Greater crop diversity can make agriculture more resilient

Growing more diverse crops—both simultaneously within the same cropping system and over time through varied crop rotations—can contribute to more sustainable agriculture by reducing the need for chemical inputs and pesticides, while also improving soil health.

– We have built an agricultural system that is highly dependent on external inputs such as synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, says Raj Chongtham. At the same time, these systems contribute to biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate impacts. The question is how much further we can intensify before these systems become too vulnerable.

Crops that support each other

Agroecology takes a holistic approach to agriculture, where biodiversity and interactions between crops are central and natural processes are harnessed. Agroecology is often described in three steps: improving the efficiency of existing systems, substituting inputs, and redesigning farming systems based on ecological processes and biodiversity.

– Agroecology is not only about reducing negative impacts, but about designing systems so that crops and ecosystem processes can interact and reinforce each other, especially under stress, says Raj Chongtham.

A concrete part of such redesign is intercropping and other forms of crop diversification. Intercropping can be carried out in rows, as mixed cropping, or in strips across fields. The goal is to create multifunctional systems that can simultaneously contribute to higher productivity, better soil health, natural pest control, and more efficient resource use.

– Diversified cropping systems can provide both increased resilience and more sustainable production systems. This becomes particularly important in times of climate instability, geopolitical conflicts, and disruptions in global supply chains.

Growing interest in agroecology

Interest in diversification and agroecology has increased in recent years among farmers, researchers, and policymakers alike. In a time characterised by climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and disruptions in global supply chains, agroecological principles are becoming important strategies in mainstream agricultural policy.

– There is a growing recognition that diversified cropping systems are crucial for preparedness and future-proof food security, says Raj Chongtham.

Many who encounter this research also recognise similarities with earlier generations of farming.

– Especially middle-aged and older people often say that similar farming methods were common when they grew up, before agriculture became so industrialised. Many also question how today’s large-scale and chemical-intensive systems came to dominate so strongly.

At the same time, some groups still see agroecology as something alternative.

– Some still dismiss this type of research as “hippie science”. This shows how strongly today’s industrial agriculture and existing systems continue to shape perceptions of farming.

Existing structures slow the transition

A major challenge is what Raj Chongtham describes as systemic lock-in.

– Value chains, policies, and knowledge systems are largely adapted to input-intensive agriculture. This makes the transition to diversified systems both slower and more complex than many assume, he says.

Within the research community, there is ongoing debate about how quickly the effects of agroecological systems can be measured and about the feasibility of scaling up such methods.

– Many researchers agree on the importance of agroecological methods, but some call for clearer evidence of how the methods work. Effects on soil health and natural pest and disease control often emerge gradually and can be difficult to measure in practice outside controlled experiments.

Public support for agroecological methods is, overall, strong.

– Many people are concerned about pesticide residues in food and frustrated by how food systems are influenced by corporate interests and politics.

Scaling up agroecological systems

Looking ahead, Raj Chongtham identifies several key steps for agroecological farming systems to gain wider adoption. One important area is scaling up crop diversification from small experimental plots to real-world application.

– The challenge is to do so without losing ecological complexity while adapting systems to local conditions.

More long-term research is also needed. At the same time, the researcher emphasises the importance of collaboration between researchers, farmers, and policymakers.

– We need long-term field trials and more systems-based research to better understand the mechanisms behind the effects and how systems function at larger scales, but knowledge must also be put into practice, says Raj Chongtham. Stronger collaboration between different actors is therefore required.

For the transition to accelerate, changes in economic and political systems are also necessary.

– Many policy instruments and subsidies still favour input-intensive agriculture. If we are serious about making agriculture sustainable, then policies and supply chains must also change.