Chapter 2. Concepts of Integrated Farming

This chapter discusses integrated farming as a systemic approach that connects various components of an agroecosystem, including crops, livestock, fisheries, and other supporting components. Integrated farming is not merely the combination of several production activities, but a system in which outputs or by-products from one component can be utilized as inputs for another. The Integrated Farming System (IFS) approach can improve resource-use efficiency, enhance nutrient cycling, reduce waste, diversify income sources, and strengthen farm resilience. Integrated farming models should be adapted to local biophysical, social, economic, and institutional conditions.