Multi-storey Cropping

Materials required

• Tools/machinery for clearing the land and preparing the soil (plows, tillers, shovels, rakes, hoes).
• Soil amendments (fertilizers, compost, etc.).
• Mulch (include mulch examples or maybe add another link to mulching).
• Seedlings or saplings of crops to be planted.        
• Machetes or other pruning tools for harvesting of crops.
• Protection against nuisances such as nets for preventing birds from eating crops.

Note: Materials listed may vary based on the crops used and the local environmental context.

Steps of implementation:

A multi-story cropping system is created over a period of several years. A tall-growing perennial crop is planted first, and other crop layers are added only once the first layer has reached sufficient maturity and height that will help to provide a sufficient level of shading to lower-down crops. Perennial crops with foliage that allow a lot of sunlight through, such as coconuts and bananas, are very suitable as taller layers in a multi-cropping system. Shade-loving crops such as coffee, pineapple, sweet potato, and turmeric are more suited as lower layers.

1. Determine the climate and soil type of the farm. Different crops grow better in different climates and soil types. Research which crops are best suited for your area.

2. Select the crops you want to grow. Consider the market demand for each crop, the crop's compatibility with the others you want to grow, and the nutrients that each crop adds to the soil. You can consider using companion planting, which involves planting crops that have complementary growth patterns and nutrient needs so that crops do not compete with one another, thus reducing the risk of crop failure.

3. Plan the layout of the cropping system. Plan the arrangement of the crops and whether they will be planted in rows, patches, or if they will be intercropped. Consider the spacing between the crops and whether you will make use of irrigation systems when planning the layout. Think ahead to the likely size of the crops’ canopies once they have fully matured and take care that crops do not grow into each other. Fully utilizing the space whilst leaving enough space between crops is the tough balance to strive for. Follow spacing recommendations for the crops used. As a rule of thumb, plant elements of the lower layers of the system 3 to 4 meters apart from each other and 1 to 2 meters away from the perennial canopy layer (not a strict rule).

4. Prepare the soil. Clear the land of any debris, rocks, or weeds. Test the soil to determine its nutrient content and pH level (a neutral PH between 5 and 7 is optimal). Amend the soil with organic matter, such as compost or manure, to improve its fertility.

5. Plant the first crops. Follow the planting instructions for each crop, including the depth, spacing, and timing of planting, as determined during the planning of the layout (step 3).  Typically, a second or third layer of crops is planted as soon as the above layer grows tall enough to not compete for resources such as space and sunlight. Most case studies indicate a period of around one year between planting the first layer of perennial crops and the second layer of crops.

6. Maintain the farm and care for crops. Regularly monitor the crops for pests and diseases. Water the crops as needed and apply organic fertilizers where necessary. Mulching, using the residue from various crops, is a cost-effective and useful intervention to apply in multi-story cropping systems to enhance soil conditions. Practice crop rotation to prevent soil depletion and ensure long-term soil health. Lastly, pruning and thinning trees is an essential part of maintaining the multi-story cropping system. Make sure to prune the taller trees when they are providing too much shade. Additionally, actively thin adjacent plants when their canopies seem to be interfering with growth or the desired arrangement of crops. Clippings from pruning and thinning are perfect material for mulch. 

7. Harvest the crops. Harvest the crops at the appropriate time and market them to local buyers or distributors. Leftover crop residue is also ideally suited to be used as mulch.

Considerations for application

• Time management: Building up a multi-storey cropping system to reach its full potential of productivity may take several years. The establishment phase alone (time up until planting of a second crop) can take anywhere between one and four years. After one year, or when the perennial trees provide enough shade, shade-tolerant under-storey crops should be planted. 
• Financial management: A multi-storey cropping system should evolve according to the farmer’s financial and resource constraints. Beginning a multi-storey system by planting perennial crops, especially slow-growing ones, may mean that profits can only be realized after several years of planting. An economically effective way of establishing a multi-storey system from scratch is to begin by planting fast-growing ‘nurse’ trees that will quickly provide enough shade for lower layers of crops to be planted, cultivated, and profited from. Then, a fast-growing crop like sweet potato (around 3 months between planting and cultivation) can be grown. This method of establishment allows farmers to profit from the multi-storey system as early as possible.
• Crop planting and rotation management: Competitive crops may lead to less-than-optimal production of one or more crops. Therefore, there may be a learning curve as to what crop combinations work best. When crop combinations are not well researched and matched, crops can end up competing for nutrients and shade/light, leading some crops to fail. If there is a lack of a given resource (i.e. water, nutrients, sunlight) multi-storey cropping can lead to low production rates as crops will compete amongst themselves. Make sure there is no obvious deficiency in the system to prevent this from happening.

This intervention contributes to:

Estimation of Socioeconomic factors based on intervention in India, 2014-2015:

*Using the average exchange rate of 2015: 64.1324 Rs to the Dollar. Using model #3, intercropping of Arecanut (top), Banana (middle) and Tumeric (root) (Source).

1. Multi-storey Cropping in the Philippines

Description
Near Cavite, in The Philippines, a series of six adjacent municipalities are practising multi-storey cropping. The crop combination in use is: Coconut or the Santol fruit tree as the tallest storey; bananas, coffee, and/or papaya as the middle storey crop; pineapple and root crops as the lowest storey. The total area covered by the intervention is 40 km2, and goal is to increase the income particularly for small farmers. 

2. Multi-storey cropping in Buln Buln farm, Australia

Description
On 110 acres of land, farmers and foresters from the Buln Buln farm are facilitating multi-storey cropping in the growing of firewood, hay and grass-fed beef. Funded by the Western port catchment landcare network the intervention in the Buln Buln farm is a response by a growing demand for the incorporation of this technology. The main takeaways of the project is how trees ingrate with pastures and crops within the specific tree system. The project occurred as a response to a growing challenge of water retention and growth from January until April. Farmers found the solution in multi-storey cropping, which incorporates trees and crops together, creating a new water retention mechanism.

External sources

• A database of edible, medicinal, and other crops able to be grown in tropical regions.
• Multi storey cropping as profitable approach to sustainable productivity can be found here.
• Interesting notes on multi-storey cropping can e found here.

Guides

• A step-by-step guide on Multi-layer Farming Processes and Benefits.

Videos

• A video showing what a multi-storey cropping system looks like in Hawaii Ulu Cooperative: “ʻUlu Agroforestry Series: Multi-Story Cropping – Then & Now” (from 4:24 onwards).
• A video on the basic composition of multi-storey cropping system can be found here.