Important of applying intercropping for sustainable crop production: A Review

Abstract

Intercropping is the cultivation of two or more crops at the same time in the same field. Its advantages are risk minimization, increased income and food security, reduction of soil erosion and pest and disease control. Because of these advantages intercropping is practiced in many parts of the world, especially in the developing countries. Therefore, this paper is aimed to review the advantages of intercropping for sustainable agriculture. In Ethiopia fruit trees are intercropped with all types of short-term crops such as beans, peas, potatoes, maize, millet, exotic and indigenous vegetables when they are still young as a way of attaining food security and income before the trees mature. Besides this intercropping provides high insurance against crop failure, especially in areas subject to extreme weather conditions such as frost, drought, flood, and overall provides greater financial stability for farmers, making the system particularly suitable for labor-intensive small farms. Furthermore, because of some favorable exudates from the component legumes, greater land-use efficiency, greater yield stability and increased competitive ability towards weed, intercropping is advantageous over mono-cropping