By Faridat Salifu
The German Research Foundation’s (DFG) Permanent Senate Commission on the Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems has called for stronger political backing to expand diversified cropping systems as a pathway to sustainable and crisis-resilient agriculture.
In its first official position paper, the Commission said long-term research programmes and adapted policy frameworks are urgently needed to properly assess diversified arable systems and support evidence-based agricultural decision-making.
The Commission noted that German agriculture has increasingly shifted toward specialised, low-diversity cropping systems over recent decades, particularly monocultures, driven largely by yield optimisation.
While monocultures have delivered significant productivity gains, the Commission warned that they have also increased ecological and economic vulnerabilities, including reduced adaptability to climate change and rising dependence on chemical inputs and global supply chains.
According to the paper, such systems contribute to biodiversity loss and expose farmers to external shocks linked to climate extremes and market volatility.
As an alternative, the Commission highlighted diversified cropping systems such as extended crop rotations and mixed cultivation practices, which it said can improve soil health, reduce pest and disease pressure, and enhance overall farm resilience.
The Commission described diversification as a means of balancing productivity with environmental sustainability while reducing long-term risks for agricultural producers.
It added that climate change, biodiversity decline, and instability in global markets make a fundamental transformation of agricultural systems unavoidable.
Diversified cropping systems were described as a bridge between traditional agricultural knowledge and innovative practices capable of future-proofing food production while maintaining ecological balance.
The paper identified major knowledge gaps limiting wider adoption of diversified systems, particularly in understanding their effects on yield stability, ecological performance, economic viability, technological requirements, and social acceptance.
It stressed that long-term and interdisciplinary research is essential to capture the complex interactions involved and to support practical implementation on farms.
Despite existing incentives under the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy, the Commission noted that diversified cropping systems remain underutilised in Germany.
Farmers, it said, face barriers including limited value chains, weak economic incentives, high initial investment costs, and uncertainty about agronomic and financial outcomes.
Additional challenges cited include a lack of suitable machinery and region-specific implementation strategies, underscoring the need for coordinated political and market-based solutions.
The Commission emphasised that progress will depend on innovation in plant breeding, integrated farming systems, environmental protection, technological development, and economic evaluation.
It pointed to site-adapted crop varieties, integration of arable farming with livestock and agroforestry, and the use of digital technologies as key enablers of diversification at scale.
The Commission called for coordinated action by researchers, policymakers, and market actors to support the transition toward adaptive cropping systems that ensure food security, ecological sustainability, and long-term competitiveness for German agriculture.
