Conservation Agriculture as Integrated and Regenerative Farming Systems for Environment Sustainability in Drylands

Combining Conservation Agriculture (CA) and Integrated Farming Systems (IFSs) can be both a powerful approach and tool for promoting and regenerating environmental sustainability in drylands. Such a combination can include (i) the integration of various agricultural activities like crops, livestock, and trees within a single CA farm; (ii) the creation of a closed-loop system where waste from one component becomes an input for another; and (iii) the promotion of circularity practices like using livestock manure as fertilizer for CA crops. The most relevant benefits for drylands are (i) increased nutrient cycling and reduced reliance on external inputs; (ii) improved farm biodiversity and resilience; and (iii) potential for additional income streams from livestock or trees. When combined, CA and IFSs offer even greater benefits: i) excess crop residues from CA can be used as feed or bedding for livestock in IFSs; (ii) manure from livestock in IFS can be composted and used as fertilizer for crops in CA, reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers; and (iii) the improved soil health from CA benefits both crops and trees in IFS. For successful integration, challenges to consider are private and public investments for simultaneously adopting CA and IFSs, thorough changes in traditional practices and mental settings, the development of research and extension efforts, increased and continuous support and motivation to farmers, and strengthening and downscaling government policies that can play a role in incentivizing the adoption of CA and IFS for sustainable agriculture and food security.