Search
Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture

April 4, 2024 | Science | Source |

 

Introduction: This study, conducted by an interdisciplinary group of scholars from various international agencies, investigates the simultaneous social and environmental benefits of agricultural diversification. Utilizing data from 24 studies across 11 countries and 2,655 farms, the research addresses the impact of five diversification strategies—livestock integration, crop rotation, soil conservation, non-crop plantings, and water management. It aims to fill gaps in understanding how these strategies affect biodiversity, ecosystem services, food security, and human well-being, providing insights into sustainable agriculture's role in mitigating environmental degradation.

Key findings: The study confirms that diversified agriculture improves outcomes more effectively than individual strategies. Key benefits include increased nonagricultural biodiversity and improved food security. Specific combinations, such as livestock diversification and soil conservation, were found to generate significant synergies by simultaneously enhancing biodiversity and food security. The positive effects were particularly strong when multiple strategies were combined, highlighting the interdependence of environmental and social outcomes​. Diversification improves sustainability but requires region-specific adaptations and mitigation of labor and cost trade-offs. Policymakers should provide targeted incentives combined with regulations, support multi-strategy approaches, and promote participatory research to address resource disparities and tailor practices to local contexts.

 

Figure | Effects of agricultural diversification on environmental and social outcomes. (A to G) Agricultural diversification strategies include livestock diversification, temporal crop diversification, soil conservation, noncrop diversification, and water conservation. Flower diagrams indicate the effects of diversification strategies on three environmental outcome variables (nonagricultural biodiversity, regulating ecosystem services, and reduced environmental externalities) and three social outcome variables (human well-being, food security, and yield). Also shown are the effects of the total number of diversification strategies (up to a total of five) and their associated diversification practices (up to a total of 23, excluding livestock diversification) applied. Effect sizes are measured in units of SD, with the black circle indicating an effect size of 0.0. The size of the flower petals is proportional to the effect size; error bars indicate ± 1 SE. Asterisks indicate statistically significant effects of diversification strategies on outcomes (gray asterisks, P < 0.00119 using Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons; 42 estimates).

Viewed Articles
Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture
April 4, 2024 | Science | Source |  Introduction: This study, conducted by an interdisciplinary group of scholars from various international agencies, investigates the simultaneous social and environm
Read More
Harness agrifood value chains to help farmers be climate smart: Incentives and structures exist to improve farming practices
November 28, 2024 | Science | Source |  Introduction: At the 2023 COP28, the Emirates Declaration recognized the critical role of agrifood systems in addressing climate change. With over 160 countries
What are the challenges and opportunities in implementing Taiwan's aquavoltaics policy? A roadmap for achieving symbiosis between small-scale aquaculture and photovoltaics
June 1, 2021 | Energy Policy | Source | Introduction: Taiwan has been advancing its renewable energy projects, including a policy that combines photovoltaics (PVs) with fishponds, known as aquavoltaic
Towards climate-smart, three-dimensional protected areas for biodiversity conservation in the high seas
April 4, 2022 | Nature Climate Change | Source | Introduction: Marine species are rapidly shifting their habitats due to warming oceans, with movements varying by location and depth. As global goals p
Climate change mitigation potential in dietary guidelines: A global review
September 1, 2023 | Sustainable Production and Consumption | Source | Introduction: A research team led by researchers from Università della Svizzera italiana in Switzerland analyzed 93 food-based die
How farmers approach soil carbon sequestration? Lessons learned from 105 carbon-farming plans
January 1, 2022 | Soil and Tillage Research | Source |   Introduction: Soil carbon sequestration is a key method for mitigating climate change by storing carbon in agricultural soils. To explore this,
TOP