Agrosilvopastoral Systems

Integrated crop-livestock production systems cushion each sector from external pressure and optimize economic, social and environmental conditions.
Integrated crop-livestock production systems cushion each sector from external pressure and optimize economic, social and environmental conditions.

ICARDA’s integrated approach towards more productive and sustainable crop-livestock systems focuses on farmer- and community-based solutions for improving sheep and goat production, sustainable management and restoration of rangelands, production of water-efficient dryland forages, and better integration of crop and livestock in mixed dryland systems.

Our innovations reduce the environmental footprint of dryland agriculture and aim for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) through restoration measures that adapt to climate change. We also deliver knowledge and skills to rural households to ensure product safety and maximum benefits from value addition.

Our work in resilient crop-livestock systems is carried out by our Resilient Agro-Silvo-Pastoral Systems (RASP) team and its sub-teams, developing integrated innovation packages for livestock-based systems in low rainfall areas to improve livelihoods and increase system resilience. RASP also conducts research related to small ruminant (sheep and goats) genetics, breeding, feeding and health, dryland forages, rangeland ecology and management, and ecosystem restoration.

Watch and learn about our climate smart approaches for sustainable production of forage crops!
 

Our Innovations

 ICARDA innovations help countries and communities strengthen their adaptation to climate change and transition towards food and nutritional security.

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Selected Doyogena ram for use in artificial insemination

 

OUR CROP-LIVESTOCK EXPERTS

Our research teams provide integrated packages that help farmers to implement our innovations and new approaches and allow them to flourish:

Latest News

From Listeners to Changemakers
News
Broadcasting innovations in livestock production through native-language radio programs effectively communicate with farmers, promoting agriculture and development in rural areas. ICARDA launched a radio program on sheep fattening in Ethiopia, broadcast in six native languages to engage local communities.
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2024
Blog
Through CGIAR's Research Initiative on Livestock and Climate, ICARDA's Sustainable Rangeland Management toolkit and regenerative grazing practices combine modern science and indigenous knowledge that combat desertification by restoring degraded lands to generate sustainable agriculture for dryland farmers.
Forage Legume (Sulla) in Central Tunisia - Photo by: Mounir Louahichi
Blog
ICARDA’s innovative Analysis Pack for Economics of Land Degradation (APELD) tool, developed through the CGIAR Research Initiative on Livestock and Climate, quantifies economic losses of Land degradation (LD) and analyzes the benefits of land rehabilitation interventions.

Featured Innovations