Need and scope of agroforestry

Agroforestry in true sense has been realized as the need of the hour it does not confine to regional, geographical or agroclimatic bounderies

Agroforestry for food, fuel and fodder
Owing to increase in population of human and livestock population ,food and fodder demand has increased mostly in developed countries. Each-year farmers of the world must now attempt to feed 100 million more people irrespective of weather . It is important to note that there will be 19% decline in cropland per head by the end of this century due to population explosion. Therefore, there is slight scope to increase food production by increasing the area under cultivation. In order to maintain fruit producing from a marginal agricultural land and the quality of producing environment a management system is needed such a s Agroforestry.  The different aspects in which agroforestry can help in enhancing productivity of our land to meet the demand of ever-growing human and live stock population are discussed here..

Food
Enhanced sustainability of cropping systems through soil and water conservation by arrangements of trees to control run-off and erosion.
Enhanced food and feed production from crops associated with trees through nitrogen fixation, better access to soil nutrients brought to surface from deep tree roots, improved availability of nutrients due to high cation-exchange capacity of the soil and its organic matter and mycorrhizal associations.

Food for man from trees as fruits, nuts and cereal substitutes.

Feed for livestock from trees.

Micro-climate imptovement due to trees, particularly shelter-belts and wind breaks.Water
Improvement of soil-moisture retention in rain fed croplands and pastures through improved soil structure and micro-climate effect of trees.
Regulation of stream flow, reducing flood hazards and a more even supply of water through reduction of run-off and improvement of interception and storage in infiltration galleries.
To improve the dangerous condition in waterlogged areas and also the saline soils buy trees with requirement for high amount of water.

Energy

Fuelwood for direct combustion
Pyrolytic conversion products such as charcoal, oil and gas
Ethanol produced from fermentation of high-carbohydrate fruits
Oils, latex and other combustible saps and resins

Shelter
Building materials for shelter construction
Shade trees for people, livestock and shade-loving crops
For protection of Crop plants, pustures ,Roadways by means of windbreaks and shelterbelts
Raw meterials for industries
Raw material for pulp and paper industry
Tannins essential oils and medicinal ingredients
Wood for agricultural implements and various crafts
Fibre for weaving

Cash
Direct cash benefits from sale of tree products
Indirect cash benefits from increased productivity