The US-based Monsanto started in 1901 with the production of the artificial sweetener saccharine. By the 1940s, it had expanded its business to Europe and had become one of the leading chemical manufacturing companies in the United States.  Among its herbicide products, the dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) became particularly infamous for its disastrous health risks and environmental damage, and was banned in 1972 in the US, owing to the efforts by environmentalists.

In early 1980s, Monsanto started genetic experimenting on plant cells. This was a big leap for the company, away from chemical production to biotechnical engineering, and by the end of the century Monsanto had become the biotech giant of the world, specializing in genetically modified seeds. Genetically modified (GM) foods, mostly crops, have the advantages of high tolerance of herbicides, resistance to pests, diseases, drought, and low temperature, and added nutrition. At the same time, such crops have been subject to strong criticism. A number of human health risks, including different types of allergic reactions, have been known as caused by GM foods. And equally, or even more, serious are the concerns of genetic invasions caused by GM species.

Studies show that GM plants are capable of interbreeding with non-GM plants of the same species, which are planted near them. Thus, the biotechnologically altered genes travel through crops and multiply in numbers as well as complexity, posing unforeseen threats to public health. Furthermore, the altered genes can be incorporated into the genetic makeup of the weeds growing around them, causing the weeds to become herbicide resistant. This would mean a threat to environment and crops, as well as additional cost to economy due to the need for researching new, stronger varieties of herbicides.

With an expanding business going hand in hand with the genetic contamination of crops, Monsanto also continued to have an increasing experience of litigation against the farming community. Crop farmers in US and Canada have been sued by Monsanto for reproducing GM seeds/crops without paying the due royalty to the company. By 2005, at least 90 lawsuits had been by Monsanto against American farmers alone. A famous case highlighted by the Greenpeace International was that of a Canadian farmer Percy Shmeiser who lost his case in 2004 to Monsanto for failing to pay the company while accidentally discovering herbicide-resistant canola on his farm and reproducing it without the prior permission of Monsanto. Greenpeace called the GM invasion of common crops ‘genetic pollution’. Does a company have the right to genetically contaminate common crops of farms and then claim patent rights when the uninvited GM seeds on one’s own farm are reproduced?

This question, with added environmental concern, has already entered the law court and the verdict of the court will certainly be the determinant of the future of farming and feeding in and outside America. What is unambiguously clear so far is the fact that if you try to transcend nature, it will cost more than it pays; though for companies like Monsanto, the profit may surpass both the investment and the cost of litigation.

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Economy-wise, this must be the most disabling situation yet for local farmers in Kenya. Some hold on to the hope of having rain soon while others have long given up and were forced to find food and sustenance elsewhere. Authorities said that there has been a steady slew of rural folks migrating to the city bearing high hopes of better living condition. Drought truly has brought despair to many farmers whose main source of income comes from their own hands. Social workers in the area have reported that families there are now reduced to one meal a day—that includes children, elderly and pregnant women. Some villages were abandoned by its residents due to the shortage of water supply. Local farmers are not only dismayed about their current water situation but of the ever increasing food prices in Kenya as well making it all the more harder to provide food for their own families. According to authorities, the rising price of food is also a result of the drought.

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Green house farming has become necessary because of the shortage of land in some areas.  In greenhouses, farmers can grow vegetables, fruits and some crops all year round.  A company in Canada has found a way to make green houses produce 20 times more fruit using renewable energy to fuel the greenhouse.

These types of green houses are essentially a small world of their own.  It is powered by solar panels that provide power to the green house and a pond for irrigation.  Plants, vegetables or fruits are grown without herbicides with the use of pesticides to the minimum.   Plants are fed due special tubing and there is a restricted use of fertilizer as well due to absence of dust in the green house. Fertilizer use is decreased by half.

As a commitment to sustainable ecosystems and energy use, bumblebees are used for pollination.  The water collected, condensed, filtered from the pond goes back to the green houses to ensure fruitful crops.   This type of technology allows saving more than one-fifth of what is needed in terms of water during regular farming.

