Chapters 5.51

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5.50 -Smallholder Farmers Adoption of Cantaloupe as a Mechanism to Fight Climate Change


Tara Rochester , University of Guelph, Canada

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Suggested citation for this chapter.

Rochester,T. (2022) Smallholder Farmers Adoption of Cantaloupe as a Mechanism to Fight Climate Change , In Farmpedia, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org

An Introduction to Cantaloupe In Relation to Climate Change

Cucumis melo, widely known as cantaloupe, is an important crop to subsistence farmers. With the rise of average temperatures and fall of annual rainfall the farming of cantaloupe provides farmers with a sustainable solution to these challenges. The cantaloupe belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family that includes a large group of “vine vegetables”. Although most popularly recognised for its sweet fruit, the flesh and seeds of the cantaloupe are highly nutritious and versatile.

Economic and Agricultural Benefits

Cantaloupes provide a range of economic and agricultural benefits to small holder farmers through a range of planting and harvesting techniques. Firstly, pre-sprouted seeds can be used to reduce growing time and allow for germination prior to planting. This is when seeds are soaked in luke-warm water, wrapped and kept warm for 24-48 hours (Dhaliwal, 2017). This inexpensive, simple sowing method can save farmers time and promote seed growth. To continue, as many small holder farmers do not have access to advanced technology and machinery, hand labour becomes very important. Cantaloupes have a good ability to suppress weeds with the large surface area its vines and leaves cover. In the early growing stages, weeds can be eliminated through sources of manual labour that include tilling, ploughing or hoeing. This is a great alternative for women farmers who spend a large amount of time and energy pulling weeds by hand. Not only are these methods cost efficient, they also reduce the amount of space needed between crop rows. Tractors require a minimum of 3.5 meters of bed spacing to fit between rows, sacrificing valuable land in order to use such machinery (Dhaliwal, 2017). Ultimately these manual labour practises allow for higher yields, maximizing the profitability of small plots of land. Moving on, a popular technique used to keep soils moist in cantaloupe farming is black plastic. Although this method is effective, it is costly and not widely accessible to many small holder farmers. As an alternative organic mulch can be piled around the plants to keep soil warm and hold in moisture (Barbara, 2009).

Health Benefits and Nutritional Content

Cantaloupe is a fruit of great advantage in India as it works to fight against one of the country’s greatest deficiencies. The prevalence of vitamin A deficiencies in India poses large challenges and threats to the population, especially children. Its widespread impacts accounts for 62% of preschool children. translating to an annual 333,000 child deaths a year (Akhatr, 2013). The vitamin A content of just 100 grams of cantaloupe is 33.82 UI, which equals 68% of the daily value requirements. As a result, the introduction of cantaloupes can have significant impacts in aiding India’s troubling vitamin A deficiency. Cantaloupes are also rich in vitamin C responsible for 41% daily value in 100 grams, and a sufficient source of minerals such as potassium (267 mg), calcium (32 mg) and iron (1.4 mg) (Cunha, 2020). It is also rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Cantaloupe is an advantageous crop to small holder farmers having both edible flesh and seeds. The seeds of cantaloupes “are the powerhouse of nutrients” containing lipids, protein and fiber as well as high antioxidant properties (USDA, 2017) In some cases it is the seeds that are primarily consumed due to their high calorie (557Kcal/100g) and protein (28.3 g/100 g) content (USDA, 2017). Seeds can be crushed and turned into powder to be added in soups or extracted for valuable cooking oil. The seeds themselves have a long shelf life providing poor people with a reliable source of calories, proteins and micronutrients year-round.

Planting Practices

Cantaloupe seeds can be obtained from the World Vegetable Center (search Cucumis melo) whom works to provide small holder farming communities with a reliable supply of quality seeds (AVRDC, 2020) as well as commercial suppliers. As cantaloupe is a warm season crop it is best grown in hot, dry climates. They thrive in areas with an abundance of sun, requiring 8-10 hours a day (Dhaliwal, 2017). The optimum temperature for germination is 23-25˚C (Dhaliwal, 2017). If the soil temperature falls below 10C the seeds will fail to germinate. As a result of this, cantaloupes cannot endure even the mildest of frost. Similarly, temperatures that rise above 45˚C have negative outcomes, causing vines to wilt, sunburn of the fruit and reduced shelf life (Dhaliwal, 2017). However, hot and dry weather promotes sweetness and overall flavour in the fruits but it also discourages the spread of diseases that grow in humid conditions (Wilde, 2009).

