The fate of the world’s forests has never been higher on the political agenda. 2011 is the International Year of Forests, and a great many organisations, including the World Agroforestry Centre, are raising awareness about the importance of sustainably managing forests, agroforests and trees on farms. If we lose the forests, we will not only lose irreplaceable biodiversity and a rich source of timber, fuelwood, wild foods and medicinal plants, but the life support systems and environmental services for hundreds of millions of people. Forests don’t end where agricultural land begins. What happens outside the areas officially classified as forests has a huge bearing on what happens inside them. Currently, 43% of the world’s farm land – over 1 billion ha – has more than 10% tree cover. And 160 million ha has more than 50% tree cover. While the number of trees in forests is steadily declining, the number of trees on farmland is increasing. In many parts of the tropics, agroforestry is providing essential products and services that can relieve the pressure on the forest domain. There are a number of reasons why agroforestry is an integral part of the forest story, and why it is destined to become increasingly important over the coming years. Several of these are highlighted through the articles featured in this report. Over the past 20 years, the World Agroforestry Centre has pioneered the practice of participatory tree domestication, focusing, in particular, on bringing wild fruit species out of the forests and onto farmland. Now, tens of thousands of smallholders in Africa, Latin America and Asia are growing superior, high-yielding varieties of indigenous trees like the African plum and the bush mango.
Publication year
2010
Authors
Language
English
Keywords
evergreen plants, agriculture, forests, climate change, food security
