnostic tools such as ultrasound and blood tests, provides a detailed understanding of the animal's health status, which is crucial for making informed treatment decisions.

Treatment

The final phase of the IHM approach is treatment, which is carried out after a disease has been diagnosed. The focus is on targeted treatment strategies, using disease-specific medications administered at prescribed dosages. This approach not only ensures the effectiveness of the treatment but also reduces the risk of developing drug-resistant pathogens and minimizes unnecessary medication use. The goal is to maintain the highest level of animal welfare while ensuring public health safety.

IHM relies on the interconnection of these three phases to create a health-promoting environment for animals. As a result, IHM is emerging as a future-oriented approach that balances environmental stewardship and public health safety while ensuring the sustainability of agricultural and livestock production.

Related Topics

• Integrated Nutrient Management
• Precision Agriculture
• Sustainable agriculture

Reference

1. Prevention Agriculture. 2024-08-15.
2. Integrated animal health management : Dictionary of Agroecology (dicoagroecologie.fr). 2024-08-15