Co-Design and Co-Evaluation of Traditional and Highly Biodiversity-Based Cropping Systems in the Mediterranean Area

Abstract

Intensive agriculture has created several problems in cropping systems that threaten the sustainability of agricultural production. In order to design new cropping systems, a new approach is emerging to support the transition toward sustainable agriculture: a co-design and co-evaluation process that involves stakeholders in the agrifood chain. The present work therefore describes the co-design and co-evaluation process that was followed to design a highly diversified cropping system in a Mediterranean environment. The different systems that were co-designed include the reference system, with wheat and barley in rotation, as well as three diversified systems that were also proposed and co-evaluated: the rotation of wheat, oil seed rape, and barley (DIV1); the rotation of wheat, pea, and barley (DIV2); and the rotation of wheat, intercrops of barley-common vetch, and barley (DIV3). The best system that was selected from the different stakeholders was the DIV3, as it had the highest evaluation of the stakeholders using agronomic, environmental, and socio-economic criteria.

Keywords

• intercropping
• crop rotation
• reference system
• diversification
• co-design
• co-evaluation