Agroforestry for adaptation and mitigation to climate change
Agroforestry – a water wise land management system that can serve as a response option for both climate change adaptation and mitigation, while addressing many of the challenges that smallholder farmers are facing
Moderata Josephia, Tanzania. Photo: Linda Andersson. Agroforestry can generate multiple livelihood and environmental benefits, as it can help to mitigate climate change and help farmers to adapt to extreme and variable weather. Agroforestry supports ecosystem services, such as regulation of water and sediment flows, carbon and nutrient cycling in soils – leading to for example increased soil fertility, reduced soil erosion and flood and pest control. Smallholder farmers can also benefit from agroforestry through increased farm productivity, diversified produce and reduction of external inputs such as conventional fertilizers and chemicals for pest management, leading to increased income.
Citation
This brief has been commissioned by the Agroforestry Network, www.agroforestrynetwork.org
Editor: Malin Gustafsson (Stockholm International Water Institute, SIWI and Vi Agroforestry/Vi-skogen)
Reviewed by: Anna Tengberg (SIWI), Elisabeth Simelton (World Agroforestry, ICRAF), Amos Wekesa
(Vi Agroforestry/Vi-skogen), Madeleine Fogde (Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative, SIANI),
Sara Elfstrand (SwedBio, Stockholm Resilience Centre) and Maria Schultz (Vi Agroforestry/Vi-skogen).
