- 1. LivestockThematic PapersTools for project design Integrated
crop-livestock farming systems Population growth, urbanization and
income growth in developing countries are fuelling a substantial
global increase in the demand for food of animal origin, while also
aggravating the competition between crops and livestock (increasing
cropping areas and reducing rangelands). 1 The livestock revolution
is stretching the capacity of existing production, but it is also
exacerbating environmental problems. Therefore, while it is
necessary to satisfy consumer demand, improve nutrition and direct
income growth opportunities to those who need them most, it is also
necessary to alleviate environmental stress. Conventional
agriculture is known to cause soil and pasture degradation because
it involves intensive tillage, in particular if practised in areas
of marginal productivity. Technologies and management schemes that
can enhance productivity need to be developed. At the same time,
ways need to be found to preserve the natural resource base. Within
this framework, an integrated crop-livestock farming system
represents a key solution for enhancing livestock production and
safeguarding the environment through prudent and efficient resource
use. The increasing pressure on land and the growing demand for
livestock products makes it more and more important to ensure the
effective use of feed resources, including crop residues. An
integrated farming system consists of a range of resource-saving
practices that aim to achieve acceptable profits and high and
sustained production levels, while minimizing the negative effects
of intensive farming and preserving the environment. Based on the 1
This term summarizes a complex series of interrelated processes and
outcomes in livestock consumption, production and economic growth.
The revolution could provide income growth opportunities for many
poor rural people involved in the livestock sector (Delgado et al.,
1999).
2. Figure 1Integrated crop-livestock farming system Key aspects
LivestockNutrient Production CyclingIntegratedCrop-Livestock
FarmingSystem CropForage ResiduesCropsprinciple of enhancing
natural biological The result of this cyclical combination
isprocesses above and below the ground, the the mixed farming
system, which exists inintegrated system represents a winningmany
forms and represents the largest categorycombination that (a)
reduces erosion; of livestock systems in the world in terms of(b)
increases crop yields, soil biologicalanimal numbers, productivity
and the numberactivity and nutrient recycling;of people it
services.3(c) intensifies land use, improving profits;Animals play
key and multiple roles inand (d) can therefore help reduce poverty
the functioning of the farm, and not onlyand malnutrition and
strengthen because they provide livestock productsenvironmental
sustainability. (meat, milk, eggs, wool, hides) or can beconverted
into prompt cash in times of need.Advantages and main constraints
Animals transform plant energy into usefulAdvantageswork: animal
power is used for ploughing,In an integrated system, livestock and
cropstransport and in activities such as milling,are produced
within a coordinated logging, road construction, marketing,
andframework.2 The waste products of one water lifting for
irrigation.component serve as a resource for the other.Animals also
provide manure and otherFor example, manure is used to enhance crop
types of animal waste. Excreta has twoproduction; crop residues and
by-products crucial roles in the overall sustainability offeed the
animals, supplementing often the system:inadequate feed supplies,
thus(a) Improving nutrient cycling: Excretacontributing to improved
animal nutritioncontains several nutrients (includingand
productivity.nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium)2 Van Keulen and
Schiere, 2004.3 Mixed farming systems utilize about half of all the
land used for livestock production systems, or roughly2.5 billion
hectares worldwide, of which 1.1 billion hectares are arable
rainfed cropland, 0.2 billion hectares irrigatedcropland and 1.2
billion hectares grassland. Mixed farming systems make the largest
contribution to world livestockproducts with just over 50 per cent
of the meat and 90 per cent of the milk currently consumed being
produced insuch systems (Council for Agricultural Science and
Technology, 1999, quoted in Van Keulen and Schiere, 2004).2 3. Box
1: Diversified versus integrated systems Diversified systems
consist of components such as crops and livestock that coexist
independently from each other.4 In this case, integrating crops and
livestock serves primarily to minimize risk and not to recycle
resources. In an integrated system, crops and livestock interact to
create a synergy, with recycling allowing the maximum use of
available resources. Crop residues can be used for animal feed,
while livestock and livestock by-product production and processing
can enhance agricultural productivity by intensifying nutrients
that improve soil fertility, reducing the use of chemical
fertilizers. A high integration of crops and livestock is often
considered as a step forward, but small farmers need to have
sufficient access to knowledge, assets and inputs to manage this
system in a way that is economically and environmentally
sustainable over the long term. 4 Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, 2001.and organic matter, which are
importantThis system has other specific advantages:for maintaining
soil structure and It helps improve and conserve thefertility.
