Preface

Agriculture, as an industry, causes great and adverse impacts on the environment. Conventional farming models typically require large amounts of external inputs, such as inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. However, in many cases, these inputs are used improperly, leading to potential risks to the environment. Environmental impacts, combined with the increased use of non-renewable natural resources, has led to the development and emergence of alternative agricultural methods. Sustainable farming, including organic farming, is more often in compliance with the requirements of non-conventional functions and better meets the concept of multifunctional agriculture.

As an alternative to conventional farming, organic farming is considered a promising type of production poised to meet the challenges of modern agriculture. In particular, organic farming is assumed to favor the biological control of pests by their natural enemies and, therefore, is considered a possible way to reduce the use of pesticides.

There are several indicators that evaluate the quality of different management systems adopted in modern agriculture. Major discussions about changes in production systems and their effects on economic and environmental factors have been reported. These discussions illustrate the challenges of changing the system to a more sustainable form of agriculture.

Conventional farming mostly uses pesticides and fertilizers to maximize the yield of a particular crop or set of crops, which are typically genetically modified. Glyphosate (*N*-phosphonomethyl glycine) is a 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPs) enzyme inhibitor that is the most widely used herbicide worldwide to control weeds in various agricultural crops, making chemical control cheap, easy, and efficient. However, with the advance in the cultivation of glyphosate-resistant crops and the intensive use of this herbicide combined with the non-use of other herbicides, glyphosate-resistant weeds have emerged.

This book covers several issues related to the multi-functionality and impacts of organic and conventional farming systems. Chapters cover topics related to organic farming and the economy, farm management, and innovative methods and approaches.

**II**

**Chapter 6 101**

**Chapter 7 125**

**Chapter 8 137**

**Chapter 9 157**

**Chapter 10 175**

Water Productivity Improvement Under Salinity Conditions: Case Study

Organic Farming: A Good Production Decision for Slovenian Small Size Farms and Farms in the Areas with Restrictions/Limitations or

Organic Farming Practices among Livestock and Fish Farmers

*by Charity N. Atoma, Olufemi M. Adesope and Linda C. Familusi*

Insect Pest Management in Organic Farming System

Agricultural Homoeopathy: A New Insight into Organics *by Mazón-Suástegui José Manuel, Ojeda-Silvera Carlos Michel, García-Bernal Milagro, Avilés-Quevedo María Araceli, Abasolo-Pacheco Fernando, Batista-Sánchez Daulemys,* 

*Tovar-Ramírez Dariel, Arcos-Ortega Fabiola,* 

*Murillo-Amador Bernardo, Nieto-Garibay Alejandra, Ferrer-Sánchez Yarelys, Morelos-Castro Rosa María, Alvarado-Mendoza Alex, Díaz-Díaz Miriam* 

of the Saline Areas of Lower Karkheh River Basin, Iran

Natural Obstacles for Agriculture? *by Anton Perpar and Andrej Udovč*

*by Hamadttu Abdel Farag El-Shafie*

*and Bonilla-Montalvan Boris*

*by Nader Heydari*

in Southern Nigeria

**Jan Moudrý** Associate Professor, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Czech Republic
