Healthy soil and productive land with agroforestry: regeneration, sustainability and climate resilience

In a country where soil degradation and loss of organic matter threaten agricultural productivity and long-term viability, evidence is mounting that agroforestry systems (SAFs) and integrated production models combining forest, crops and/or livestock can represent a true paradigm shift. Recent — and robust — studies show that these systems don’t just diversify production: they help regenerate soil health, restore fertility, and increase the capacity to store atmospheric carbon.

What recent research says

A 2025 study published in Applied and Environmental Soil Science evaluated integrated crop-livestock-forest (CLFI) systems under no-till management on a Ferralsol — a soil type common in many parts of Brazil. The researchers compared different systems: CLFI with pasture rotation (CLFI-PA), CLFI with crop rotation (CLFI-CR), conventional continuous cropping (CCC), permanent pasture (with or without fertilization), and native vegetation (reference).

They found that after 23 years of conventional continuous cropping, the soil lost up to 53% of its soil organic carbon (SOC) compared to native vegetation (Cerrado).

In contrast, the CLFI systems under no-till recovered SOC stocks: in the top 0–10 cm layer, SOC in CLFI treatments reached values comparable to long-term pastures and approached native-vegetation levels.

Beyond carbon content, these systems also improved soil structure: the formation of stable soil aggregates (macroaggregates), better aggregate stability, higher geometric mean diameter (GMD) and mean weight diameter (MWD) — metrics associated with improved soil physical conditions, water retention, resistance to erosion, and better root growth.

Other studies reinforce these findings. For example, research in Brazil’s Cerrado comparing integrated crop–livestock (ICL) systems under no-till versus conventional cropping showed that over decades, the integrated systems significantly increased soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks, particularly in more stable organic matter fractions, contributing to long-term soil fertility and ecosystem sustainability.

Field data from various Brazilian biomes indicate that conservation agriculture practices — especially no-till — can restore soil-organic-carbon stocks even to levels similar to native vegetation, albeit over several decades.

Benefits for soil, climate and production

For regions with fragile soils — such as parts of the Cerrado, planossolos, or tropical sandy soils — adopting SAFs or integrated systems with forest, crops and/or livestock can be a strategic opportunity to reconcile productivity with sustainability. Among the most consistent benefits identified by researchers:

• Recovery of soil carbon and organic matter, essential for fertility, water retention, and soil physical health.

• Improved soil structure, with stable aggregates and better texture — reducing erosion risk and improving root penetration, water infiltration and resilience.

• Enhanced nutrient cycling and microbial activity, supporting healthier crops and pastures over the long term.

• Possibility of diversified production (grains, fodder, timber/wood, livestock, silviculture) on the same area — meaning more stable and diversified income, greater resilience, and less pressure for land-use expansion.

• Contribution to climate mitigation, via carbon sequestration in soil and biomass, and improved ecological stability (diversity, ground cover, ecosystem services).

  
  

These benefits make integrated agroforestry and crop-livestock-forest systems a compelling pathway for sustainable agriculture that combines productivity with environmental care.

Why Brazil is especially well placed — and why this matters

Brazil brings together multiple conditions that favor the adoption of SAFs as a tool for soil regeneration, sustainable production and climate mitigation: a wide variety of soils and climates, large areas degraded by conventional agriculture or livestock, a long tradition of agriculture and livestock production, and growing demand — domestically and internationally — for sustainability, traceability, and low-carbon products.

For many producers, adopting SAFs and integrated systems is not just ecological idealism: it's a realistic opportunity to convert degraded lands into productive, fertile, long-term assets, with less reliance on external inputs (such as synthetic fertilisers) and greater resilience.

Moreover, in a global scenario increasingly attentive to traceability, emissions reduction and sustainable supply-chains, properties managed under agroforestry or integrated systems may become more attractive — better positioned to meet certification standards, demand for “nature-based solutions,” or markets that value carbon-footprint transparency.

Challenges and what demands attention

Despite promising results, researchers caution that these benefits depend heavily on proper design and management. It is not enough simply to plant trees alongside crops or livestock: it is crucial to select appropriate tree and pasture species, define correct densities, respect soil and climate conditions, and adopt complementary practices — such as minimum soil disturbance, crop rotation, residue management, and long-term monitoring.

Scaling SAFs and integrated systems faces challenges: lack of technical knowledge among many producers; higher initial costs for system implementation; need for technical assistance; long time horizons before full benefits become evident; and need for institutional support — e.g. public policies, incentives, extension services, access to financing.

Even so, the growing scientific evidence points to a clear path: with commitment and good management, SAFs and integrated systems can recover soil fertility, protect landscapes, increase productivity and contribute meaningfully to climate goals — offering a viable way to reconcile agriculture, conservation and sustainability in Brazil.

A living soil, responsible production and a sustainable future

Soil is the foundation of agriculture. Degraded soils, poor in organic matter and carbon, drain resources and undermine productivity in the long run. Recent research suggests that SAFs and integrated crop-forest-livestock systems don’t just conserve soil — they regenerate it.

For Brazil — with its unique territorial, environmental and agricultural context — this may represent a strategic route toward a more resilient, competitive, and sustainable agriculture. Investing in a living soil — with science, technique and long-term vision — means investing in the future: of production, of rural livelihoods, and of the climate.

 Source:

• Jolimar A. Schiavo et al., “Integrated Crop–Livestock–Forest Systems With No-Till Can Restore Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in a Brazilian Ferralsol”, Applied and Environmental Soil Science, 2025. (ResearchGate)

• “Quality of soil in crop–livestock–forest integration systems in Sinop, MT”, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2014. (Locus)

• Silva J.W.T. et al., “Sistemas de integração lavoura-pecuária-floresta (iLPF): panorama e impactos ambientais”, Ciencia Animal, 2020. (Revistas UECE)

• S. Poudel et al., “Silvopastures: Benefits, Past Efforts, Challenges, and Prospects”, 2024. (MDPI)

• Revisão sobre integração lavoura-pecuária-floresta e sustentabilidade, 2022. (Alice)