1. B.Sc. Ag. 5th Semester. Lamjung Campus
Agroforestry
B.Sc. Ag. 5th Semester. Lamjung Campus

2. Agroforestry New name for set of age old practices
Cultivating trees and agricultural crops in intimate combination with one another is an ancient practice that farmers have used throughout the world
This is the practices developed for meeting most of the requirements of farming family i.e. yielded almost everything which farming communities needed
Crops: Food grain, fodder and income
Trees: Food, firewood, timber, medicine and income
Animals: Food, income and labor

3. Agroforestry Forest (Trees) Pasture (Animals) Forestry Agriculture
Agrisilvipasture
Silvipasture
Agrisilviculture

4. Land use system in which woody perennials form a part or are grown deliberately on the same piece of land as agricultural crops and/or animals either in the form of spatial arrangement or in sequence
With the development of intensive agriculture practices, shrinkage of forest and acute shortage of wood and forest products was felt
Therefore, there have been serious efforts to deliberately introduce trees in various agriculture systems
AF system refers to such distinct practices in which agriculture and forestry are combined temporally or spatially

5. A strictly scientific definition of agroforestry should stress two characteristics common to all forms of agroforestry and separate them from the other forms of land use, namely:
the deliberate growing of woody perennials on the same unit of land as agricultural crops and/or animals, either in some form of spatial mixture or sequence;
there must be a significant interaction (positive and/or negative) between the woody and nonwoody components of the system, either ecological and/or economical

6. Agroforestry is a collective name for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (trees, shrubs, palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately used on the same land-management units as agricultural crops and/or animals, in some form of spatial arrangement or temporal sequence. In agroforestry systems there are both ecological and economical interactions between the different components (Lundgren and Raintree, 1982).

7. This definition implies that:
agroforestry normally involves two or more species of plants (or plants and animals), at least one of which is a woody perennial;
an agroforestry system always has two or more outputs;
the cycle of an agroforestry system is always more than one year; and
even the simplest agroforestry system is more complex, ecologically(structurally and functionally) and economically, than a monocropping system.

8. Agroforestry has developed as an interface between agriculture and forestry in response to the special needs and conditions

9. There are three attributes which, theoretically, all agroforestry systems possess. These are:
Productivity:
Agroforestry systems aim to maintain or increase production (of preferred commodities) as well as productivity (of the land).
2. Sustainability:
By conserving the production potential of the resource base, mainly through the beneficial effects of woody perennials on soils, leads to sustainability
3. Adoptability:
The fact that agroforestry is a relatively new word for an old set of practices means that, in some cases, agroforestry has already been accepted by the farming community.
However, the implication here is that improved or new agroforestry technologies that are introduced into new areas should also conform to local farming practices.
These attributes are so characteristic of all agroforestry systems that they form the basis for evaluation of various agroforestry systems

10. AF is the system of land use
In which woody perennials and herbaceous crops are grown together in mixtures with or without animals
Which provides greater benefits form agriculture or forestry alone
Which sustain soil fertility, soil conservation, increased yield, diminished risk of crop failure, ease of management, pest and disease control and greater fulfillment of the socioeconomic needs of local population

11. King (1978) suggests that to be good practices
AF practices vary considerably from place to place, region to region and country to country
King (1978) suggests that to be good practices
The combined width of the row of agriculture crops do not exceed the height of the forest trees at maturity
Combine width of rows of forest trees do not exceed the height of the crops at maturity

12. Components of AF Tree, crops and animals Interaction
AF is deliberate growing of woody perennials on the same unit of land as agricultural crops and/or animals either in some form of spatial mixture or in sequence
Interaction
There must be significant interaction between the woody and non woody components of the system either ecological and/or economical
Production and income
This is production system which tends to harmonise the production of various components and also maximise the total income from the given unit of land

13. Technologies Time Land
AF system combines the use of modern technologies and local experience and should be compatible with the social and cultural life of the local population
Time
It is the long term land management system and the cycle of the AF system is always more than one year
Land
More complex form of land management both ecologically and economically than other agricultural or forestry system alone

