Agroforestry System around the Globe

Father of Agroforestry: P.K. R. Nair

Attributes of Agroforestry: Productivity, Sustainability, and Adoptability

Agroforestry system can be categorized on the basis of four criteria: - Structural, Functional, Socio-economic, and Ecological basis.

In India, organized research on agroforestry started during the second half of the last century by few ICAR institutes like- Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur; Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute, Dehradun; Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi as a fuel fodder plantations on the degraded land/silvopastoral system.

The first seminar on Agroforestry by ICAR at Imphal during 1979.

In 1983, the All India Coordinated Research Projects on Agroforestry (AICRP) with 20 centres (now 37) across India began.

National Research Centre for Agroforestry [now Central Agroforestry Research Institute (CAFRI)] established at Jhansi in 1988. It is the project coordinating unit of the AICRP on Agroforestry.

Planning commission (2001) identifies six species that have thrust in Agroforestry and Joint forest management. These species are 

1.     Acacia nilotica,

2.     Bamboos,

3.     Casuarina equisetifolia,

4.     Eucalyptus spp.,

5.     Populus deltoides,

6.     Prosopis cineraria.

The Dehesas and Montados (4500 years old) found in Spain and Portugal (Mediterranean zone), and Bocage in France, belongs to the high value farming systems in Europe.

Jungle rubber is another form of rubber-based agroforestry system.

Hauberg practice of the Siegerland in north-western Germany.

Pekarangan and Kebun-talu in Indonesia, Chania system of Greece, Satoyama in Japan and KGF in Sri lanka.

The Riberno system in Peruvian Amazon (forest clearing followed by home gardens with multiple species) and The Quezungal system in the Southern part of western Honduras, and Silvopastoral system in Brazil.

The parkland systems of West African dryland involve multipurpose trees. 

Kihamba and Ngitili Agroforestry systems in Tanzania are other important systems.

Fruit-based Agroforestry System in Himalayan region