Environmental accounting for croplands, livestock husbandry, and integrated systems based on emergetic indicators

By linking agricultural and livestock products, integrated crop-livestock systems produce economic and environmental benefits. Using emergy analysis, the current study evaluates the effect of an integrated system for producing agricultural crops and livestock on efficiency and ecological sustainability, and compares it to separate crop and livestock production systems. This study was conducted in 2019, with data collected from the smallholding farmland and livestock systems of Boland Village in Sistan, Iran. Purchased inputs accounted for 51.08, 99.96, and 30.94% of the total inputs of cropping, livestock, and integrated production systems, respectively. The values of Emergy Yield Ratio, Emergy Sustainability Indices, and Gross Benefit and Net Benefit showed that, due to the positive interactions between the crop and livestock components along with high environmental sustainability, the integrated system results in a higher net profit in comparison to the individual cropping and livestock systems. Due to the suitable weather and richness of natural resources in the Sistan region, various crops are produced all year round, and many opportunities exist for integrating agricultural and livestock products in this region. The results also indicated that while the integration of crops and livestock has the potential to reduce economic risks and to increase profitability, it can also provide great benefits regarding the preservation of soil and water resources and the productivity of nutrient cycling. An integrated crop-livestock system is suggested as a suitable option for diversifying agricultural practices, which could prevent risks, improve crop ecological production, and prevent soil erosion and nutrient loss.

Automated summary

Integrated crop-livestock systems can provide economic and environmental benefits by linking agricultural and livestock products. The study shows that integrating crop and livestock production can lead to higher net profit and improve ecological sustainability. The suitable climate and abundant resources in the Sistan region offer opportunities for integrating agricultural and livestock products, which can reduce economic risks and enhance productivity in terms of soil and water resources.