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This chapter investigates the potential for diversified agricultural practices to improve environmental outcomes while maintaining or enhancing agricultural yields. We synthesise evidence from existing meta-analyses assessing the effect of diversification on yield and at least one other outcome, to show the direction of change in yield and ecosystem services when production systems are diversified. . Our analysis shows that yield declines are mainly associated with insufficient soil fertilisation and poor cropping designs, and could potentially be mitigated by addressing these factors. We discuss the implications of our findings for future research and policy.
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Transforming agriculture
- 3 Diversified practices and ecological intensification
- 4 Effects of diversified practices on yields and other ecosystem services: meta-analyses
- 5 When are yields compromised?
- 6 Cover-cropping and rotations: yield effects
- 7 Intercropping: yield effects
- 8 Agroforestry: yield effects
- 9 Discussion: beyond yields
- 10 Conclusion: towards knowledge-intensive, multifunctional food production systems
- 11 Acknowledgements
- 12 Where to look for further information