Written By: Tahreem
Edited By: Koneenika Datta
Designed By: Maahi Jain
Published By: Maryam Khan
We define a farmer as anyone who earns a living by working in the primary sector, raising livestock for food or raw materials (for instance cotton). Farmers are thought to be people who are in close contact with nature, as they spend the majority of their time outside in the field, either growing plants or raising animals. However, in the context of modern farming, this is only partially correct. Modern greenhouse farmers may be working in closed facilities all day and unable to access sunlight. Farmers do not have set working hours in any case. A farmer is also known as an agriculturist.
Step 1: Determine what to grow and in which field – Can I make a profit?
First and foremost, you must decide what you want to grow. Although this may appear to be a simple procedure, it is actually the most difficult decision. The type of plant (or animal) you choose is possibly the most important decision you will make.
Farming is divided into categories based on output. The primary categories are as follows:
Agriculture
Arboriculture (commercial fruit tree farming), vegetable and fruit farming, wood production, biomass production, grain farming, forage crops, herbs farming, grapes farming (viticulture), berries farming, special crops such as cotton farming, and others. The majority of these crops are grown in the open air. Some of them can also
be grown inside (in greenhouses) using soil or air/water as a nutrient medium.
Agriculture of Livestock
Farmers in this category raise animals primarily for their milk, meat, or eggs. Cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry farming (chickens, ducks, etc.) are a few examples.
Some authorities classify poultry farming as a category separate from livestock.
Beekeeping
Beekeeping farmers raise honey bees to collect honey, pollen, royal jelly, and wax.
Farming of Snails
Farmers raise snails either for meat or “jelly” extraction.
Farming Worms
This is a type of farming in which farmers raise worms in order to use them to convert waste into organic fertilizers.
Before you begin, you must conduct extensive research on your desired crop or livestock. Once you’ve decided on three or four potential crops, you should consider contacting local farmers and agricultural scientists to learn more about the plants and varieties that thrive in the area.
Adapt the crop to the market.
First and foremost, you must define your client for a specific crop. Who will purchase your goods? What is the number of potential buyers in your area for the crop you intend to grow? How much do they pay for other similar products? Are they paying in cash or on credit? When do they purchase the product? Do you require storage in order to have more time to negotiate a better price? Are you able to export your product (find buyers in another country)? Is the product you’ve chosen in high demand?
A common mistake made by new farmers is to begin crop establishment without taking any of these factors into account. If there is no demand for your product, you will most likely go bankrupt, even if you created an excellent product. As a result, you can begin with your crop checklist and investigate potential markets for each of them. You may have to exclude crops for which you are unsure if you can sell the output. Beginner farmers may join a group of local farmers (association) to benefit from efficiencies. Farmers (who grow a specific crop) form associations in many countries. The organization establishes a marketing department and hires a group of people who are in charge of finding markets for the products. As a result, all farmers pay a fee and effectively outsource sales and marketing activities. As a result, they have more time to devote to core activities. Even in this case, you must maintain a basic understanding of the market that your products are aimed at, so that you are always prepared to find an alternative.
Step 2: Selecting the Best Field for This Crop
Before beginning any other activity, all potential farmers should understand the topography of the area, type of soil, environmental conditions, and climate. The location of your field can have a significant impact on your business plan and daily routine. Livestock farmers in areas with diverse plant life, for example, may rely more on grassland to feed their animals. On the contrary, livestock farmers in areas lacking vegetation will be forced to purchase food, which will undoubtedly increase costs.
You cannot start a farm business without a field. When it comes to field selection, there are two possibilities. Things are simple if you own the land. However, if you do not own land, you will have to rent or lease someone else’s.
Step 3: Ensure that you have inputs and resources available when you need them.
Another factor to consider is whether you will have all of the necessary inputs and resources available when you need them and at a reasonable price. Farmers, for example, frequently hire workers to assist them with certain procedures (for instance, harvesting). Starting your farm business and discovering you can’t find workers in your area will be a huge unpleasant surprise. Even if your farm does not require permanent staff, you must ensure that you can hire temporary workers when needed. For example, in the case of viticulture, most grape farmers require a large number of workers to assist them during the harvest season. If they cannot find workers at that time, the grapes will remain on the plant for longer, and their quality and commercial value will decline significantly within a week. Even in developed countries such as the United States, experienced farmers have reported abandoning apple tree commercial orchards due to a lack of workers at the precise time when the apples should be harvested. Cotton farmers face similar challenges. The crop matures at some point and must be harvested as soon as possible. Cotton, it should be noted, cannot be harvested by hand; it must be harvested using tractors that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Can you currently rent such a machine? If there are many cotton fields in an area but only a few harvesting machines, only a fraction of the cotton fields will be harvested at the appropriate time. The remainder will be left, and their quality and market value will suffer as a result.
Step 4: Examine Storage and Logistics – Transportation
Not all products are directly transferred from the field to the market. In many cases, crops must be stored for a period of time before being transported to the buyer’s facility. Wholesalers are frequently in charge of product storage. Many farmers, however, do not sell their products to wholesalers. As a result, having a suitable storage facility for the crop you produce may be critical. Different products require different storage conditions to be properly maintained. Storages are typically buildings outfitted with sensors capable of controlling and stimulating temperature, moisture, CO2, and light conditions.
Now that you have most of the knowledge and information necessary, starting a farm will be easier.
Sources:
- https://www.basicknowledge101.com/subjects/farming.html
- https://wikifarmer.com/farming-101-how-to-be-a-farmer-step-by-step-guide/
- https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/agriculture/