Through its use, production isproductive capacities of soils,
withincreased while the risk of soil physical, chemical and
biological soildegradation is reduced.recuperation. Animals play an
important(b) Providing energy: Excreta is the basis for the role in
harvesting and relocating nutrients,production of biogas and energy
forsignificantly improving soil fertility andhousehold use (e.g.
cooking, lighting) orcrop yields.for rural industries (e.g.
powering mills It is quick, efficient and economicallyand water
pumps). Fuel in the form ofviable because grain crops can bebiogas
or dung cakes can replace charcoalproduced in four to six months,
andand wood.pasture formation after cropping is rapid and
inexpensive.Crop residues represent the other pillar on It helps
increase profits by reducingwhich the equilibrium of this system
rests.production costs. Poor farmers can useThey are fibrous
by-products that result fromfertilizer from livestock
operations,the cultivation of cereals, pulses, oil
plants,especially when rising petroleum pricesroots and tubers.
They are a valuable, low-costmake chemical fertilizers
unaffordable.feed resource for animal production, and are It
results in greater soil water storageconsequently the major source
of nutrients capacity, mainly because of biologicalfor livestock in
developing countries. aeration and the increase in the level ofThe
overall benefits of crop-livestock organic matter.integration can
be summarized as follows: It provides diversified income sources,
Agronomic, through the retrieval and guaranteeing a buffer against
trade, price maintenance of the soil productiveand climate
fluctuations. capacity; Economic, through product
diversificationConstraints and higher yields and quality at less
cost; Nutritional values of crop residues are Ecological, through
the reduction of crop generally low in digestibility and protein
pests (less pesticide use and better soilcontent. Improving intake
and erosion control); anddigestibility of crop residues by physical
Social, through the reduction of rural- and chemical treatments is
technically urban migration and the creation of newpossible but not
feasible for poor small job opportunities in rural areas.farmers
because they require machinery3 4. and chemicals that are expensive
or not Rational. Using crop residues more readily available.5
rationally is an important route out ofCrop residues are primarily
soilpoverty. For resource-poor farmers, the regenerators, but too
often they are either correct management of crop residues,
disregarded or misapplied.together with an optimal allocation
ofIntensive recycling can cause nutrientscarce resources, leads to
sustainable losses. production.If manure nutrient use efficiencies
are not Ecologically sustainable. Combining improved or properly
applied, the importecological sustainability and economic of
nutrients in feeds and fertilizers willviability, the integrated
livestock-farming remain high, as will the costs and energy system
maintains and improves needs for production and
transportation,agricultural productivity while also and the
surpluses lost in the environment.reducing negative environmental
impacts.Farmers prefer to use chemical fertilizer instead of manure
because it acts fasterSome lessons learned and and is easier to
use. recommendationsResource investments are required to The
maintenance of an integrated crop- improve intake and digestibility
of croplivestock system is dependent on the residues. availability
of adequate nutrients to sustain animals and plants and toMixed
farms are prone to using more manure maintain soil fertility.
Animal manurethan crop farms do. Manure transportation is alone
cannot meet crop requirements,an important factor affecting manure
use.even if it does contain the kind of nutrients needed. This is
because of itsChallenges relatively low nutrient density and
theDevelop strategies and promote crop-limited quantity available
to small-scale livestock synergies and interactions that farmers.
