Society’s environmental and health concerns are playing a more prominent role in directing agricultural policy.
Beyond the ever-present issues of health care, education, and a safe and reliable food supply, society has become more concerned about the environment (and health linkages), energy use efficiencies, industrial and human footprints, and climate change. The agricultural sector shares these concerns but is also grappling with the economic reality of sustained profitability in the business of farming.
Happy Nelore cattle integrated in a grass – forest system in central Brazil.
A comprehensive approach is needed to achieve multiple land use goals
These needs of society and farming have precipitated a more systems approach to farming on landscapes termed Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry systems (ICLF). These three enterprises can be combined within a farm operation or across communities of farms. Adjacent farms can develop cooperative agreements to utilize expertise, land-crops-livestock inventively to benefit labour needs, satisfy seasonal demands, and complement the natural resource potentials on the landscapes. ICLF systems can increase productivity, minimize losses from nutrient cycles, and develop diversity on landscapes by making them inherently more resilient to pests, weather extremes, and a changing climate.
Scientists around the world are deepening understanding of ICLF benefits for agriculture and society
Innovative scientists and specialists from around the world recently convened at the capital of Brazil to share lessons learned from testing and applying ICLF systems around the world. The World Congress of ICLF took place in July 2015 as a weeklong program consisting of eight plenary sessions, 10 concurrent sessions and 10 special sessions (Portuguese only). A day-long field tour allowed participants to see ICLF in action. Postings of presentations will be forthcoming on the congress website.
ICLF has many biophysical and farm logistical benefits. It uses a diversity of crops (including trees) which adds to nutrient cycling and moisture movement within the soil profile. The extra land cover increases moisture infiltration and lessens losses while the diversity of the vegetative cover increases biodiversity and the capacity of the soil food web. Besides water, carbon and nitrogen are the two other essential cycles for farmers to manage. The greater biomass production over a larger portion of the year both adds carbon and manages the flow dynamics of nitrogen at a higher level than monoculture. Additionally, ICLF entails less environmental risks. Pest management is also improved, as ICLF is more amenable to biologic controls and often reduces the need for costly pesticide inputs due to the diversity of production crops and animals in association and rotation. The integrated and complex systems may tax the farmer’s ability for management, record keeping and the like. ICLF may also need specialized equipment and/or trained operators. Private sector service providers need to pay attention to these emerging opportunities.
The below ground biomass and soil structure provided by Bracharia grass in rotation with grain crops (Paraná state, Brazil).
ICLF grants opportunities for agricultural economies and communities to flourish
ICLF has many benefits including the fact that it is compatible with farming scales and promotes rural community development and stability. Large corporate farms and small landholders alike are finding economic and logistical benefits of ICLF. Different crops in rotation and livestock will distribute labour throughout the year rather than periods of high intensive demands. Smaller equipment may get the job done instead of the need to invest in larger, more expensive units. ICLF benefits from the tacit and indigenous knowledge of historic farming, pastoral or forest management systems and, provides a venue to highlight that knowledge in a modern farming systems context. The diversity of ICLF brings opportunities for farm suppliers and commodity buyers at the rural community level. It also fulfills educational needs and opportunities as a higher level of learning and understanding underpins ICLF. Governments need to pay attention to the ICLF adoption rates when considering needs for new, innovative and adaptive policies.
The term ‘sustainable intensification’…can mean a more appropriate diversification of the production function on landscapes for the most efficient use of natural and input resources.
The world is not increasing in size – land remains limited. In most regions land prices are increasing making expansions of family farms an economic barrier. Farms need to maximize efficiency of production. The term ‘sustainable intensification’ has become part of the agriculture lexicon however it is noted that many in the industry interpret this to mean more intensive breeding along with increased fertilization and pest control inputs. It does not have to mean this – it can also indicate a more appropriate diversification of the production function on landscapes for the most efficient use of natural and input resources.
African mahogany grown as a high value tree crop with a forage crop for grazing (Khaya ivorensis with Bracharia brizantha below).
Challenges for farming presents opportunities to put science to work, in the field
High quality land is a diminishing resource. Agriculture will be pushed onto lower quality land as the urban and urban-rural interface expands onto prime agricultural land. How will intensive monoculture farming continue to produce uniform quality food economically on land frontiers of the next generation? The inherent variability of the landscapes of tomorrow will make broad-scale monoculture a poor choice from both economic and environmental perspectives. ICLF systems will be the logical choice for optimum production on complex landscapes. Farmers in Brazil and parts of Central America have found the economic and management benefits of implementing ICLF systems and are willing to share their experiences for wider implementation of ICLF. Scientists and specialists must catch up to this new frontier to start learning complex systems and how to harness theory and practice into integrated farming systems.
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FAO Integrated Crop Livestock Systems
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Tom Goddard has evolved from agriculture extension to soil scientist and is now a senior policy advisor with the Alberta provincial government in Canada. He was a speaker at the World Congress on Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry systems. The accompanying photos are provided by the author.
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