Intercropping, i.e. mixing several different crops on the same field is an important component of Sweden's and the EU's strategies for more sustainable agriculture. Intercropping has shown to have a number of positive characteristics when compared to mono-cropping (fields consisting of a single crop), e.g. better resistance to diseases, reduced need for plant protection, artificial fertilizers, better feed quality. Yet, there seems to be resistance among farmers to adopt intercropping.

In this project, we investigate what prevents farmers from adopting intercropping practices. We focus on: i) farmers' attitudes towards intercropping, ii) how farms' financial situation can be affected by switching to intercropping and iii) how intercropping can be supported by public and private policy initiatives.

The project is carried out by researchers from Agrifood, Department of Economics-, and Department of crop production ecology at SLU. The project is financed by FORMAS, and is expected to be completed during 2024.