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Aims: The present study investigated the sustainable climate-smart cropping combinations for the integrated production of crops and livestock.

Background: To improve the productivity of both crops and livestock on smallholder farms, there is a need for the development of integrated farming systems that promote the sustainable use of locally available resources. This can address impediments associated with increasing land degradation and poor productivity of livestock and rural farming enterprises as a result of climate change vulnerabilities.

Study Design: The mother-baby trial design was used, the mother trial being an on-station experiment and the on-farm being a baby trial. The experiment was arranged as a split-plot design. The main plots were 3 types of soil amendments; cattle manure, fertilizer and a control. The subplots were eight (8) crop combinations, arising from velvet bean, cowpea, Rhodes grass and ryegrass.

Place and Duration of Study: The on-station field experiment was located at the Liempe farm of the University of Zambia, in Chongwe district. The on-farm experiments were laid in the Mazabuka and Chibombo districts of Zambia for two consecutive seasons, 2016/17 and 2017/18 cropping seasons.

Methodology: The maize test crop's variable performance served as the basis for measuring the cropping combination responses. Analysis of variance was used to assess the performance of the "crop combination" and soil amendment type. Means were separated using Fisher-protected Least Significant Difference (LSD) at
= 0.05. Principal component analysis (PCA), was also undertaken to further understand responses among crop combinations. Farmers' reactions arising from experimental implementation were qualitatively analysed using content analysis.

Results: Significant differences (P< 0.05) across cropping combinations on measured variables (for maize test crop) were exhibited among soil amendment types at an on-station trial during the 2017/ 18 season. Fertilizer soil amendment type was the best performer followed by manure and the control. Significant differences (P< 0.05) were also obtained among crop combinations across soil amendment types in all experimental sites. Crop combinations with velvet beans performed better than others. Qualitative grass inspection showed that Rhodes grass was a better performer than ryegrass. The observation of fewer maize being attacked by termites in crop combinations with velvet may imply that soils in velvet bean plots were relatively wetter. The visual appearance of soils in velvet bean plots compared to other plots confirmed that they were indeed wet.

Conclusion: Maize grown in combination with legumes particularly velvet beans and Rhodes grass is a viable option as a smallholder farming practice in a changing climate. As a policy guide in sub-Saharan Africa, it’s advisable to recommend and promote the intercropping package of maize, velvet bean and Rhodes grass. This can cushion against or minimize maize yield losses in case of adverse weather conditions, in addition to providing animal feed from Rhodes grass and velvet bean.