what is agroforestry ?

7/31/2019 What is Agroforestry ?

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International Centre for Research in AgroforestrySoutheast Asia Regional Research Programme

PO Box 161, Bogor, IndonesiaTel: +62 251 625415; fax: +62 251 625416, email: [email protected]

ICRAF SEA website: http://www.icraf.cgiar.org/sea


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What Is Agroforestry? is a long-established farming practice in many parts of

the world. Broadly defined, agroforestry refers to aland-use system

in which trees are grown -- either simultaneouslysequentially -- in conjunction with annual crops orlivestock.

The trees are cultivated primarily for agricultural uses,for example, to protect or enrich top soils for thebenefit of crops or to provide browse and fodder forlivestock.


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the term "agroforestry" the term "agroforestry" has been used since the late

l970s, experts still debate over a concise definition ofthe concept.

At least 11 definitions were discussed at the l979International Cooperation in Agroforestry conference.

sponsored by the International Council for Research in

Agroforestry (ICRAF).


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ICRAF's own definition, it has been revised several times

is frequently cited: Agroforestry is a collective name for land use systems

and technologies where woody perennials (e.g., trees,shrubs, palms, bamboos) are deliberately used on thesame land management unit as agricultural crops oranimals either in some form of spatial arrangement ortemporal sequence.

In agroforestry systems there are both ecological andeconomic interactions between the differentcomponents (Beets 1985).


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Targeting assistance to farmers In many developing countries, agricultural development

activities are increasingly focused on helping small farmerswho have not benefited from the Green Revolution.

In most cases, these small farmers cultivate land underrainfed conditions in arid, semiarid, and hilly regions

where soils are marginally arable, degraded, or generallyunsuitable for sustained intensive monoculture.

One approach has been to introduce multipurpose andhighly valued tree species that can be incorporated withmixed farming practices.


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Protecting or rehabilitating

cultivated lands agroforestry principles -- planting trees/perennials as a

fallow crop or intercrop or in various configurations oncultivated areas -- can restore tree cover and conserve

and enrich topsoils. This aspect of agroforestry is particularly relevant in

conserving land in areas where soil erosion andgeneral environmental degradation have occurred or

are likely to occur. such as Sub-Sahara Africa where sustained agricultural

production is highly dependent on proper soil andwater conservation.


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Contributing to the rural

economy through In many developing countries, commercially useful

tree products -- fuelwood, timber, poles, exportcommodities, raw materials for industry -- are derivedfrom trees cultivated by small farmers.

agroforestry projects could generate benefits not onlyfor individual farm households but the national

economy as well.


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Policy on Agroforestry Programs will strive to increase farm outputs of fuel,

food, fiber, fodder and wood to satisfy the needs ofsmall farm families, shifting cultivators and rural andnational economies.

Agroforestry has already been an accepted practice byfarmers in many countries; interventions include

alley-cropping, shelterbelts, random tree plantings,and tree border plots.


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Lessons Learned the development of site-specific technologies that take

into account climatic constraints and actual farmingconditions of the target population.

There is limited practical knowledge for addressingpolicy, economic, and management issues that affectagroforestry.

Therefore, these issues should be given carefulconsideration in designing and implementingagroforestry projects.


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several types of land-use

classifications "Agrisilviculture systems" or "silviagriculture" refers to the

use of land for concurrent production of agricultural andtree crops.

"Silvo-pastoral systems" or "pastoral-silviculture

refers togrowing trees and shrubs as fodder crops for stall-feedinganimals.

"Agro-silvo-pastoralism" refers to concurrently producingfood and tree crops and rearing livestock (i.e., acombination of agrisilviculture and silvo-pastoral systems).

ICRAF's agroforestry classification system includes"agriculture with trees, agriculture in mangrove areas, andmulti-purpose tree lots" (Nair 1985, 97-128).

what is agroforestry ?

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