Alternative sources for the aim to (a) integrate crops and
livestocknutrients need to be found. effectively with careful land
use; Growing fodder legumes and using them (b) raise the
productivity of specific mixedas a supplement to crop residue is
the crop-livestock systems; (c) facilitatemost practical and
cost-effective method expansion of food production; and for
improving the nutritional value of crop (d) simultaneously
safeguard theresidues. This combination is also effective
environment with prudent and efficientin reducing weight loss in
animals, use of natural resources. particularly during dry
periods;Devise measures (for instance, Given their traditional
knowledge and facilitating large-scale dissemination of experience,
local farmers are perfectly able biodigesters) to implement a more
to apply an integrated system. In practice, efficient use of
biomass, reducinghowever, relatively few adopt this system,
pressures on natural resources; and mainly because they have
limited access to develop a sustainable livestock manurecredit,
technology and knowledge. The management system to
controlcrop-pasture rotation system is complex environmental losses
and contaminantand requires a substantial capital outlay
spreading.for machinery and implements. Associations of grain and
livestockKey principles producers are useful for filling these
gapsCyclic. The farming system is essentially and can promote the
adoption of a crop- cyclic (organic resources livestock
landlivestock system; crops). Therefore, management Veterinary
services are generally unable to decisions related to one component
mayreach poor small farmers in remote areas. affect the
others.Therefore, for livestock production to be5 Keftasa and
International Livestock Centre for Africa, 1988.4 5. 5 6. improved,
more attention needs to beeffective integrated system that produces
paid to making veterinary care accessible,usable biomass while
conserving natural particularly in terms of prevention;resources,
and can therefore be sustainable inBetter livestock management is
needed tothe long term. safeguard water. Livestock water demand
Within this framework some key questions includes water for
drinking and for feedfor project design are production and
processing. Livestock also How can livestock production increase to
have an impact on water, contaminating itmeet the growing demand
for livestock with manure and urine. All of theseproducts, using
methods that the resource aspects need to be given due base can
sustain? consideration. Do the strategies devised for
raisingIntensification of agriculture through productivity in
integrated crop-livestock appropriate incorporation of small
systems take into account the stage of livestock has the potential
to decrease thedevelopment of the target population with land
needed for agricultural productionrespect to the nature of
crop-livestock and relieve the pressure on forests. interactions?
Do the farmers concerned have the rightKey issues and questions
forskills, knowledge, capital and technologyproject designto set up
this system?The increase in demand for livestock Are the roles and
responsibilities of menproducts presents opportunities for small
and women given sufficientfarmers who can increase
livestockconsideration?production and benefit from related income.6
How can additional needed nutrients beHowever, in terms of
environmental impact,obtained? And, can the productivity of thethe
growing number of livestock and the system be increased without
stressing theincrease in livestock processing can have a
environment?negative impact on natural resources unless Is enough
good-quality feed available toactions are taken to identify farming
practices sustain animals, especially during the drythat are
economically and ecologicallyseason?sustainable. Thanks to the
dynamic Are nutrients that are relocated frominteraction of its
various components, thegrazing areas to croplands efficientlyhighly
improved integrated crop-livestock recovered?system can guarantee
more sustainable Are the different components of theproduction and
therefore constitutes a validfarming system (crop, livestock
and,new approach. eventually, fish) efficiently
integrated?Experience in the use of this system hasshown that (a)
adopting sustainablemanagement practices can improveproduction
while preserving theenvironment; (b) residues, wastes and
by-products of each component serve asresources for the others; and
(c) poor farmershave the traditional knowledge needed tointegrate
livestock and crop production, butbecause of their limited access
to knowledge,assets and inputs, relatively few adopt anintegrated
system.The challenge for developmentpractitioners is to ensure that
poor smallfarmers can increase the productivity oftraditional
farming systems, adopting an6 Delgado et al., 1999.6 7.
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7 8. ContactAntonio RotaSenior Technical Adviser onLivestock and
Farming SystemsTechnical Advisory DivisionTel: +39 06 5459
[email protected] RotaSenior Technical Advisor
forLivestock and Farming SystemsTechnical Advisory
[email protected] SperandiniConsultant, Technical
[email protected] Fund
forAgricultural DevelopmentVia Paolo di Dono, 4400142 Rome,
ItalyTelephone: +39 06 54591February 2010Facsimile: +39 06
5043463E-mail: [email protected] These materials can be
found on IFADswww.ruralpovertyportal.org website at
www.ifad.org/lrkm/index.htm