Rainfed Integrated Farming Systems for Arid Zone of India

Integrated farming systems have been shown to outperform conventional and specialized farming systems in various dimensions of multifunctional agriculture, including food security, environmental sustainability, economic viability, and social benefits. IFS enhance productivity, profitability, and resource use efficiencies while preserving natural resources, biodiversity, and the environment. Predominantly rainfed agriculture, coupled with frequent droughts, results in low, unstable yields and challenges like resource degradation, shrinking farms, and sustainability threats. There is a need to transition to production systems that ensure food and income security, protects environmental quality, and enhances ecosystem services crucial for sustainable agriculture. Diversified agricultural systems, such as integrated farming systems (IFS), offer a promising path forward. Studies across India show that IFS can harness the complementarities among different agricultural subsystems, thereby boosting productivity and profitability. These systems also promote gainful employment, efficient resource recycling, and improved resource-use efficiency, while enhancing soil quality, biodiversity, and natural resource conservation.