Though coconut based farming system in some form or other has been in vogue in different coconut growing regions of the world, scientific information on the desirability or otherwise of such systems has been meager. Research efforts made during the 1ast two decades have shown that coconut crop is amenabie for adopting farming systems. Systems designed on sound scientific principles of land, space and solar energy uti1i zati on and managed under normal condi ti ons with adequate i nputs recorded higher production of both biomass and economic yield. The systems had buffering effect against drastic fluctuations in the ecoclimate. Improvement in soil fertility status and enhanced water use ef f i ci ency had al so been i ndi cated. There was increased microbial activity in the rhizosphere of the component crops and increase in the population of beneficial micro-organisms and microbial biomass. The scope for adopting a no tillage farming technology was apparent. These agronomi c desirabi 1 i ti es of coconut based farmi ng systems are revi ewed and potenti als available for better exploitation of the systems disscussed.