A new study published online April 4 in the journal Science finds that agricultural diversification comes with significant benefits, and very few negative effects. 

University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Associate Professor Jennifer Blesh is co-author and part of the leadership team for this study, in which a team of 58 researchers brought together data from 24 research projects representing a total of 2,655 working farms on five continents. 

“Agricultural diversification involves practices that increase crop and livestock diversity from field to landscape scales. Monocultures have become commonplace, but industrial agriculture degrades resources like soil, water and biodiversity that are needed to produce food into the future. Diversified farming systems, on the other hand, can provide a wide range of environmental and social benefits in addition to food production,” Blesh says.  

She adds that these findings provide further evidence that diversified farming systems can help reverse current threats of global climate change and food insecurity.

“This study builds on one we published last year, which identified two influential pathways - the presence of strong social networks and institutional change - that increase critical resources for farm diversification despite major policy and market barriers.”

Blesh says that, given the urgent challenges facing agriculture, this study informs the need for co-developing research with farmers and agricultural communities to identify policies and investments that will foster diversified farming systems in different contexts around the world.  

Full press release: Major study reports that people and environment both benefit from diversified farming, while bottom lines also thrive

Study: Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture (DOI: 10.1126)