The present strip cropping system did not possess the right
balance of co-existence and complementarity and we are not at
a stage where we can provide farmers with enough documented
information to create a perception of the relative costs and benefits.
The establishment of the annual strip after rotavation of the
1st year grass–clover pasture (while keeping an equivalent strip as
the perennial component) caused severe early competitive advantage
for the grass–clover strip forming a competitive dominance
towards the annual strip throughout most of the cropping season.
Improved knowledge on the temporal distribution of roots in
strip cropping systems (including both perennials and annuals) is
required for enhancing complementarity of soil water and nutrient
uptake. Unfortunately, it was not included in the present study
and further research is required. However, from a practical point of
view the system was manageable indicating potentials to diversify
agricultural fields and develop future cropping systems which are
more complex and thereby resilient to externalities.