Question

What are advantages of multiple cropping?

Answer 1

Multiple cropping is the practice of growing two or more crops in the same piece of land during one growing season instead of just one crop. Multiple cropping is found in many agricultural traditions; it requires effective irrigation, especially in areas with a dry season.

Complete answer-
To solve this question we have to know more about benefits of multiple cropping pattern as follows-
Higher Productivity: Multiple cropping systems are seen as a way to maximize land productivity in a small area by improving the intensity of land and labor use for better profit and stabilizing farm income.
Fodder Stock: Growing multi-crops ensures enough fodder stocks
Variable Uses: Crops don’t just yield grains but also fodder and fuelwood.
Food Security: In a multi-cropping system, even if one or two crops fail, farmers still are able to harvest other crops.
Sustainable crop production systems: reduces the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Growing a multiple crop minimizes pest problems and makes efficient use of resources.
Suppress weeds, as weeds find it difficult to grow alongside some crops.

Note:
The Green Revolution in Asia led to the development of high-yield varieties of rice, which required a substantially shorter growing season of 100 days, as opposed to traditional varieties, which needed 150 to 180 days. Due to this, multiple cropping became more prevalent in Asian countries. In the Garhwal Himalaya of India, a practice called baranaja involves sowing 12 or more crops on the same plot, including various types of beans, grams, and millets, and harvesting them at different times.