Overview of Policy Options for Mixed Crop-Livestock Systems

Mixed crop-livestock systems (click here for general definitions of mixed systems) represent a continuum from systems in which communal grazing plays a key part to systems reliant on external feed, closely resembling industrial systems.

In Mixed Communal Grazing Systems there are policy pressures contributing to overgrazing, and policy options to mitigate it, similar, but not identical to, those for grazing systems and revolving largely around land tenure (click here for discussion of overgrazing policy pressures and options).

In Mixed Communal Grazing Systems there are also policy pressures contributing to and policy options for mitigating, loss of faunal biodiversity (click here for discussion of wildlife biodiversity policy pressures and options)

In the four most extensive Mixed Systems (Communal Grazing, Crop Residue, Cut and Carry, Feed from Farm) the major policy pressures are those that distort the process of crop-livestock integration: subsidies on inorganic fertiliser, concentrates and mechanisation, and high exchange rates. Inappropriate land tenure systems are also an issue for extensive mixed farmers.

Policy options are therefore the phasing out of subsidies, but also improved land tenure (though not necessarily land titling), an investment in appropriate extension to inform and motivate on crop-livestock integration, development of infrastructure such as roads and markets, and development of savings and credit institutions. In densely populated areas, there may be a case either for stimulating non-farm rural employment, or for moving livestock production systems further towards an industrial model. In the latter case, due regard will need to be paid to policy options to mitigate the risks of such a shift.

(click here for general discussion of policy pressures and policy options in these systems)

Mixed systems dependent on external feed have environmental impacts similar to some industrial systems: particularly accumulation of animal wastes (leading to build-ups of excess nutrients and heavy metals in the soil) and indirect impacts through cultivation of feed elsewhere. Policy options for these systems tend to be similar to those for industrial systems (see Policy Options for Industrial Systems), including:

- Pricing, subsidy and taxation policies
- Regulatory policies and charges, embodying the principle of "polluter pays"

Proceed to matrix of policy options and systems

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