Agroecology, Biodiversity, Conservation, Therapeutic, Organic Farming, Ecological, Domestication, Threatened species, Holy Forest

REFRAMING AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY: CULTURAL PRACTICES AND INTEGRATED PEST AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Agricultural sustainability has become a necessity amid the environmental degradation, decline of soil quality, loss of biodiversity and limitations of input-intensive farming systems. This review focuses on the role of cultural agricultural practices, integrated pest management and integrated nutrient management on sustainable production of crops and environmental protection. It identifies the role of crop rotation, intercropping, polyculture, conservation tillage, cover crops, and organic amendments in enhancing soil health, ecosystem resilience, and efficiency of resource use. The review also discusses the significance of integrated pest and nutrient management in reducing dependence on synthetic agrochemicals, strengthening ecological balance, and supporting long-term agricultural productivity. In addition, it explores the growing importance of plant-derived bioactive compounds from sustainable agriculture and their nutritional, therapeutic, and pharmaceutical relevance. Emerging delivery technologies, including lipid-based nanocarriers, encapsulation systems, controlled release approaches, and plant-derived extracellular vesicles, further extend the value of these natural compounds. Despite promising progress, challenges related to standardization, scalability, formulation stability, and regulatory acceptance remain substantial. Overall, the review emphasizes that the integration of ecologically sound farming practices with advances in bioactive research and delivery technologies offers a promising pathway toward environmentally responsible agriculture and value-added utilization of plant resources.

Endangered and Protected Medicinal Plants in Forest Ecosystems: Diversity, Conservation Status, Therapeutic Potential, and Management Strategies

Medicinal plants constitute an essential component of global biodiversity and have long served as a primary source of traditional and modern therapeutic agents. Forest ecosystems harbor a significant proportion of medicinal plant diversity, providing habitats for numerous species with recognized pharmacological value. However, increasing anthropogenic pressures, including habitat destruction, overexploitation, land-use change, forest fragmentation, and climate change, have contributed to the decline of many medicinal plant populations worldwide. Consequently, a growing number of medicinal forest species are now classified as endangered, threatened, vulnerable, or protected under national and international conservation frameworks. This review synthesizes current scientific knowledge on endangered and protected medicinal plants found in forest ecosystems. A mixed-methods approach combining bibliometric assessment and qualitative literature analysis was employed to evaluate publication trends, geographical distribution, research hotspots, ecological characteristics, genetic resources, pharmacological properties, and conservation strategies related to threatened medicinal forest species. The review identified 77 medicinal plant species of conservation concern distributed across diverse forest regions worldwide, with the highest research activity originating from Asia, particularly India and China. The findings highlight the ecological importance and therapeutic potential of these species while emphasizing the critical threats posed by habitat degradation, unsustainable harvesting, and climate change. Advances in habitat suitability modeling, molecular genetics, ex situ propagation, and conservation planning have improved opportunities for species protection; however, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding population dynamics, long-term conservation effectiveness, and sustainable utilization. Strengthening integrated conservation approaches that combine habitat protection, sustainable management, scientific research, and traditional ecological knowledge is essential for safeguarding endangered medicinal forest plants and ensuring their continued contribution to biodiversity conservation, healthcare, and future drug discovery.

A Comprehensive Review of Natural Farming: Principles, Ecological Mechanisms, and Global Sustainability Potential

Natural farming has emerged as one of the most widely discussed alternatives to input-intensive agriculture, promoted variously as zero budget natural farming, agroecology, and community-managed farming systems across South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and parts of Europe. This review synthesises the conceptual foundations, ecological mechanisms, and empirical evidence surrounding natural farming, situating it within the broader agroecological and organic farming literature. It traces the historical development of natural farming from its early philosophical roots to its present institutionalisation within state-led programmes, most notably the Andhra Pradesh Community-managed Natural Farming initiative in India. The review examines the soil microbial, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity mechanisms that underlie claimed productivity and resilience benefits, and it critically appraises the yield, income, biodiversity, and human health evidence base, including areas of continuing scientific disagreement such as yield stability, soil carbon sequestration potential, and greenhouse gas balances. Particular attention is given to the socio-economic dimensions of adoption, policy architecture, and the structural constraints that limit scaling across diverse agroecological and institutional contexts. The review concludes that natural farming offers a scientifically plausible, though heterogeneously evidenced, pathway toward more sustainable food systems, with outcomes strongly mediated by local soil, climate, crop, and market conditions rather than universally guaranteed. Future research priorities, policy implications, and methodological limitations of the existing evidence base are discussed.

The Balinese Subak Agroecosystem Integrating Local Ecological Knowledge for Water, Food, and Environmental Resilience

Water scarcity, declining agroecosystem resilience, and food insecurity have become increasingly interconnected challenges in the twenty-first century, driven by climate variability, land-use change, and intensive agricultural development. These pressures highlight the importance of integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into sustainable water and agroecosystem management. This study investigates the ecological significance of the Balinese Subak system as a traditional agroecosystem that supports long-term water regulation, agricultural productivity, and environmental resilience. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA 2020 protocol was conducted to identify, evaluate, and synthesize 100 scientific publications published between 2000 and 2025 in both English and Indonesian. The synthesis demonstrates that Subak represents a resilient socio-ecological system in which traditional ecological knowledge, community-based resource management, and adaptive irrigation practices collectively sustain hydrological processes, ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, and the stability of rice-based agroecosystems. The review further reveals that the Tritalic Hita Karana philosophy provides the ecological and cultural foundation that maintains harmonious interactions among humans, nature, and the spiritual environment, thereby strengthening ecosystem resilience under increasing climate and development pressures. Recent studies also indicate that digital technologies, including IoT-based irrigation monitoring, can enhance ecological monitoring and water-use efficiency when integrated with local ecological knowledge without compromising traditional values. These findings demonstrate that traditional agroecosystems, such as Subak, offer a biologically and ecologically relevant model for sustainable resource management, contributing to food security, ecosystem resilience, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 2, 6, and 13.

Integration of Non-Timber forest products (NTFPs) in agroforestry systems

Biodiversity Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes: A Review of Ecological Functions and Sustainable Management Practices

Biodiversity in agricultural landscapes plays a vital role in sustaining ecosystem functions, enhancing productivity, and ensuring long-term environmental stability. However, rapid agricultural intensification, land-use change, habitat fragmentation, pesticide application, and climate change have significantly contributed to biodiversity loss worldwide. This review article aims to synthesize current knowledge on the ecological functions of biodiversity in agricultural systems and evaluate sustainable management practices that support biodiversity conservation. The review highlights the importance of pollination services, natural pest regulation, and soil health maintenance as key ecosystem functions provided by diverse biological communities in agricultural environments. It further examines the negative impacts of conventional agricultural practices, particularly monoculture farming and excessive chemical input use, which disrupt ecological balance and reduce ecosystem resilience. In addition, the study discusses sustainable approaches such as agroecology, organic farming, agroforestry, crop diversification, and integrated pest management as effective strategies for enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services. Emerging technologies, including remote sensing, GIS-based monitoring, and precision agriculture, are also identified as important tools for supporting sustainable agricultural landscapes. The findings emphasize the need to balance agricultural productivity with biodiversity conservation through integrated landscape management and supportive policy frameworks. Strengthening farmer education, stakeholder participation, and policy incentives is essential for promoting biodiversity-friendly practices.