With these eco friendly types of green houses, it is possible to harvest 482 tons of tomatoes from one acre.  It is also proving to be profitable with all the expenses covered after 10 years of green house exploitation.  The power generated by the green house can power up to 1500 homes.   Another interesting fact is that plants stay alive for a longer period inside the green house compared to the field, so they are being replaced every six months. With more than 300 days of sunshine every year, the green houses seem to be a perfect facility for all-year crops at the same time being a sustainable farming facility.

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In reality, there are areas in the world that experience drought every now and then. Elevated farm communities for one, need to employ a strict water conservation all year round just to make their water supply last longer than it should. There are also drought-prone areas that pose a problem to its local government when rain won’t come for months on end. Due to these problems, farm water conservation in these areas is highly encouraged. Here are some water conservation ideas that proved to be effective in farm communities:

• Use a water gauge. This way, you’ll be able to notice when there’s a difference in readings. Also, a water meter will help you determine the estimated amount of water you always consume. When it goes high then it’s time to check the water lines for leaks. It can also help you plan accordingly when there’s an expected water shortage to come.
• Cover all dugouts to prevent evaporation from happening.
• Experts believe that a farmer would be able to conserve more water if they use one large dugout instead of multiple smaller ones. Use pipelines to distribute them to their destinations. This will eliminate the need to maintain several dugouts which proves to be time-consuming and not cost-effective too. Moreover, multiple dugouts are very prone to water seepage.
• Upgrading your water facilities is very important as technology today continually evolved to a much better function than ever before.

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Organic farmers believe that a free range chicken is one happy chicken and therefore is not oozing with harmful toxins. Not only will it help your energy levels and staying power last longer but also it was said to delay the aging process when introduced along with overall healthy lifestyle.

Most free range chickens are kept organic, since then it became so popular to health buffs the world over causing a shortage in supply. This alone makes it a very lucrative business for farmers worldwide especially in times like these when people are beginning to make a conscious effort in living a healthy lifestyle. Organically raised chickens are grass fed and they are encouraged to live a stress free life of clean air and water. As much as possible, no chemicals are introduced to the chicken’s system, whether directly to the chicken or to its surrounding areas.

Free range chickens are a great source of protein. Aside from that, it offers many benefits to humans when consumed. It is healthy and very delicious too unlike those that are raised in coops which tend to be less tasty. Be warned though, since free range chickens require special care, it tends to cost more than its supermarket counterparts.

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Bee farms are cheap and easy. In fact, they are most recommended for small scale farmers with no resources to start their own businesses with. Many organizations are working on introducing this kind of activity for developing countries like Africa and Asia. So far, may farmers have responded and bee farms are faring well.

There’s no better time to start your own bee farm than today since the demand is very high and the supply is somewhat lacking. It opens a door for poor farmers to somehow generate enough income to support his or her family. It can even be a family business since beekeeping can be done by everyone in the family including kids. Best of all, it can blend perfectly with your crops, assuming you’re also growing them. As we all know, bees pollinate, making your crops all the more healthy therefore increasing their productivity level.

Bees produce honey while honey has high value when sold. They are very easy to harvest and won’t require any additional technology to do so. All it takes is a simple know-how which most free seminars will teach you. Furthermore, its byproduct is well sought-after by manufacturing companies and even health conscious individuals so there’s no need to fret where to sell your goods after each harvest.

