ASSOCIATED CULTURE
A NEW WAY OF CONCEIVING AGRICULTURE
The principle of this method of cultivation is as follows: to grow different cereals or grains in the same field. It offers numerous advantages, such as increased productivity (each plant benefiting from the presence of other species), the limitation of weed growth, as well as improved resistance to diseases and pests.
Intercropping also allows for the diversification of crop rotations and reduces the use of inputs and their negative impacts on the environment, as well as increasing resilience to uncertainties.
But why is this method of cultivation not found everywhere if it has such advantages compared to modern agriculture, which only cultivates a single species per field?
Although the practice of companion planting was very common in the past, it has completely disappeared with the development of modern intensive agriculture. This is for two reasons: firstly, companion planting is incompatible with the massive use of pesticides, as each variety of plant reacts differently to diseases and pests. Furthermore, it requires sorting to separate each species, which can sometimes be complicated and necessitate the use of several machines.
Specifically, the culture associated with Graines De Curieux products:
Belgian farmers working with Land Farm & Men have combined lentils with oats or camelina, or even blonde lentils with spelt in their fields.
The potential advantages are as follows: a better harvest, as the lentils cling to their partners with their tendrils, thereby reducing the risk of lodging. Furthermore, some of these plants are more effective at combating weeds (more so than lentils), particularly just after emergence. Finally, the overall yield is higher than that of a pure crop.
Intercropping offers several advantages to farmers: increased productivity, reduced weeds, and better resistance to diseases. In addition to benefiting Belgian farmers, this farming method also allows for the elimination of pesticide and herbicide use for those who collaborate with Land Farm and Men.
Buying Graines de Curieux products supports Belgian, organic, and innovative agriculture, contributes to the sustainability of local farmers, and promotes environmentally friendly farming while combating the use of pesticides in modern agriculture.