Agroforestry

Agroforestry is a land-use management system in which trees or shrubs are deliberately combined with crops or livestock to create more diverse, productive, and sustainable landscapes. It integrates ecological processes with farming objectives to enhance resilience, conserve resources, and diversify outputs.

The approach encompasses a variety of practices, including alley cropping (rows of trees between crops), silvopasture (trees with forage and grazing animals), shade crops raised under a tree canopy, forest farming (understorey crops in managed forests), windbreaks or shelterbelts, and multistrata systems that feature layered canopies. These systems aim to optimize light, nutrients, water, and pest regulation while delivering multiple products from a single area.

Benefits of agroforestry include improved soil health and structure, reduced erosion, enhanced nutrient cycling, better water retention, increased biodiversity, and greater carbon sequestration. In addition, the integration of trees often provides wind protection, microclimate stabilization, and diversified income streams, contributing to farm resilience and climate adaptation.

Global use of agroforestry spans tropical and temperate regions, with historical roots in traditional farming and shifting toward modern, research-backed approaches. Adoption has been promoted by international organizations, development programs, and national policies seeking sustainable land use, rural development, and climate goals. Challenges can include higher upfront costs, longer time to first harvest, management complexity, potential competition for light or water, and policy or tenure barriers.

Real-world examples include shade-grown coffee and cacao systems in Latin America, smallholder tree-crop mosaics in Africa, and silvopasture practices in North America, each illustrating the ecological and economic potential of integrating trees into agricultural landscapes.