Agroforestry

Agroforestry’s Role in Climate Change Mitigation

Agroforestry plays a vital role in combating climate change through three main mechanisms. Firstly, it sequesters carbon in both biomass and soils, capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Secondly, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions by promoting sustainable land management practices. Lastly, agroforestry helps avoid emissions by decreasing reliance on fossil fuels and reducing energy usage on farms. This integrated approach not only benefits the environment but also enhances agricultural sustainability and productivity.

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Agroforestry as a Pathway to Agricultural Resilience

Agroforestry integrates trees and shrubs into crop and livestock systems, enhancing resilience in agriculture. This practice offers multiple benefits: improved soil fertility, carbon sequestration, diversified production, and enhanced economic stability. Agroforestry systems, such as agrisilviculture and silvopastoralism, mitigate climate change impacts and provide sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers. Despite challenges like initial investment costs, agroforestry presents a viable solution for climate-smart agriculture and sustainable development.

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Agroforestry Systems What Influences the Design of the System and the Choice of Trees?

The design of an agroforestry system begins by defining its purpose, which guides the choice of trees and their management. Trees for food, livestock feed, income, boundary marking, or ecological benefits are chosen based on specific needs. Land size, topography, weather, soil type, and natural vegetation are crucial factors. Proper site analysis and planning, including soil preparation, tree planting, and care, ensure successful tree growth and farm integration.

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Enabling Factors and Barriers to the Implementation and Scaling-Up of Agroforestry

Agroforestry is gaining visibility globally but faces barriers such as inefficient markets, unclear land rights, limited access to knowledge and finance, and lack of intersectoral collaboration. Key actions to scale-up agroforestry include improving access to credit, markets, high-quality planting material, and participatory research. Case studies like the Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project demonstrate the potential of agroforestry to increase yields, improve resilience, and sequester carbon, showcasing its benefits for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

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Agroforestry for Adaptation and Ecosystem Resilience

Climate change poses significant risks to agriculture, such as droughts, flooding, and pests. Agroforestry offers a resilient solution at both the farm and landscape levels by reducing air pollution, enhancing microclimates, and improving water security. It supports several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting sustainable food production, climate change adaptation, and land restoration. Agroforestry also provides diverse ecosystem services, boosts food security, and reduces gender inequalities in farming.

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Role and Status of Plantain in Agroforestry Systems of South West Cameroon: Which Pathways to Productive and Sustainable System?

The article discusses the integration of plantains into agroforestry systems in South West Cameroon, addressing the challenges faced by farmers due to fluctuating cocoa prices and local economic disruptions. To mitigate these issues, farmers employ two main strategies: diversifying cocoa plantations with plantains and other crops, or expanding food crop cultivation by clearing and burning forest land. The study, based on 200 plots across 15 villages, highlights the high prevalence of cocoa-plantain associations, aiming to find sustainable cropping systems that are agronomically, environmentally, and economically viable.

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Carbon Sequestration Potential of Breadfruit Trees

Breadfruit trees, scientifically known as Artocarpus altilis, play a significant role in climate-smart agriculture due to their carbon sequestration capabilities. These long-lived tropical trees, originating in Papua New Guinea and widespread in Polynesia, are important for both food security and environmental sustainability. A study focused on breadfruit in Hawai‘i revealed that these trees, while on the lower end of carbon sequestration among broadleaf tropical trees, can sequester approximately 69.1 tons of carbon per hectare in their above-ground biomass over a 20-year period. This is achieved through practices like reduced tillage and co-cropping, which enhance both above-ground and soil carbon storage. Furthermore, breadfruit’s nutritional profile and socioeconomic benefits make it a valuable crop. However, the development of carbon accounting protocols for breadfruit and similar crops is still evolving, necessitating further research to fully harness their potential in carbon mitigation efforts.

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