Integrated Farming Systems for Environment Sustainability: A Comprehensive Review
Priyanka Bhati, Anadi Ranjan Saikia, Shivani Chaudhary, Raj Bahadur, Th. Nengparmoi, Nilabh Talukdar, Sanjay Hazarika
Abstract
This review article explores the holistic approach of Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) as a sustainable strategy for meeting diverse agricultural demands while ensuring environmental sustainability. Characterized by the integration of crops, livestock, fishery, and allied activities within a single farm, IFS is hypothesized to enhance farm resilience, livelihoods, food security, and ecosystem services. The literature review reveals that IFS can significantly improve farm profitability (265%) and employment (143%) compared to single enterprise farms. Furthermore, IFS contribute to nutrient recycling, reducing external input purchases and enhancing soil quality indicators. The adoption of IFS plays a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, improves soil organic carbon, and contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite its advantages, challenges in adoption include the need for skills, knowledge, resources, labor, and capital among small and marginal farmers. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability variables in a unified evaluation framework to enhance the adaptability of IFS. In conclusion, IFS emerges as a holistic and climate-resilient model with the potential for sustainable agriculture, requiring continued research, policy support, and innovative strategies for widespread adoption.