Cantaloupes prefer sandy, loamy, well aerated soil. It is important that the soil is warm with consistent moisture until fruit begins to mature. Soil with a pH between 6.0-7.0 is ideal as highly acidic soils are not suitable for cantaloupe cultivation (Dhaliwal, 2017). Riverbed cultivation provides many advantages in cantaloupe farming, offering well drained loamy soils in areas with hot, dry weather. The moisture and warmth beneath these sandy riverbeds allow cantaloupes to survive through winter months and harvest in the spring. Cantaloupes are grown in rows of raised beds with a minimum of 90 cm between each row and 45-60 cm between seeds (Dhaliwal, 2017). These mounds ensure good drainage, prevent disease and encourage early growth. As a drought tolerant crop, cantaloupes do not require watering but do require constant moisture. Cantaloupes require only 25-50 mm of water per week, as flooding the beds and overwatering promotes the growth of weeds, rotting of fruit and spread of fungal diseases (Dhaliwal, 2017). In addition to fighting weeds through a crop rotation system every 2-3 years, controlling weeds within the first month of seeding is very important. This can be done by ploughing or tilling the field in order to turn and break up the soil. In later stages of growth, the plant uses it vines and leaves to cover open space acting as a natural protective mechanism. This is especially beneficial in working towards low cost methods of planting. To continue, cantaloupes attain marketable maturity 80-90 days after seeding (Dhaliwal, 2017). When fully ripe, the stem will separate from the fruit, however as cantaloupe is a climacteric fruit (ripen after being picked), farmers have the ability to harvest them slightly earlier. This increases the amount of time they have to market and transport the fruit, ensuring the customers receive fruit at peak quality. The fruit will fully ripen during storage and transit, reaching full maturity in 2-3 days. The fruit yields vary from 15,000 to 30,000 kilograms per hectare (Dhaliwal, 2017). This is dependent upon chosen planting methods and labour practices (manual vs machinery). Upon harvesting, cantaloupe can be stored for 2-3 weeks in cool, shaded areas ranging from 2-4 ˚C (Dhaliwal, 2017).

Critical analysis

The threat of fungal, pests and disease is a very real challenge in cantaloupe farming but there are simple prevention strategies that exist.. Choosing resistant varieties, using three-year crop rotation systems and growing the crop in risen beds are all sustainable, low cost solutions to fight against these threats (Dhaliwal, 2017). In terms of cantaloupe’s profit margin, it is very much a valuable cash crop to smallholder farmers. Ranging from 2,200- 4,200 plants per acre and a profit margin between $800-$1500 (depending on normal vs off-season cultivation), cantaloupe has significant profit potential (Vendruscolo, 2017).Smallholder farmer access to markets and market participation are essential for farmers to obtain profits, but often low due to a lack of commercial information, geographic barriers and high transaction costs. Their limited scale of production and remoteness poses significant challenges in sustaining market engagement (Poole, 2017). Traders are more likely to work with a limited number of large suppliers who can guarantee a continuous, consistent supply that meets market standards, which is a quality that many smallholder farmers cannot withhold. With limited productive assets, it becomes very difficult for these farmers to compete against such large suppliers and maintain access to markets (Poole, 2017). Formation of cooperatives may allow for the scale and quality control needed.

References

1. Akhtar, S., Ahmed, A., Randhawa, M. A., Atukorala, S., Arlappa, N., Ismail, T., & Ali, Z. (2013). Prevalence of Vitamin A Deficiency in South Asia: Causes, Outcomes, and Possible Remedies. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 31(4). 413-423. doi:10.3329/jhpn.v31i4.19975

2. Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (2020). Safe and Sustainable Value Chains. World Vegetable Center. Retrieved from http://avrdc.org/our-work/improving-production/

3. Babu, R. (2017). Rheological characteristics of muskmelon (cantaloupe) pulp. The Asian Journal of Horticulture, 12. 127-131. Retrieved from https://www-cabdirect-org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/cabdirect/FullTextPDF/2017/20173253069.pdf

4. Cunha, J., Rolim, P., Nabas, R., & Seabra, L. (2020). From seed to flour: Sowing sustainability in the use of cantaloupe melon residue. Plos One. 15(1) 0219229. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219229

5. Dhaliwal, S. (2017). Chapter 5 Cucurbits. Handbook of Vegetable Crops, 77-147. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313098862_CHAPTER_5_Cucurbits

6. Dora, M. (2018). Five ways India must help its farmers face the threat of climate change. The Conversation Journalistic flair. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/five-ways-india-must-help-its-farmers-face-the-threat-of-climate-change-91587

7. Pleasant, Barbara. (2006). Sweet success with cantaloupes: grow unique melon varieties and enjoy luscious vine-ripened flavors. Mother Earth News, 216. 88+. Gale Academic OneFile. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A174193989/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=AONE&xid=47473968.

9. Poole, N. (2017). Smallholder Agriculture and Market Participation. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/home/search/en/?q=small+holder+agriculture

8. Vendruscolo, P. (2017). Economic viability of muskmelon cultivation in different planting spacing in Brazil central region. National Faculty of Agronomy Magazine Medellion, 70(3), 8319-8325. https://dx.doi.org/10.15446/rfna.v70n3.62656

9. Sinha, K. (2018). Cultivation of Vegetables in Riverbed. Asian Economic and Social Society, 2, 243-247. Retrieved from https://www.biotecharticles.com/Agriculture-Article/Cultivation-of-Vegetables-in-River-Bed-4314.html

10. U.S. Department of Agriculture (2019). Cantaloupe. Food Data Central, Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/475351/nutrients

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