The low forage productivity in the Brazilian semi-arid is linked to water scarcity and climatic conditions, these abiotic disturbances affect the development of livestock and the local economy. Seeking to circumvent the situation, the use of forage species adapted to climatic conditions is of paramount importance, such as forage cactus, a crop rich in nutrients, much appreciated by animals, but lacking in fiber and protein, making it necessary to use other forage plants like sorghum, millet, pigeon pea and forage sunflower, both species have high levels of fiber and protein, and with this, they complement each other and enable the production of more balanced diets for herds. However, the higher yield of crops is observed with the implementation of resilient practices such as irrigation, adoption of mulch, intercropping, which promotes more sustainable systems with high forage potential. In this review, the objective was to evaluate the use of different agronomic practices to increase the productivity and sustainability of forage cactus crops and crops of regional appeal to the Brazilian semi-arid region. It is concluded that the sustainable intensification of agricultural crops, through complementary irrigation, mulch, intercropping with forage cactus, and plant species adapted to the Brazilian semi-arid region, can promote an increase in forage production without adverse effects on ecosystems.