September 2026
Sustainable livestock farming is not about maximising the productivity of individual enterprises, but about strengthening the ecological connections that sustain them. As these connections are restored, farming systems become more resilient, communities become healthier, and agriculture moves closer to working with nature rather than against it. The One Health Approach is a step towards that.
Every morning on our integrated farm in Central India, cattle leave the cowshed to graze in the nearby forest, manure is collected for biogas and compost, crop residues become livestock feed, nutrients return to the soil, and the farm's produce nourishes us. These daily interactions remind us that a farm is not a collection of separate enterprises but a living system in which the health of soil, crops, livestock, people and the surrounding ecosystem are inseparably linked.
Observing these natural cycles over the years has taught us that sustainable farming cannot be achieved by addressing agricultural or veterinary problems in isolation. Sustainable solutions emerge when the root causes are understood and farming systems are designed to work with natural processes rather than against them. This systems perspective forms the foundation of the One Health approach and has guided the evolution of our integrated farming system over the past fourteen years.
The beginnings
My journey towards the One Health approach began in 2009 while working with ginger farmers in Satara district of Maharashtra. During a field visit, I observed a striking difference within a farmer's field. The section that had received well-decomposed compost prepared from the farmer's own cattle manure, along with an application of Trichoderma (a beneficial biocontrol fungus), remained healthy with little incidence of rhizome rot. In contrast, the adjoining section, where compost could not be applied due to its limited availability, required repeated applications of Trichoderma to suppress the disease. Nearby farmers relying mainly on chemical fungicides suffered severe crop losses, as the disease continued to spread despite repeated chemical treatments.
This observation fundamentally changed my understanding of farming. I realised that controlling a disease is not the same as solving the problem that causes it. While chemical fungicides mainly treated the symptom, compost improved soil structure, increased organic matter and supported diverse beneficial microorganisms that naturally suppressed disease. The lesson extended far beyond ginger cultivation. It showed that resilient farming systems are built by strengthening the entire soil ecosystem rather than treating individual problems in isolation. This insight became the foundation of our integrated farming system and our understanding of the One Health approach.
Designing an Integrated Farming System
Inspired by these observations, in 2012, our family established an integrated farming system in Central India close to the Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve. We designed the farm as a circular biological system in which the output of one component becomes the input for another. Over the years, this approach has evolved into a practical demonstration of the One Health concept.
Of our 38-acre farm, 20 acres are under fully organic management, while another 17 acres follow a “Towards organic” approach, where chemical fertiliser use has been reduced by about 50% and organic practices such as crop rotation, enriched compost, green manure, biofertilisers and biopesticides are integrated. The remaining one acre is used for the cowshed, open space for livestock, labour quarters and other farm utilities.
On 3 acres, we cultivate traditional rice varieties such as Kate Chinnor, Chinnor (a medium-grained scented rice) and Bodalwanji, each carrying traditional knowledge and local food value. Pulses include 2 types of pigeon pea, 4 types of Chick pea, Green pea, Green gram, Black gram, beans, lakh (Lathyrus sativus) and 2 types of kidney bean. Around 20 types of vegetables are grown.
Seasonality is a guiding principle of our farming system and food culture. Rather than cultivating vegetables throughout the year, we encourage the consumption of wild, seasonal and locally available foods. During winter, leafy vegetables such as chickpea, fenugreek and lakh (Lathyrus sativus), along with traditional vegetables and pulses, are harvested, sun-dried and stored for use during the summer months. By preserving seasonal produce, we deliberately avoid off-season vegetable cultivation during the peak summer months. This reduces irrigation needs, minimises pest and disease pressure, and lowers dependence on agro-chemicals and other external inputs. At the same time, it strengthens traditional food preservation practices, dietary diversity and local food culture while keeping farming aligned with natural ecological cycles.
Livestock Integration
Our 38-acre family farm, integrates crop cultivation with indigenous livestock that are well adapted to the region's hot and dry climate. Starting from 5 cows in 2012, today it is home to 100 cattle (Gir & Gaulau), 40 goats (Berari) and sheep, 25 chickens (Assel), 2 ducks and 2 dogs. Cattle, goats and sheep rotationally graze in nearby forest, where they feed on diverse grasses, shrubs and tree fodder. Chickens are primarily kept for natural foraging, including feeding on insects, ectoparasites and weed seeds around the compost and farm. They forage freely and we do not provide purchased commercial feed. Indigenous dogs accompany livestock during forest grazing, providing early warning against predators such as tigers and protecting chickens from predatory birds and wild cat.
