What is Agroforestry?

Since the dawn of intensive agriculture and the green revolution, plant and animal species around the world have been lost or threatened due to unsustainable farming practices. In contrast, sustainable agroforestry emphasizes managing crops in a way that supports the natural plant, animal and insect biodiversity of an area. By protecting this natural diversity of life, farmers are able to leverage pollinators, natural pest predators and more to enrich and protect their crops.  One of our partners, based inGuatemala, took advantage of this natural relationship by planting saplings on farms near coffee and cacao plants, which will help keep the soil and trees fertilized and free from pests. Inversely, when agroforestry crops are planted thoughtfully and rotated regularly within the forest-farm interface, they help to nourish and enrich the surrounding area, which helps native types oftree speciesgrow stronger and more resilient.

The presence of trees in or near livestock grazing areas benefits the animals by providing fruit and bark to eat, shading them from harmful UV rays, cooling temperatures in the surrounding microclimate, protecting them from wind and rain events, and more. 

Trees also help reduce the animals’ stress by making them feel more at ease in their environment. While livestock was often considered a part of forest farming early on, animals are becoming less common in the agroforestry field. But when managed thoughtfully, they can play an important role in a mutually beneficial integrated agroforestry system. 

Research has also shown that including trees in open grazing areas has direct biodiversity benefits. In fact, adding a single forest tree to an open pasture can increase bird biodiversity from 0 species to as high as 80. 

When the interface between land and a river or stream, otherwise known as the riparian zone, is degraded by intensive activity, it can have a cascade of harmful effects.

In addition to providing unique habitat for specialized species, riparian areas absorb and filter sediment and debris that would otherwise make their way into waterways. When they are lost, water quality and quantity is reduced, habitat is degraded, native specialist species can be lost, soil stability is reduced, and more.  In other words, in a healthy watershed, riparian zones are an essential piece of the puzzle and their loss or degradation has serious implications downstream.  When trees and shrubs are planted along rivers and streams to form a riparian forest buffer, they can help stabilize riverbanks and prevent soil erosion, filter farm runoff and improve water quality, shade and slow the flow of water, create better moisture balance in the area, and more.

As any herbalist or forager will tell you, foods and herbs that are sustainably wildcrafted within their natural environment provide superior nutrition and medicine over their conventionally cultivated counterparts. However, unsustainable, over harvesting is a prevalent issue in this space.

Forest farmingis one way to enjoy the benefits of wild foods in a more managed way that is respectful of the ecosystem. This method involves cultivating specialty crops including fruits, nuts, mushrooms, ginseng and other medicinal herbs, woody florals, maple syrup and more under the protection of a forest canopy. To provide optimal growing conditions, forest farmers will carefully modify the existing canopy to provide optimal shade levels while retaining biodiversity and ecosystem benefits. 

The forest serves as a complex natural environment for the edible, floral, or medicinal crops to grow and thrive, while soil erosion and other degradation is prevented and trees can mature.

Agroforestry practices often focus on balancing the preservation of natural forests while also cultivating a productive agriculture system. In a time when conventional industrial agriculture is a top contributor to deforestation around the world, sustainable agroforestry offers a powerful one-two punch of feeding communities and protecting the environment from further degradation. 

More than that, agroforestry has the potential to regenerate soil and ground water supplies, prevent droughts, provide financial value for farmers over the long term, and so much more. When integrated in a thoughtful way, it can change lives for the better by enabling communities to live more harmoniously within the environments they call home, improving long-term survival and access to critical resources for all. 

When a forest is properly managed through natural cycles of conservation, harvesting, and replenishment, the result is a win-win for both people and the planet.