Forestry in agriculture: the vision of landcare

Australia is a vast, dry continent that faces huge challenges in reversing its land degradation processes to achieve a sustainable future. Many of these challenges are similar to those in much of the developing world. Australia is forthrightly tackling them with innovative solutions, and has become a global leader in the science and practice of agroforestry: the integration of trees into farming landscapes to enhance farm productivity, protect the environment and revitalise farming communities. Many of the greatest environmental problems (soil erosion, salinisation, declining soil productivity, fire, biodiversity loss) turn out to be a commercial opportunity when a farmer considers agroforestry in addressing them. Australia is fortunate in having developed a dynamic economy that can afford to invest in land regeneration. Unfortunately, most developing countries are too poor to do the same. Australia’s advances in agroforestry enable it to contribute to achieving the end of desperate poverty and regenerating the natural resource base in the developing world. Already it has contributed many productive tree species, such as the eucalypts and grevillia, to smallholder agroforestry around the world. These have made remarkable contributions in countries such as Ethiopia and Rwanda, among many others. Likewise, Australia’s renowned model for community action to address land degradation — Landcare — is taking root in the developing world and spreading rapidly. Already, the Philippines, South Africa and Uganda have evolved vibrant Landcare movements; and many other countries are enthusiastically exploring it. These successes have spawned Landcare International, a new global association that supports worldwide efforts to advance the Landcare agenda. Australia has great comparative advantages in extending its scientific and institutional experience in advancing agroforestry and Landcare in the developing world. It would do well to focus more of its international aid investment in this area in order to capitalise on these natural advantages.

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.124408

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