Animal welfare is a cornerstone of our farming system. We rear only indigenous breeds that are naturally adapted to the local climate and therefore remain healthy even under harsh summer conditions, reducing veterinary interventions and associated costs. We believe that good animal welfare includes both physical health and behavioural well-being. Allowing animals to graze naturally and express their natural behaviour helps them adapt to seasonal changes and maintain resilience.
Preventive healthcare is our first choice. Homeopathic treatments are used whenever appropriate to minimise antibiotic residues in milk, eggs and the environment, while conventional veterinary medicines are reserved for emergencies.
Cattle are not perceived as profit making entities. We care for old cattle too which are not productive. After death, we prefer to bury cattle in soil whenever possible and use fully decomposed material after one year. Its one of the rich sources of concentrated organic manure.
Closing the nutrient loop
Resource efficiency lies at the heart of our integrated farming system. Animal dung is converted into enriched organic manure, while a portion is used for biogas production. Cow urine is channelled into the biogas plant to enhance methane production and enrich the nutrient value of the slurry, which is returned to the fields. Crop selection prioritises indigenous and traditional varieties that are climate resilient, nutritionally rich and capable of providing fodder for livestock. Continuous recycling of organic resources improves soil organic matter, reduces dependence on external inputs and enables the farm to produce diverse crops, milk, dairy products and eggs for our family and beloved customers.
What changed in fourteen years
The true measure of a One Health farming system lies not only in production, but in its ability to improve the health of soils, animals, people and ecosystems simultaneously. Many of these benefits are not immediately reflected in annual farm income, yet become increasingly valuable over time. In fourteen years, we have observed positive changes across five interconnected dimensions.
Animal Health: By emphasising prevention through healthy soils, balanced nutrition and natural grazing rather than routine chemical interventions, we strive to provide nutritious food that is free from unnecessary pesticide and antibiotic residues. Together, these practices improve animal health, reduce dependence on veterinary interventions and produce antibiotic-free milk, ghee and eggs.
Soil Health – Soil health is our highest priority because healthy soils and healthy livestock continuously reinforce one another.
Biodiversity: Healthy soils support healthy biodiversity. Conserving indigenous crop varieties further strengthens biodiversity, improves dietary diversity and preserves traditional food systems.
Human Health – Human health is closely linked to the health of soils, crops and livestock. By prioritising indigenous breeds, natural forest grazing and preventive animal healthcare, we minimise the need for antibiotics and reduce the risk of antibiotic residues entering food and the environment. Likewise, healthy soils, seasonal cultivation and organic nutrient recycling reduce dependence on pesticides, enabling us to produce safe, nutritious food with minimal chemical inputs while protecting the ecosystems on which future food production depends.
Economics –The profitability of our farm cannot be judged by individual enterprises such as dairy or crops alone, because each component supports the others. Conventional economics rarely accounts for healthier soils, biodiversity conservation, reduced pollution or savings in healthcare. Sustainable farming therefore requires measuring value beyond annual financial returns.
Way forward
After fourteen years, we have realised that the greatest achievement of our integrated farming system is not higher productivity from any single enterprise, but the restoration of the relationships between soil, crops, livestock, people and the surrounding ecosystem. Healthy soils nurture resilient crops and healthy livestock; in turn, crops and livestock provide nutritious food while returning fertility to the soil, completing a continuous biological cycle. This is the essence of the One Health approach.
The model we follow has evolved around the resources available on our farm and within our local ecosystem. There is no single model that can be universally adopted, as every region and every farmer possesses unique ecological resources, knowledge and constraints. Nevertheless, our experience over the years suggests certain guiding principles - Aligning future systems with nature for sustainable, long-lasting solutions; identifying and safeguarding long-term assets—such as soil organic matter, biodiversity, indigenous livestock genetics, traditional seeds and associated knowledge, water resources —to be a core priority; focus on native breeds; Investing in prevention through healthy ecosystems; fostering collaborative efforts for sustainable livestock production.
Ultimately, sustainable agriculture is not merely about closing nutrient loops; it is about closing the loop between healthy soils, healthy crops, healthy livestock, healthy people and a healthy planet. In our experience, this is the true meaning of the One Health approach.
Rohan Yogesh Raut
Surabhi Gau-Organic Farm 63, Mire Lay-Out, Near Sudampuri, Sakkardara Square, Nagpur 440024 9503596339
