Intercropping—A Low Input Agricultural Strategy for Food and Environmental Security

Intensive agriculture is based on the use of high-energy inputs and quality planting materials with assured irrigation, but it has failed to assure agricultural sustainability because creation ecological imbalance degradation natural resources. On other hand, intercropping systems, also known as mixed cropping or polyculture, a traditional farming practice diversified crop cultivation, uses comparatively low improves agro-ecosystem. Intensification crops can be done spatially temporally by adoption system targeting future need. Intercropping ensures multiple benefits like enhancement yield, environmental security, production greater ecosystem services. In intercropping, two more species are grown concurrently they coexist for significant part cycle interact among themselves agro-ecosystems. Legumes component in play versatile roles biological N fixation soil improvement, additional yield output including protein functional diversity. But growing together requires care management less competition efficient utilization Research evidence showed beneficial impacts properly managed terms resource combined low-input use. The review highlights principles an its usefulness food security.