14. Advantages of AF system
Maximize production
Only annuals fails to utilize Solar radiation throughout the year
In sole ag. repeated ploughing of top soils leads to excessive leaching of nutrients
Loss of soil and nutrients due to erosion in agriculture monoculture is tremendous
The reasons for higher production under agroforestry system may include:
Greater efficiency of perennial crops for photosynthesis
Tapping nutrients and water from deeper layers by perennial crops
Creating better env. Conditions for the growth of annual crops
Soil fertility management, some of trees can fix nitrogen, leaves can be used as green manure

15. Supplement food and fodder
Several trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers yield a substantial quantity of food materials which are used by rural poor and particularly by tribals
E.g.
Ziziphus: Fruits
Koiralo: flower buds
Chiuri: Flower and fruits
Agele: Fruit
Arthocarpus: Fruit
Sufficient fodder supply from the trees to raise cattle particularly in dry season
Trees of several sps yield palatable and nutritious fodder
e.g. Bauhinia, Morus alba, Leucaena, Moringa
The branches of fodder acts as fuelwood which is an additional advantages

16. Improve soil
Reduction of loss of soil as well as nutrients through redn of runoff
Addition of carbon and its transformation through leaf twig, bark falls etc
Nitrogen enrichment by fixation of nitrogen fixing trees, shrub etc
Improvement of physical conditions of soil such as water holding capacity, permeability and drainage
Release and recycling of nutrients by affecting biochemical nutrient cycling
More moicrobial associations and addition of more root biomass
Moderating effect on extreme conditions of soil acidity and alkalinity
Creating more favourable microclimate by windbreak and shelterbelts effect
Augmenting of soil water availabiity in arid and semi arid conditions by reducing surface evaporation

17. Utilize wastelands and degraded lands
Wasteland and degraded lands are not being effectively utilised under ag land
These lands can be successfully utilised for the cultivation of trees
Once the area is vegetated, ecological succession and restoration processes start which leads to improvement of soil condition

18. Improve environment
Serious problems of environment degradation all over the world
Increase in CO2, global warming, serious soil losses, repeated droughts and floods, pollution are major problems: due to deforestration
AF system deviate people to their own farm for forest products, Helps to reduce forest pressure
Trees protect us from different kinds of pollution (Air, sound, noise)
One Ha of close forest can filter about 50 tonnes of dust and dirt (Durk, 1966)
Forest and trees increase precipitation by 10% and humidity and decrease temperature (3-8ºC less)
Trees protect strong winds and cyclones
Trees protect the annual crops from frost and damage

19. Minimize adverse effect of climatic factors Increase farm income
During severe drought and flood tree crops gives insurance for survival
Increase farm income
Several studies in different parts of world suggests that agroforestry is more profitable to farmers than agriculture and forestry
In order to obtain maximum net returns per unit area, suitable tree crop and fodder combinations need to be identified for each agroclimatic region
It is more economical particularly in marginal and waste lands
It is more economical where the cost of forest products is very high
Aid industrial growth
AF system able to sustain both kinds of industries i.e. those based on agriculture and forestry

20. Provide employment opportunities
Agriculture labor are underemployed
Nursery management, plantation, care and management of trees, harvesting, processing and marketing of forest products create employment opportunities
Meet diverse need of people
Land resource is limited; production system should be efficient and sustainable enough to meet the diverse need of the people
Food grains, fodder, forage, firewood, timber, medicinal and aromatic plants, others NTFPs

21. Role of trees Immediate benefits Protective role Ameliorative role
Minimization of soil erosion
Minimization of landslide
Minimization of surface runoff
Minimization of nutrient loss
Minimization of evaporation
Ameliorative role
Improvement in nutrient status
Improvement of soil organic matter
Improvement of soil pH
Improvement of soil structure
Improvement of pest and disease control
Reduction of soil temperature and solar radiation

22. B. Long term benefits Increased crop productivity
Sustained crop productivity
Improved socioeconomics
Improved nutrition and health
Stabilized land use policy
Improved environmental conservation

23. Conceptual framework for the protective and ameliorative roles of agroforestry