Cereal and legume intercropping can help reduce nitrogen fertilizer use and increase forage yield and quality. A study on silage maize and alfalfa intercropping in China found that planting maize and alfalfa in wide rows with more alfalfa than maize, along with lower nitrogen application, can improve forage production. Maize was initially dominant, but alfalfa outcompeted it in later years, leading to higher yields. The wide row arrangement with more alfalfa had the highest net revenue and land equivalent ratio, showing that this method can benefit dryland farming areas worldwide. Intercropping maize and alfalfa can support mixed grain and livestock farming, improving food supply and farming system resilience.