Diversity can save agriculture

A comprehensive international study has proven that agricultural diversification not only benefits biodiversity and food security but also strengthens social welfare. According to the research results, the application of multiple production strategies – such as combining crop rotation, livestock farming, and soil conservation – has a positive impact on crop yields and the sustainability of farms worldwide. The study published in the journal Science was conducted with the participation of 58 researchers and came to a clear conclusion: diversified farming has a clear positive impact. "The beneficial effect of agricultural diversity is not a new theory, but the strength of the results surprised even me," said Professor David Crowder from the Department of Entomology at Washington State University. Colleague Jeb Owen of Crowder examined the role of wild birds in organic farms and found that farm diversity increases the number of bird species that act as natural pest controllers ...