Editorial: Economic viability in integrated crop - livestock systems

Several studies demonstrate that simply producing is not enough to generate wealth; value creation depends, above all, on qualified integration into market chains. Gata et al. (2025) show that active market participation contributes to asset formation and the economic strengthening of small producers in Ethiopia. However, Yu et al.(2025) warn that, in contexts such as China, integration into markets dominated by highly concentrated industries can increase vulnerability and costs for the producer, suggesting the need for cooperatives, something that Belliggiano et al. Modernization is often presented as an inevitable path to permanence and competitiveness in rural areas, but it is a complex process that requires planning, information, and investment capacity. To modernize sustainably, producers need tools that improve their decision-making.In this regard, Wolfart et al. (2025) propose a management tool for dairy producers that provides technical support for evaluating scenarios and making more strategic decisions about modernization investments. This approach aligns directly with observations by Haruna et al. (2025), who, in their analysis of poultry farming, emphasize the need for managerial and structural interventions to control costs and increase income. Together, the studies reinforce the idea that modernization is not just about adopting new technologies, but about improving producers' economic management and decision-making capacity. The initial proposal for this topic was to discuss the economic viability of Integrated agricultural and livestock production systems. However, precisely because of the scarcity of consolidated data on the profitability of these systems, the edition ended up assuming a more comprehensive scope. Even so, we consider the initiative to have been successful: 19 articles were submitted, of which 10 were approved for publication. Together, the selected works converge to offer a broad and integrated view of the modern food production chain, showing that its competitiveness, sustainability, and contribution to food security depend intrinsically on consistent public policies. Furthermore, all articles align with the United Nations guidelines and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, explicitly adhering to SDGs 2, 13, 14, and 15.