Social Economical and environmental considerations

Taking into account the social benefits like increase in crop and tree product and in the sustainability of these products, following social aspects are to be considered as it implies:

i. Improvement in rural living standards from sustained employment and higher incomes
ii. Improvement in nutrition and health due to increased quality and diversity of food outputs.
iii. Stabilization and improvement of upland communities through elimination of the need to shift sites of farm activities.

Economical considerations:

Agroforestry systems on croplands, farmlands, bring significant economic benefits to the farmers, the community, the region or the nation. Such benefits may include

a. Increment in maintenance in the outputs of food, fuel wood, fodder, fertilizer and timber.
b. Reduction in incidence of total crop failure common to single cropping or monoculture systems.
c. Increase in levels of farm incomes due to improved and sustain productivity.

Environmental considerations:

Combining trees with food crops on cropland farms provide certain important environmental benefits.

i. Deduction of pressure on forest:
ii. More efficient recycling of nutrients by deep-rooted trees on the site.
iii. Better protection of ecological systems.
iv. Reduction of surface runoff, nutrient leaching and soil erosion through impeding effect of tree roots and stains on this processes.
v. Improvement of micro -climate such as lowering of soil surface, temperature and reduction of evaporation of soil moisture through a combination of mulching and shading.
vi. Increment in soil nutrients through addition and decomposition of litter foil.
vii. Improvement of soil structure through the constant addition of organic matter from the decomposed litter.

It is clear from the above point that environment has major considerations in Agroforestry.
Ag.
Technologies
(Agro Forestry)