Crop-Livestock Integration:
Policy Pressures and Options

In the four most extensive Mixed Systems (Communal Grazing, Crop Residue, Cut and Carry, Feed from Farm) there is a general trend to crop-livestock integration, driven largely by human population increase. This trend is subject to very strong geographical variation and variation between socio-economic strata in any one area. Negative policies distort the processes of crop-livestock integration, and interfere with whatever is the most efficient utilisation of livestock in crop production and of cultivated crops and crop residues in livestock feeding, for the particular system under consideration.

In general, undistorted processes of crop-livestock integration mitigate the negative effects of expansion of cultivation by reducing pressure on the remaining rangelands.

The major policy pressures contributing to negative environmental impacts are:

- subsidies on inorganic fertiliser
- subsidies on mechanisation
- exchange rates and import-export policies
- inappropriate land tenure systems

Besides policies to slow human population growth, which are outside the remit of this toolbox, policy options that can mitigate negative impacts include:

- phasing out of subsidies on inorganic fertiliser
- phasing out of subsidies on mechanisation
- improved land tenure for mixed farmers (though not necessarily land titling)
- improved extension to inform and motivate on crop-livestock integration,
- development of infrastructure such as roads and markets
- development of savings and credit institutions
- stimulating non-farm rural employment

The aim of such policies should not be seen as moving all farmers towards a single model of mixed farming integrated at a household level, rather to allow the most efficient use of crop and livestock resources possible within a given system, which is also likely to be the most environmentally sustainable use.

In densely populated systems, there will be a policy option of:

- moving livestock production towards an industrial model

in which case, due regard will need to be paid to policy options to mitigate the risks of such a shift.

Key References

McIntire, J., Bourzat, D. and Pingali, P. 1992. Crop-Livestock Integration in Sub-Saharan Africa, Washington DC, World Bank.

Wolmer, W. 1997. Crop-Livestock Integration: the Dynamics of Intensification in Contrasting Agro-Ecological Zones: a Review. IDS Working Paper 63.

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