Systems-oriented Innovation towards Sustainable Smallholder Mixed Farming
Existing innovation approaches in smallholder mixed farming systems (MFS) often fall short by overlooking system complexity and local contexts. This Perspective calls for more responsible and effective co-design of MFS innovations. We outline distinct (socio-)technical innovation pathways, to better comprehend their opportunities and trade-offs. Drawing on case studies from Sub-Saharan Africa and South and South-East Asia, we identify three key enablers for MFS innovation approaches: systems thinking, participatory processes, and context-sensitivity. Together, these elements can help unlock the potential of MFS to improve livelihoods and advance landscape sustainability across the Global South.
Authors
- Mary Atieno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7810-5118)
- Mattis Höft
- Tamiru Amanu Abetu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9639-7721)
- Randall S. Ritzema (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6441-9869)
- Mateete Bekunda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7297-9383)
- Timothy Joseph Krupnik (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6973-0106)
- Gerrie WJ van de Ven
- Mazvita Chiduwa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1539-3698)
- Powell Mponela
- Yifan Wang
- Sieglinde Snapp
- Sabine Homann-Kee Tui
- Kindu Mekonnen
- Nirman Shrestha
- Valentina Martínez-Ramón
- Alessandra Cossu
- Jeroen C. J. Groot
- Kim van Wijngaarden
- Katrien Descheemaeker
- Daan Andreas
- Sanderijn Meijer
- Margherita Senesi
- Jerry Glover
- Nurudeen Abdul Rahman
- Lois Veenings
- Santiago López-Ridaura
Institutions
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln (US)
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (FR)
- International Rice Research Institute (PH)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz Y Trigo (MX)
- Tamale Teaching Hospital (GH)
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR)
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (UG)
- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MW)
- Institut Agro Montpelier (FR)
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (BD)
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (VN)
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Sustainable Agriculture
- Published
- 2026-01-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00114-9
- Primary Topic
- Agricultural Innovations and Practices
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers