Livestock roles in agroecological transitions in mixed crop-livestock systems of Tunisia

CONTEXT Despite the well-recognized role of livestock in providing goods and ecosystem services, agronomy research over the past decades has predominantly focused on plots and crops, often underestimating the contribution of animals to economic diversification within mixed farming systems. While integrated livestock-crop practices remain among the most frequently cited examples of agroecology in action, few studies assess the extent to which livestock contribute to the agroecological transition, particularly in integrated crop-livestock systems. Most of them focus on the use or non-use of these practices, particularly in mixed livestock systems. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study are to 1) develop a method for characterizing the agroecological transition stage of crop-livestock farming systems and 2) analyze how integrating livestock into crop farming systems can promote agroecological transitions. The analysis compares farms at different stages of agroecological transition, assessed using indicators corresponding to FAO's ten elements and HLPE's thirteen principles of agroecology, across farms with contrasting levels of livestock integration. METHODS This study used data collected from a survey administered to 692 households in northwest Tunisia. Factor and cluster analyses were used to analyze the data and identify defining characteristics of crop-livestock farms at different stages of agroecological transitions, and to distill the relative importance of livestock contributions to agroecological performance, in line with agroecological principles. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The results show that livestock play a crucial role in the agroecological transitions of Tunisian mixed farming systems. Increasing livestock numbers on mixed farms is associated with enhanced synergies among crops, trees, and animals, particularly through nutrient recycling and the utilization of residues as livestock feed. However, challenges persist regarding knowledge co-creation, recycling and connectivity, and land and resource governance in landscapes with mixed farming systems. SIGNIFICANCE The study addresses the discrepancy between global frameworks and on-the-ground realities by integrating localized analyses of farming and livestock systems with broader principles of agroecology. While integrating livestock into farming systems in dryland areas can be considered a transformative pathway toward sustainable agriculture, the findings underscore the significance of social networks and connectivity between producers and consumers, governance, and knowledge sharing in promoting agroecological practices.