General informations
Description
Agroforestry systems include all land-use systems or forms of land management where woody perennials are deliberately used in the same land unit with agricultural crops (silvoarable agroforestry) and/or animals (silvopasture), in some form of spatial arrangement or temporal sequence, valorising both ecological and economic interactions between the various components. Agroforestry exploits the complementarity between trees and crops, so that the available resources can be more effectively exploited. Efficient and modern versions of agroforestry allow the diversification of farm activity and make better use of environmental resources. The agroforestry plot remains productive for the farmer and generates continuous revenue, which is not the case when arable land is simply reforested.Agroforestry can be implemented in both tropical and temperate regions, producing food and fibre for better food and nutritional security, sustaining livelihoods, alleviating poverty and promoting productive, resilient agricultural environments. Moreover, it can enhance ecosystems through carbon storage, prevention of deforestation, biodiversity conservation, cleaner water and erosion control, while enabling agricultural lands to withstand events such as floods, drought and climate change. In addition, over time, agroforestry farms can become less dependent on crop subsidies, and less susceptible to crop price variations, as timber generates a significant part of their income. Within broad agroforestry systems, the service value of silvoarable parklands (open land with scattered groups of trees temporarily or permanently cultivated) may also be a valuable benefit for farm enterprises in the near future.The potential of agroforestry to contribute to sustainable development has been recognized in international policy meetings, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), justifying increased investment in its development.