Integrated farming gives productivity AND ecosystems (#journal)

Soil functions and ecosystem services in conventional, conservation, and integrated agricultural systems. A review

This study reviewed relevant bibliography and then developed a simple conceptual model, in which soil functions and ecosystem services were compared between conventional, conservation, and integrated agricultural systems. The overall agro-environmental score was largest for conservation systems (71.9 %), intermediate for integrated systems (68.8 %), and smallest for conventional systems (52.1 %). But the crop yield productivity score was largest for integrated systems (83.3 %), intermediate for conventional systems (66.7 %), and smallest for conservation systems (58.3 %). This study shows the potential of integrated farming systems in global food security while sustaining environmental quality.