Silvopastoral Systems: Best Agroecological Practice for Resilient Production Systems Under Dryland and Drought Conditions

Intensified agriculture systems have had enormous negative consequences on ecosystems, particularly contributing towards unrestricted drought and desertification. In fact, the expansion of agriculture is the main cause of ecosystem degradation. The regions most vulnerable to such degradation are drylands, comprising 40 % of total land area and where 42 % of the global population resides. It is well known that climate change impact rainfed crops and water storage; which in turn impact the water availability for irrigation in dryland regions. Soils are also greatly affected by climate change: changes in rainfall and temperature affect crop growth, nutrient cycles, plant biodiversity and soil organic matter. Also, livestock production in tropical regions faces serious limitations, including inadequate management, the low quality and irregular availability of forage resources and, ultimately, the consequences of climate change. Among other reasons, low soil fertility and the irregularity of rain distribution have caused the majority of pastures to deteriorate. In general, tropical pastures are large contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane, which is associated with their high fiber content. To counter climate change requires: linking adaptation with mitigation. Silvopastoral systems are presented here as a set of strategies to enhance productivity whist reducing input costs and increasing environmental sustainability that also enhance carbon sequestration and build the resilience of the system to cope with the impacts of climate change.