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Community supported agriculture works effectively in and around areas where farm communities are conveniently located. Since the transportation costs is somehow lessen, if not prevented altogether, produce are offered cheap to members considering that they only have to pay for one-time shareholder’s fee before the planting season starts. There are many types of arrangement when going for CSA depending on what’s convenient for both the farmer and his consumers, these are:

·    Farm-to-home delivery set-up. In this arrangement the farmer will have the produce delivered to his consumers or the consumer picks it up after harvest all boxed up and ready to go. The only problem in this set-up is that the consumer would have to put up with what goes in his or her box since it is all up to the farmer’s discretion.
·    On-farm handpicking set-up. Consumers are allowed to pick their own share in the farm when harvesting season arrives. The only drawback is that this set-up tends to leave the farm in pieces after the harvest is over such as trampled plants. Not to mention this one angry shareholder who happens to be late for the picking.
·    Market style set-up. To avoid farm destruction, some resourceful farmers opt to put up a small stall outside of the farm and put together the produce for the consumers to choose from. This way, everyone is happy to have a variety a produce but also the farmer won’t have to worry about the state of his farm during handpicking sessions.

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Although farm fishing is, by far, the best alternative to commercial fishing, still it has its own environmental effects and may put human consumers in danger as well. Farm fishing is developed by the fishing industries to address the issues of damaged marine life and over-fishing in seas that resulted to the drastic decline of fishes and other marine life, both edible and not. Since farm fishing was born, it earned strong support from the government since it seemed to provide the best possible solution for the problem at hand.

One of the cited concerns in farm fishing is the alteration of habitat for farm-raised fishes which is a very apparent one since most fish farms are manmade. Due to the limited range of motion, disease transmission is almost instant among fishes in cages and since their cages don’t function as a natural one would normally do, their wastes settle and accumulate within their supposedly homes causing bacteria to grow and spread from one fish to another; sometimes, it can get too strong it wipes out the whole batch. These bacteria are also suspected of causing some cases of food poisoning among humans although the link is yet to be established.

And then there’s the issue of pollution which apparently these fish farms cause. It was said that wastes coming from fish farms will eventually lead to larger bodies of water endangering all species living there. While these notions are yet to be established, hopefully someone of authority could shed a light to the issue at hand and arrive to an acceptable solution for all parties concerned. After all, farm fishing still looks promising for fish farmers and the environment alike.

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Forest farming involves trimming down, albeit cautiously, some certain genus to reestablish balance and equilibrium of a particular forest. Forest farming is encouraged in areas wherein there is an existing issue of overabundance of certain species which restrict growth of other living organisms essential in the biological cycle. Some of the most popular harvests are exotic mushrooms such as Shiitake and other medicinal, edible fungi. This method of farming is not only about harvesting but also it involves planning and cultivating to ensure that the biocycle is not destroyed in any way. Forest farming proves to be a fun and profitable venture that anyone could explore.

Several government funded seminars are conducted to teach locals residing near forest areas about forest farming methods and techniques, as well as the kinds of mushrooms that could be grown in the area. These seminars go as far as how and where to sell your produce after harvests. Aside from mushrooms, there are other crops you can find, grow and harvest in forests since they have rich and very fertile soil that could grow practically anything you can think of. These crops include, but not limited to:  ginseng and ferns which are used for medicinal and ornamental purposes.

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A wallaby is also referred to as miniature kangaroo. A wallaby and a kangaroo share the same features but size since a wallaby’s maximum height is only about 41 inches. These species are usually found in Australia and its neighboring cities. They can be bred and sold if a particular farm is duly licensed by governing agencies. Wallabies come in 30 different types with their own sets of personalities but apparently, breeders’ choice for families who are just starting out with exotic animals is the Bennett’s wallaby. This type of wallaby is much calmer and less nocturnal which makes them a good pet and a rewarding hobby. Bennett’s wallabies are more adjusted in living around humans even if they are not bred in farms.

Wallabies are low maintenance mammals. They are herbivores so they mainly graze. If you’re adapting a wallaby, be sure to have a land full of grass and plants where your pet can munch all day long. You’ll also need to fence them in so they won’t get lost. Don’t forget to give them water as well. Wallabies can be trained and make a good house pets as well. Joeys can be bottle-fed if they were taken home by new owners at an early age and still grow healthy and well adjusted to human companionship.

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