Paving the way for greater uptake of agroforestry farming systems

A newly released policy brief commissioned by a network of international agroforestry practitioners sheds light on the main barriers to the propagation of agroforestry in emerging markets – a land use management system which offers significant environmental, economic and social benefits, particularly to smallholders.

In drafting the brief, NIRAS experts point to the need for more efficient and profitable value chains and diverse market systems to attract farmers to agroforestry. Products need better connections to markets – facilitated by increased marketing and access to finance – and policies should be developed that promote an expansion of sustainable agricultural methods and agroforestry farming techniques through adequate extension services and technical assistance.

A more sustainable win-win approach

Agroforestry involves the integration of trees or shrubs with crops or pastureland. Farmers who practice agroforestry see much greater diversified agricultural output and income streams from a variety of sources, which also mitigates the impact of climate change as their livelihoods are not dependent on a single crop. A single agroforestry farm can, for example, produce mango, coffee, macadamia nuts, timber, honey, beans and fodder for dairy cattle. At the same time, agroforestry systems protect and conserve biodiversity, soil, water, wildlife habitats and other natural resources.

Applying a flexible market systems approach

Due to their natural complexity, agroforestry market system connections are not as clear or developed as in singular, staple crop value chains. Thus there is a need for greater support of the establishment of farmer organisations or cooperatives and their ability to negotiate prices and access funding, training and input services as a collective across value chains. An inclusive market systems approach focuses on connecting farmers to local and regional markets for top quality/niche products. Once the producers can ensure a steady stream of a certain volume of products to, for example supermarkets or farmers markets, prices can increase.

The global demand for climate friendly agroforestry products already exists in high income markets and can be promoted further with specialty labelling and traceability efforts that build trustworthiness and brand value. Local civil society organisations can reinforce the market by calling for greater conservation and climate resilience measures through agroforestry, and more attention could also be given to commodity traders, who have a huge power and influence over the entire value chain.