Basic Agroforestry Concepts

Question 1

The Need for Agroforestry

Answer 1

Food security
- Population Growth
- Increased number of mouths to feed

Environmental Stability
- Deforestation and Forest degradation
- Soil Erosion

Question 2

What is “agroforestry”?

Answer 2

New name for a set of old practices which involves keeping or growing trees on farm.

Question 3

Definition of Agroforestry (according to ICRAF)

Answer 3

Land use practice in which woody perennials (trees, shrubs, palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately grown on the same land management unit as agricultural crops and/or animals/livestock, either in some form of spatial arrangement or temporal sequence.

Question 4

Attributes of Agroforestry

Answer 4

• Multiple components, at least one must be a woody perennial
• The land, as well as the crops, woody perennials, and animals on it, are intentionally/deliberately managed as one group/system
• Multiple outputs (products and services)

Question 5

Products

Outputs

Answer 5

food
fuelwood
fodder

Question 6

Services

Outputs

Answer 6

shelter
shade
soil amelioration
soil conservation

Question 7

Soil Benefits from Agroforestry

Answer 7

• Increased outputs
• Improved soil physical condition
• Improved soil chemical conditions
• Reduced losses
• Beneficial effects of soil biological processes

Question 8

The Four I’s

Answer 8

• Intentional
• Intensive
• Interactive
• Integrated