Building Resilience into Food Systems via Tree-Crop-Livestock Integration

Agricultural systems worldwide are under increasing pressure to produce sufficient food while minimizing environmental degradation and adapting to climate change. Conventional farming practices, often dominated by monocultures and high external inputs, have contributed to soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and declining ecosystem services, undermining long-term agricultural sustainability. In response, integrated and diversified farming approaches have gained attention within fields such as agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. Among the various diversified farming approaches, integrated tree-crop-livestock systems have emerged as a promising strategy that deliberately integrates woody perennials, agricultural crops, and livestock within the same farming landscape to generate ecological, economic, and social benefits. By deliberately integrating trees, crops, and livestock, these systems optimize resource use efficiency through improved nutrient cycling, enhanced soil fertility, reduced erosion, greater carbon sequestration, and increased biodiversity. They also strengthen essential ecosystem services, including pollination, biological pest control, and water regulation, while diversifying farm production and income. Compared with conventional agricultural systems, which are often characterized by monocultures and heavy dependence on external inputs, tree-crop-livestock systems improve resilience to climate variability, reduce environmental impacts, and enhance the long-term sustainability of agricultural production. Their multi-functional nature supports food security while simultaneously contributing to climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and rural livelihoods. As global efforts accelerate to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to Zero Hunger, Climate Action, and Life on Land, integrated tree-crop-livestock systems are increasingly recognized as nature-based solutions for building resilient, productive, and sustainable food systems.This Research Topic aims to advance scientific understanding of tree-crop-livestock integration as a pathway toward resilient and sustainable food systems. We welcome original research articles, review papers, short communications, and case studies that provide novel scientific insights, technological innovations, policy perspectives, or practical experiences related to integrated agricultural systems across diverse agroecological regions. Contributions addressing interdisciplinary approaches that connect ecological, agronomic, environmental, socioeconomic, and policy dimensions are particularly encouraged. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Crop, livestock, and forestry integration to reconcile soil health, food production, and climate change mitigation • Climate-resilient livestock systems: Emission mitigation strategies and integrated technological innovations• Sustainable development through agriculture-forestry-livestock • Agroforestry and perennial systems for meeting SDGs• Habitat management on farms (hedgerows, field margins, riparian buffers, wetlands, landscape connectivity)• Integrated crop-ruminant livestock systems as a strategy to increase energy, carbon, and nutrient circularity• Spatial variability and microbiological and structural quality in integrated crop-livestock systems• Low-emission systems of pasture-based milk production• Carbon sequestration potential of integrated tree-crop-livestock systems Topic editors: Rohit Bishist, Krishan Lal Gautam, Sougata Bardhan Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80172/building-resilience-into-food-systems-via-tree-crop-livestock-integration