Agroforestry and sustainable development: making the connection

Forest and tree cover is declining at alarming rates throughout the developing world. As a result, essential sources of food, fuel, shelter, fodder, medicines, and many other products are disappearing, and the soil and water base for food production is being degraded. Solutions are urgently needed as populations and human needs continue to grow. "Agroforestry," or the deliberate association of trees and shrubs with crops, livestock or other factors of agricultural production, holds great promise for contributing to sustainable landuse systems. Agroforestry approaches are appropriate to the needs of low-resource farmers and the physical and socioeconomic constraints they face. However, the potential contribution of agroforestry can be realized only if farmers and local communities are fully involved in its development and application.