Agroforestry
1488463
224491664
2008-07-09T02:21:41Z
Granitethighs
7025617
added cat. sustainability
[[Image:Faidherbia albida.JPG|thumb|330px|Parkland in Burkina Faso: Sorghum grown under ''Faidherbia albida'' and ''Borassus akeassii'' near [[Banfora]], [[Burkina Faso]]]]
'''Agroforestry''' is an agricultural approach of using the interactive benefits from combining trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock.
It combines [[agriculture]] and [[forestry]] technologies to create more integrated, diverse, productive, profitable, healthy and sustainable land-use systems.<ref>[http://www.unl.edu/nac/ USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Definitions==
<blockquote>''"Agroforestry is a collective name for [[land use]] systems and practices in which woody [[perennials]] are deliberately integrated with crops and/or animals on the same land management unit. The integration can be either in a [[spatial]] mixture or in a [[temporal]] sequence. There are normally both [[ecology|ecological]] and [[economic]] interactions between woody and non-woody components in agroforestry".''
-[[World Agroforestry Centre]] (ICRAF) [[1993]]</blockquote>
It means that trees are intentionally used within agricultural systems. Knowledge, careful selection of species and good management of trees and crops are needed to maximize the production and positive effects of trees and to minimize negative competitive effects on crops.
Alternatively, agroforestry might be defined as simply: ''trees on farms'' [http://www.mtg.unimelb.edu.au]. Hence, agroforestry, farm forestry and family forestry can be broadly understood as the commitment of farmers, alone or in partnerships, towards the establishment and management of forests on their land. Where many landholders are involved the result is a diversity of activity that reflects the diversity of aspirations and interests within the community.
==Impact==
Biodiversity in agroforestry systems is typically higher than in conventional agricultural systems. Agroforestry incorporates at least several plant species into a given land area and creates a more complex habitat that can support a wider variety of birds, insects, and other animals. Agroforestry also has the potential to help reduce climate change since trees take up and store carbon at a faster rate than crop plants.
== Alley cropping ==
Alley cropping or [[Intercropping]] is a strategy used by [[farmers]] to combat [[soil erosion]]. In this method, several [[agriculture|crops]] are planted together in strips or alleys between [[trees]] and [[shrubs]]. This [[design]] provides shade (reducing water loss from [[evaporation]]), ensures retention of [[soil]] [[moisture]], and can also produce [[fruit]], fuelwood, fodder, or trimmings to be made into [[mulch]].
== See also ==
{{Portal|Sustainable development|Sustainable development.svg}}
* [[Sustainable agriculture]]
* [[Permaculture]]
* [[Forest gardening]]
* [[Home gardens]]
* [[Biomass]]
* [[Forest farming]]
* [[Analog forestry]]
* [[Terra preta]]
== References ==
* ''The Springer Journal'', "Agroforesty Systems" (ISSN 1572-9680) [http://www.springeronline.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/0,11855,4-40109-70-35633632-0,00.html]
== Footnotes ==
<references/>
== External links ==
* [http://www.centerforagroforestry.org University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry]
* [http://www.worldagroforestry.org World Agroforestry Centre]
* [http://www.montpellier.inra.fr/safe/index.php Silvoarable Agroforestry for Europe]
* [http://www.unl.edu/nac/ USDA National Agroforestry Center]
* [http://www.greenbeltmovement.org The Green Belt Movement]
* [http://www.viskogen.se/ Vi-Skogen]
* [http://www.agroforestry.co.uk/ Agroforestry Research Trust]
* [http://www.pfaf.org Plants For A Future]
* [http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/DOCREP/005/X3940E/X3940E00.HTM Agroforestry parklands in sub-Saharan Africa]
* [http://www.esf.edu/energycenter/salix/willowbrochure.pdf Willow Biomass Project]
* [http://www.cpbis.gatech.edu/connect/forumslectures/technobus04/Wednesday%20Afternoon/Grabowski%20Wed.pdf Salix Project]
* [http://media.libsyn.com/media/sciencefriday/scifri-2006051911.mp3 NPR Science Fridays Podcast - Conservation and Renewable Energy in New York State]
* [http://www.michigan.gov/cis/0,1607,7-154-25676_25753---,00.html Michigan Biomass Energy Program]
* Nut tree agroforestry [http://www.sankey.ws/nuttery/vol21no1.html#H 1] [http://www.sankey.ws/nuttery/vol21no2.html#G 2] [http://www.sankey.ws/nuttery/vol21no3.html#E 3]
* [http://www.plant-trees.org Trees for the Future]
* Australian Agroforestry and Farm Forestry [http://www.mtg.unimelb.edu.au]
[[Category:Sustainable agriculture]]
[[Category:Horticulture]]
[[Category:Habitat management equipment and methods]]
[[Category:Tropical agriculture]]
[[Category:Forestry]]
[[Category:Sustainability]]
[[de:Agroforstwirtschaft]]
[[es:Agroforestería]]
[[fr:Agroforesterie]]
[[ja:アグロフォレストリー]]
[[pl:Agroleśnictwo]]
[[pt:Agrossilvicultura]]
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