Intro to Agrof. Systems

• Agroforestry systems


  Can be classified based on their Structure, Function, Ecological Bias and Socioeconomic Bias
• Agroforestry systems

  • Simultaneous Systems
  • Sequential Systems
• Simultaneous Systems

  A system which utilizes a piece of land, tree crops and animals growing together
• Simultaneous Systems

  • Trees and crops compete for available light, water and nutrients
  • Trees used should have roots that can penetrate deeper into the soil compared to root crops
  • Their canopy should be small enough to allow adequate sunlight to filter to the crops below
• Sequential Systems

  A system where crops and trees take turns in occupying most of the same space
• Sequential Systems

  • Trees perform three primary roles: Recycling nutrients, Nitrogen fixing, Suppressing weeds through a large canopy
• Agroforestry Systems

  • Boundary Planting
  • Contour Hedges
  • Live hedges & Fences
  • Hedgegrow Intercropping (Alley Cropping)
  • Parkland System
  • Silvopastoral System
  • Agroforests
  • Shaded Perennial Crops
  • Windbreaks
  • Shifting Cultivation
  • Relay Intercropping
  • Improved Fallows
  • Taungya System
  • Multistrata Systems
• Structural classification of Agroforestry Systems

  • Agrisilvicultural Systems
  • Silvopastoral Systems
  • Agrosilvopastoral Systems
• Agrisilvicultural Systems


  Combination of crops and trees
• Silvopastoral Systems


  Combination of forestry and grazing of domesticated animals on pastures, rangelands and on-farm
• Agrosilvopastoral Systems


  Integration of trees, animals and crops into one system
• Agrisilvicultural Systems


  • Agricultural crops are intercropped with tree crops in the interspace between the trees
  • Agricultural crops can be grown up to 2 years under protective irrigated conditions and under rain-fed farming up to 4 years
  • Fodder crops, shade loving crops and shallow rooted crops can be grown economically
  • Wider spacing is adopted without sacrificing tree population for easy cultural operation and to get more sunlight to the intercrop
  • Performance of the tree crops is better in this system when compared to monoculture
• Agrisilvicultural Systems


  • Improved Fallows
  • Taungya
  • Alley Cropping (Hedgerow Intercropping)
  • Multilayer tree gardens
  • Multipurpose trees on crop lands
  • Plantation Crop Combinations
  • Home Gardens
  • Trees in soil conservation and reclamation
  • Shelterbelts, Windbreaks, Live Hedges
  • Fuelwood production
• Silvopastoral Systems

  • Protein banks
  • Live fence of fodder trees and hedges
  • Trees and shrubs on pasture
• Protein banks

  Various multipurpose trees (protein rich trees) are planted in or around farmlands and range lands for cut and carry fodder production to meet the feed requirement of livestock during the fodder deficit period in winter
• Live fence of fodder trees and hedges

  Various fodder trees and hedges are planted as live fences to protect the property from stray animals or other biotic influences
• Trees and shrubs on pasture

  Various tree and shrub species are scattered irregularly or arranged according to some systemic pattern to supplement forage production
• Silvopastoral Systems

  • Trees on rangeland or pastures
  • Protein banks
  • Plantation crops with pastures and animals
• Agrosilvopastoral Systems


  The production of woody perennials combined with agricultural crops and pastures/animal rearing
• Agrosilvopastoral Systems

  • Home gardens
  • Woody hedgerows for browse, mulch, green manure and soil conservation
• Home gardens

  • Many species of trees, bushes, vegetables and other herbaceous plants are grown in dense and in random or spatial and temporal arrangements
  • Most home gardens also support a variety of biodiversity
  • Fodder grass and legumes are also grown to meet the fodder requirement of cattle
• Home gardens

  • Represent land use systems involving deliberate management of multipurpose trees and shrubs in intimate association with annual and perennial agricultural crops and livestock within the compounds of individual houses
  • The whole tree-crop-animal unit is intensively managed by family labour
  • Highly productive, sustainable and very practicable
  • Food production is the primary function
• Woody Hedgerows

  Various woody hedges, especially fast growing and coppicing fodder shrubs and trees are planted for the purpose of browse, mulch, green manure, soil conservation
• Agrosilvopastoral Systems

  • Home gardens involving animals
  • Multipurpose woody hedges
  • Apiculture with trees
  • Aquaforestry
• Agroforestry Systems

  • The density of planting varies from dense (forest gardens, windbreaks, and living fences) to sparse (trees planted in pastures)
  • Spatial arrangement can change over time
  • In rotational fallow systems, crops are grown for 2-3 years, followed by more than 15 years when trees are allowed to regrow naturally
• Agroforestry

  • Supports sustainability by yielding beneficial products that meet the farmers needs
  • Protects and maintains the production system by reducing wind and water erosion, improving soil health and increasing water infiltration
• Agroforestry products

  • Timber Forest Products
  • Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)
• Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)


  • Food products
  • Manufactured products
  • Health and beauty products
  • Decorative and aesthetic products
  • Environmental products
  • Horticultural products
• Agroforestry Tree Species

  • The first 1 - 2 years are the most important
  • Participating communities must have some level of success and must see some harvestable products or significant benefit
  • After the initial pioneer species are established, diversifying the system will become much easier
• Agroforestry Tree Species in the first year

  • Start with a low number of species, perhaps just one to three
  • Non-native species that have been researched and used in agroforestry projects for decades are often used in these initial steps
  • They are the stepping stones to creating conditions that will allow for the return of lost biodiversity
• Qualities of Multipurpose, Fast Growing (MPFG) trees


  • Survive in full (12 hour) sunlight
  • Have a strong taproot
  • Produce wood that is useful for both construction and fuelwood
  • Display coppicing (grows back vigorously when cut)
  • Have leaves that can be used either as animal forage, organic fertilizer, a natural insecticide, or other use
  • Preferably be nitrogen fixing trees
• Advanced Planning for Agroforestry systems

  • Mixed systems are more complex
  • Difficult to predict the result of crop combinations and interactions
  • The system evolves and changes over time
  • There may be adverse effects of combining trees, crops and livestock
  • Scarcity of information on mixed systems
  • Scarcity of information about economic trade-off of the agroforestry system