Why Agroforestry?

(Or, if you’re new to the topic, what is agroforestry?)

Two of the most pressing demands of the coming century are the need for more nutritious food, and the need for more trees:

The world’s population has doubled since the 1960’s, with some projections for future population growth topping 11 billion by the end of this century. The majority of this growth is projected to occur in regions of the Global South that already struggle with food insecurity. Unless this growth slows drastically, global agriculture will face significant challenges in feeding generations of the (near) future.

Trees are one of our greatest allies in the fight against climate change. Not only do the world’s forests sequester tremendous amounts of carbon, they also regulate world water systems, and underpin ecosystems and biodiversity.

Tackling these problems individually has so far been a zero-sum game, with most potential solutions requiring a choice between food and trees (a struggle almost as old as agriculture itself).

This is where agroforestry comes in. Agroforestry is not a zero-sum game between trees and people. Since its roots in indigenous landscape management practices, agroforestry has evolved since the 1970’s into a well-researched, science-backed climate adaptation tool. Highly regionally adaptable, agroforestry has been proven to be an effective method for sequestering carbon, improving drought tolerance, fostering and preserving biodiversity, and building robust climate resilience. And it also produces food. This means fewer difficult choices between feeding people and maintaining healthy landscapes.

For more information about agroforestry, check out materials provided by other agroforestry pioneers at Agenda Gotsch and The Center for International Forestry Research - World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF)