Agroforestry

Introduction

Agroforestry combines forest and agricultural systems, including crop and animal farming, on the same land. In this integrated land-use approach trees, woody perennials, or forestry side-products are used for energy purposes. At the same time, they provide shade for crops, wind shelter, or fodder for livestock, and help keep water in the soil.

Types of Agroforestry Systems

There are three main types of agroforestry systems:

• agrosilvicultural (trees combined with crops);
• silvopastoral (trees combined with animals);
• agrosilvopastoral (trees, animals and crops).

Benefits of Agroforestry Systems

In addition to sustainable energy production, agroforestry offers several further economic, environmental and social benefits and therefore contributes to a wide range of the Sustainable Development Goals. The benefits include improving soil, increasing yields and thus strengthening food security and increasing incomes. Agroforestry areas also provide greater biodiversity and can reach 50 to 80% of the biodiversity of natural forests.

Agroforestry can also help rehabilitate degraded and marginal land and plays an important role in sustainable bioenergy production.

FAO estimates that agroforestry can be found on more than 43% of all agricultural land globally.  Because of its potential to transform agri-food systems to make them more adaptive and resilient, agroforestry is becoming increasingly important.

Challenges of agroforestry include necessary intersectional planning, awareness raising of small-scale farmers and, most importantly, its long-term investment: In contrast to annual crops, which only need 1-2 years, profitable yields are expected after 3-8 years.