This document discusses integrated crop-livestock farming systems as a way to sustainably intensify agricultural production. It addresses the global demands for increased food, feed, fiber and fuel production while mitigating climate change impacts. Integrated systems improve productivity and environmental stewardship through good practices like crop-livestock rotation and managing grazing intensity. They can renew degraded pastures, improve soil health, recycle nutrients, enhance crop and livestock yields, and provide other economic and ecosystem benefits compared to separate crop and livestock systems. The FAO facilitates monitoring, awareness raising, networking and providing support for countries adopting more sustainable agricultural practices.

1. Integrated Crop-Livestock Farming Systems
Sustainable Intensification
Integration of Crops and Livestock:
Context and future perspectives
Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho, Caterina Batello
& Eric Kueneman

2. New Challenges for Agriculture
• Huge global demands for food, feed, fiber
and fuels
• Global soaring food prices crisis is part of
the symptomology of neglected agriculture
• Addressing climate change adaptation and
mitigation

3. Production Increases through Good
Farming Practices
• The new production technologies must
address:
– Productivity
– Environmental Care and Ecosystem Services
– Social Issues and Concerns
– Food Safety
– Economic viability

4. Renewed pasture
after crop phase
Pasture degradation
(high stocking rate
x no fertilization)
Central Brazil:
ICLS to renew pastures in degradation and
produce biomass for no-tilled systems

5. The effects of grazing in no-tillage
systems: is grazing deleterious?
11,4 kg 3,0 kg 0,6 kg 0,6 kg 6,0 kg 0,6 kg
N P K S Ca Mg
Nutrient extraction by a 450 kg beef cattle (Ball et al. (1991)
Grazing
animals
recycle most
of the
nutrients

6. How animals should be managed in these systems?

7. High grazing intensityHigh grazing intensity Moderate grazing intensityModerate grazing intensity
Low grazing intensityLow grazing intensity Very low grazing intensityVery low grazing intensity
Swards maintained atSwards maintained at 10 cm10 cm heightheight Swards maintained atSwards maintained at 20 cm20 cm heightheight
Swards maintained atSwards maintained at 40 cm40 cm heightheightSwards maintained atSwards maintained at 30 cm30 cm heightheight

8. Rotation scheme of 5 years (2.5 years Agriculture & 2.5 Liv.)
Esquema de rotação
Ano 1 Ano 2 Ano 3 Ano 4 Ano 5 Ano 6
Verão Milho+Braq. Pasto Pasto Soja Arroz Milho+Braq.
Inverno Pasto Pasto Pasto Sorgo Pastejo Sorgo Pastejo Pasto
Esquema de ocupação da área do PILP Ano 1
Pasto
Pasto
Pasto
Soja
Arroz
M ilho +
Braq.
Verão
50 %Lavoura
50 %Pecuária
Pasto
Pasto
Pasto
Sorgo
Pastejo Sorgo
Pastejo
Pasto
Inverno
100%Pecuária
Esquema de ocupação da área do PILP Ano 2
Pasto
Pasto
Soja
Arroz M ilho+Br
aq
Pato
Verão
50%Pecuária
50 %Lavoura
Pasto
Pasto
Sorgo
Pastejo
Sorgo
Pastejo
Pasto
Pato
Inverno
100%Pecuária
Embrapa Arroz e Feijão, 2004

9. Infiltration speedInfiltration speed
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Very high Moderate Low Very low
Grazing Intensity
mmofwaterinfiltrated/ha

11. An established
pasture (no cost!)
50 days latter
12 years: soybean & italian ryegrass in
succession

12. SERVICE DELIVERY OF AGRICULTURE FORSERVICE DELIVERY OF AGRICULTURE FOR
LIVESTOCKLIVESTOCK
D.L. BrochD.L. Broch –– FMS, 2005FMS, 2005
Fertilization supply
Land value enhancement
Fast return from the investment

13. D. L. BrochD. L. Broch –– FMS, 2005FMS, 2005
Improve Cash Flow
Restoration of soil physical qualities
Soil cover that can allow no-tillage
Pest and weed control
Enhancement of grain and beef production
SERVICE DELIVERY OF LIVESTOCK FORSERVICE DELIVERY OF LIVESTOCK FOR
AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE

14. FAO Facilitation
• Monitoring innovations and constraints in agriculture and
food systems globally
• Awareness raising for better strategies and policies
• Networking and coalition building
• Information flow, and knowledge management

15. PROJECTS AND
NORMATIVE WORK++
• Development of field activities for
pilot-testing cropping systems and
integration of crop and livestock
production in selected ecologies
• Support to FAO member countries
for the development of policies
and agreements related to best
agricultural practices

16. Integrated production systems in West Africa
(oncho-freed ecosystems) (RAF)

17. Better agriculture in
Latin America
contributes to global food security
Gracias
Obrigado
Thank you