Journal of Experimental Agriculture International

The concept of multi functionality of agriculture, of European origin, is an expanded form of addressing agriculture in relation to the traditional perspective, which in turn, focuses on the economic aspect, the production of food and fiber for the market, whose values are regulated based on market transactions. When talking about multi functionality takes into account that agriculture today, not only provides agricultural products (basic function), but also performs other functions, such as environmental or ecological, social and territorial. In this context, the rationalisation of land use is necessary and strategies of use leading to greater economic improvement that respect the environmental medium are necessary to ensure the sustainability of farmers. Among the alternatives for developing competitive, sustainable livestock with minimal environmental impact are crop-livestock integration, silvopastoral systems, agrosilvopastoral systems, integrated systems of cattle-sheep-goat production, rural tourism, organic crop and livestock technology, cooperation systems and most recently, the international burden for carbon sequestration by pasture. There are differences formed by agricultural multi functionality with the emphasis on sustainability of livestock through tropical grazing, and the rational use of different values from Brazilian agricultural properties to generate savings and subsistence for both producers and the environment.