Evaluating The Level Of Integration Between Livestock And Crops On Farms To Promote The Benefits Of Integrated Farming

Summary

Organic farming aims at closing biogeochemical cycles. On farms combining livestock and crops, this aim should be achieved by increasing interactions between both. However, there is a lack of methodology for measuring these interactions from farm’s management databases. To assess the level of integration (LI) between crops and livestock, we built a tool based on 10 indicators concerning food self-sufficiency, fertilizers autonomy and land use. This tool differentiates farms in three LI: low, medium and high. We compared the economic and environmental performances of each LI. Organic farms are mainly found in the high LI group. As the LI increases, environmental performances increase and economic performances are more resilient. Monitoring the evolution of the LI score while implementing changes in farming practices could help assess their sustainability and identify innovative practices.