Agroforestry: A Multifunctional Landuse System for Sustainable Agricultural Production under Climate Change Scenario

Abstract

Climate change is a serious issue for the entire world threatening the agricultural production systems. The sustainability of food production and other agricultural products is a big question for coming days and hence the survival of man and other organisms in future. Agroforestry, if properly implemented, is capable of providing solutions to many problems related to climate change. It is a resilient land-use system which mimics nature's design, contributes to 9 out of 17 UN's sustainable development goals (SDG). Its multifunctional ability makes agriculture climate-smart and provides enormous goods and services to society. It has potential to enhance overall productivity of agricultural land (10-100%), reduce the burden of carbon release from agricultural sector (1-25 Mg C ha−1 year-1), improve physico-chemical properties of soil, improve nutritional security, reduce poverty, create resilient livelihood, improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, lower the use of agrochemical, support industrial growth, generate employment, provide healthy food, promote rural tourism, provide comfortable working environment, save natural forests, etc. For deriving maximum flow of agricultural benefits from lands and combat climate change issues, different agroforestry systems should be practiced as per the potential of land capability classes. Agroforestry has also many challenges for its wider adoptability. Suitable policies and actions should be taken at local, national and international level to promote agroforestry as a tool for sustainable agricultural production in the scenario of climate change.