Crop diversification and ecological soil management emerge as two central strategies for strengthening farming system resilience in a review of 34 meta-analyses covering agroecological practices worldwide. Published in Frontiers in Agronomy in 2025, the review examines evidence on 19 practices, including agroforestry, intercropping, varietal mixtures, cover crops, crop rotations, mixed farming, reduced tillage, mulching and green manure. It considers their contribution to climate adaptation and resilience while accounting for interactions among soils, crops, climate, management and socio-economic conditions.

The evidence shows that outcomes are strongly context-dependent, with positive, neutral and negative effects reported across different environments and management systems. Intercropping can improve yield stability, nitrogen use and weed suppression, while diversified rotations and varietal mixtures may support more stable production under stressful conditions. Cover crops can increase soil organic carbon, although water limitations may reduce subsequent crop yields in dry environments. Agroforestry can provide soil, biodiversity and microclimate benefits, but competition between trees and crops may also constrain yields depending on species, density and local conditions.

The authors emphasize the need for more research on interactions between crop diversity and soil management, livestock integration and complex systems that combine plants and animals across trophic levels. Long-term, site-specific evidence and greater consideration of farmers’ knowledge and socio-economic conditions are also needed to translate agroecological principles into effective resilience strategies.