Socio-technical Dynamics of Silvopastoral Systems for Sustainable Cattle Farming
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/ija.2026.28.02.03Keywords:
silvopastoral systems, technology adoption, sustainable livestock production, climate change mitigation, animal welfare, rural developmentAbstract
Silvopastoral systems (SPS) have emerged as an innovative strategy for promoting sustainable livestock production through the integration of trees, shrubs, pastures, and livestock within the same production unit. Despite the environmental, productive, and social benefits reported across different regions of the world, their adoption continues to face challenges associated with technical, economic, institutional, and sociocultural factors. The objective of this study was to analyze the socio-technical dynamics influencing the implementation and adoption of silvopastoral systems worldwide through a systematic review of scientific literature published between 2014 and 2026. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, SciELO, Redalyc, Dialnet, Latindex, and EBSCOhost databases. A total of 250 scientific articles were initially identified, of which 120 met the inclusion criteria and were selected for final analysis. The collected information was organized into six thematic dimensions: livestock productivity, animal welfare, soil quality, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and socio-technical adoption factors. The findings indicate that SPS improve forage quality and availability, enhance animal welfare by reducing heat stress, contribute to carbon sequestration, improve soil physical and biological properties, and promote biodiversity conservation in livestock systems. The review also identified financial constraints, limited technical assistance, weak institutional support, and the persistence of conventional production models as the main barriers to adoption. It is concluded that the large-scale expansion of SPS requires integrated strategies aimed at strengthening socio-technical networks, knowledge transfer mechanisms, and public policies that support the sustainability of livestock production systems.
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