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

Photo credit: ICARDA/Ahmed Elsheemy
Blog
To most eyes, deserts look like the end of the line for agriculture - too dry to grow, too hot to handle, and too degraded to offer much promise. But that assumption is being overturned by a science-driven rethink of agriculture in places long considered beyond saving.
Ayelech holding sheep
Blog
In rural Ethiopia, 60-year-old Ayelech is transforming lives through ICARDA’s Community-Based Breeding Program (CBBP), empowering women farmers, improving livestock quality, and driving inclusive rural development
Scaling  Rhizobial Inoculation for Leguminous Forage Crops
News

To address Tunisia’s shortage of quality livestock feed, through CGIAR Research Initiative on Agroecology and the SWC@Scale-ProSol Project, ICARDA and national partners, the National Agronomic...

Featured Innovations