Agropastoralism

Agropastoralism is a mixed farming system that combines crop cultivation with the rearing of livestock within the same landscape. It aims to use complementary resource flows: crop residues feed grazing animals, while manure and crop by-products improve soil fertility and support crop yields. Livestock provides food, income, traction for farming, and risk diversification, while crops supply feed, fodder, and marketable outputs.

Geographic and environmental contexts: Agropastoral systems are common in semi-arid and mountainous regions where rainfall is variable and land is marginal for either cropping or grazing alone. They are found in parts of Africa, Central and South Asia, the Middle East, and some European and American settings. Practices vary, including seasonal mobility of herds (transhumance), integration of fodder crops, and agroforestry where trees are combined with crops and animals.

Management and economics: The system spreads risk across crops and livestock, providing resilience to drought and price shocks. It is typically labor-intensive and dominated by smallholders. Land access, tenure, market access, veterinary services, and extension support shape outcomes. Output tends to be diversified, with milk, meat, grain, and fiber forming different revenue streams.

Environment and modernization: Proper management supports nutrient cycling and soil fertility, but overgrazing, deforestation, and rangeland degradation threaten sustainability if stocking rates are not controlled. Climate change, water scarcity, and land fragmentation pose challenges. Some agropastoral systems intensify inputs and adopt irrigation or market-oriented crops, while others maintain traditional mobility.

History and terminology: Agropastoralism spans ancient and modern periods and remains a practical livelihood where land is marginal for full-scale agriculture. It is distinguished from pure pastoralism by the cultivation of crops and from arable farming by the maintenance of herds.