Drivers of decoupling and recoupling of crop and livestock systems at farm and territorial scales

Rachael D Garrett,Juliana D B Gil,Anna Victoria N Garik,Marc Moraine,Julie Ryschawy,Owen Cortner,Júlio César Dos Reis,Joice Ferreira,Judson F Valentim,Caitlin A Peterson,Lindsay W Bell,Laurens Klerkx

doi:10.5751/es-11412-250124

Abstract

Garrett, R. D., J. Ryschawy, L. W. Bell, O. Cortner, J. Ferreira, A. V. N. Garik, J. D. B. Gil, L. Klerkx, M. Moraine, C. A. Peterson, J. C. dos Reis, and J. F. Valentim. 2020. Drivers of decoupling and recoupling of crop and livestock systems at farm and territorial scales. Ecology and Society 25(1):24. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-11412-250124

Highlights

Crop and livestock production is essential to human well-being, yet contributes to numerous global sustainability challenges
There is substantial evidence that by closing the loop in nutrient and energy cycles, recoupling crop and livestock systems at farm and territorial scales can help reduce the environmental externalities associated with conventional commercial farming without declines in profitability or yields
Based on an interdisciplinary workshop and additional literature review, we provide a comprehensive historical and international perspective on why integrated crop and livestock systems have declined in most regions and what conditions have fostered their persistence and reemergence in others

Summary

Introduction

Crop and livestock production is essential to human well-being, yet contributes to numerous global sustainability challenges. Specialized systems are characterized on the cropping side by frequent tillage and synthetic input use to reduce pest and weed pressure and manage nutrient availability, leading to erosion, pollution, and rising costs of production, and on the livestock side by waste accumulation, leading to high pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (Pimentel et al 1995, Tilman et al 2001, Pimentel 2005, Chadwick et al 2011) This specialization of agricultural management tends to make farmers more exposed to weather and market variability risks and creates an ecological and technological treadmill of production, such that each solution only creates additional challenges (Ward 1993). This treadmill, though seemingly paradoxical from a farmer perspective, has clear benefits for multinational agribusiness firms by creating demand for their goods and services

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