Session 2: Benefits and Challenges of Adopting Agroforestry

Benefits of agroforestry

As mentioned in the previous sections, agroforestry has been increasingly recognized as a mean to address pressing global issues, for example, food insecurity due to the growth of the population. This is because agroforestry is a more resilient farming system that helps to manage risks and increasing yield in comparison with conventional or commercial agricultural practices. It is very important for smallholder farmers, who lack resources and technology to adopt industrialized farming methods, “because agroforestry practices generate diverse products and services on a limited land area” (FAO, 2020). It also contributes to attaining multiple sustainable development goals as it benefits agricultural communities across economic, social and environmental spheres (FAO, 2020):

 

Economic benefits

Agroforestry primarily aims to increase yield, reduce labour input and maintain productivity in the longer term. With the inclusion of trees in the farming system, the costs for production is reduced and the return is increased. Instead of having one long-term produce, the income cycle becomes more evenly distributed with the production of short-term produces. Market risks are also reduced due to the diversification of products.

 

Social benefits

The increasing diversity of produces is useful for sustaining daily lives. For example, the farmers could collect fuelwood and other tree produces in addition to the seasonal harvest of the main crop. This increases the standard of living for the rural poor by saving time and money to procure the tree produces. The saved-up time and money could be used for other productive activities or education, which could further improve their living standards. The diversified modes of production also improve the diets of the local community.

 

Environmental benefits

Agroforestry does not only provide direct benefits to the crops and livestock in terms of protection and provision, it also enhances the diversity and therefore resilience of ecosystem services due to the increased species diversity and thus habitat diversity. These ecosystem services include water conservation, increased soil health, increased biodiversity and control of pests. The increased economic value of forests also provides incentives for rural poor to better conserve the forest. These benefits ensure a better environment not just for farming but also for other lives on earth in the longer term.

 

 

Apart from the abovementioned benefits, agroforestry could be applied to establish new socio-economic systems that create a virtuous cycle for local communities such as the Olhos D’Água Farm in Brazil and Lai Chi Wo in Hong Kong which will be introduced in the latter part of this e-study. Agroforestry practices offer a wider spectrum of benefits to the rural communities that help to enhance rural sustainability. 

For more information regarding the benefits of agroforestry, please visit: 

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Agroforestry: http://www.fao.org/sustainable-forest-management/toolbox/modules/agroforestry/basic-knowledge/en/
• The Soil Association: Agroforestry – What Are The Benefits? https://www.soilassociation.org/our-campaigns/agroforestry/agroforestry-what-are-the-benefits/
• World Agroforestry: Benefits of Trees http://www.worldagroforestry.org/about/agroforestry#content-105527  

 

Challenges of agroforestry

The benefits of agroforestry are gaining more attention especially for its potential in solving a number of global issues. However, several challenges and obstacles remain in adopting agroforestry systems (FAO, 2013):

 

Delayed return on investment

The value of trees in the system could only be fully realized after the establishment and maturation of the complex system, which takes years. The farmers may need to bear the initial net loss of the costs and time needed for tree planting. This may not be affordable for many farmers. For example, black walnut trees only begin to produce nuts in 3 to 5 years and “often grow more than 80 years to produce high-quality lumber” (Reid, Coggeshall, Garret, & Van Sambeek, 2009). Choices of tree species became crucial in the implementation of agroforestry.

 

Difficult to secure long term land-use

Landlords are constantly looking for alternative development opportunities and are not willing to lease their land for a long period. Lacking a long-term land-use right for agriculture purposes discourage the adaptation of agroforestry which is a long-term investment. In Hong Kong, the usual lease term for farmland is 3 to 5 years (AFCD, 2020), which is relatively short for a significant commercial harvest of any fruit trees.

 

Immature market

Many tree species may be beneficial to the growth of crops but the markets for tree produces, such as timber wood, are less mature than conventional commercial crops. The value chain is not well-developed and thus limits the sales of the produces. In many places such as Hong Kong, where there is no production forestry, no centralized channels are available for farmers to sell their forestry produces, leaving farmers on their own to develop their separate selling channels with individually interested vendors.

 

Lack of policy support

Mainstream agricultural policies were developed to support conventional farming practices. Policymakers are sometimes unfamiliar with the concepts and potential benefits of agroforestry. Thus, they attitudes remain conservative in formulating new policies to support agroforestry. Many countries have independent policies for agriculture and forestry. As a practice that applies mixed usage of agriculture and forestry, neither one policy on its own is strictly applicable for agroforestry.

 

References: 

AFCD. (2020). Agricultural Land Rehabilitation Scheme (Only Chinese version is available). Retrieved from Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department: https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/agriculture/agr_useful/agr_alrs/files/Leaflet.pdf

FAO. (2013). Advancing Agroforestry on the Policy Agenda: A guide for decision-makers. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

FAO. (2020). Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Toolbox. Retrieved from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org/sustainable-forest-management/toolbox/modules/agroforestry/basic-knowledge/en/

Reid, W., Coggeshall, M., Garret, H., & Van Sambeek, J. (2009, September). Growing Black Walnut for Nut Production. Retrieved from Extension University of Missouri: https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/Pub/pdf/agguides/agroforestry/af1011.pdf

 

Continue to “Session 3: Case Studies of Agroforestry Systems Around the World”