AGROFORESTRY

Concepts, Systems & Practices

ARVIN P. VALLESTEROS
Professor, NVSU CF
arvin_vallesteros@yahoo.com
Agroforestry = Trees + Non-tree Crops and/or Animals
http://www.dnr.cornell.edu

Combination of crops in agroforestry

Agroforestry:
A collective name for land-use systems and
technologies where woody perennials are
deliberately used in the same land
management unit as agricultural crops
and/or animals either in some form of spatial
arrangement or temporal sequence. Growing crops together
at the same time Growing crops in rotation
(Lundgren and Raintree 1983)
Fodde
r

Materials from one are used to benefit

another

Trees in agroforestry
Agroforestry includes a recognition
Sun light of the interactions of crops, both
favorable and unfavorable.
 Help conserve soil,
especially on hillsides
Trees Trees

a
 Improve soil fertility
 Add beauty
Crops
c c
a
 Provide shade
Litter Litter
Litter Litter

b  Source of materials or
products (food, lumber,
d
d d sap, resins, tannins,
Negative effects Positive effects medical compounds,
a = shading c = litter fall fuel)
b = root competition d = deep roots of trees
act as ‘safety-net’
Legumes fix nitrogen

1
Crops (non-tree crops) in
Animals in agroforestry
agroforestry
 Crops for making money.  Animals for making money.
 Crops for feeding the farmer.  Animals for feeding the farmer.
 Crops for good nutrition.  Animals for supplying labor.
 Crops for self sufficiency.  Animals for non-food products.
 Crops for feeding the animals.  Animals for using crop residues.
 Crops for protecting the soil.  Animals for furnishing manure.

Benefits from Agroforestry Maximum use of land

Grass strips hedgerows

Increases production/income Conserves soil

2
 Green terraces
enriches the soil
and effectively
controls erosion

Organic materials such as straw, stalks, twigs,

branches and leaves, and also rocks and stones,
are piled at the base of the rows of nitrogen fixing
A-frame is used to locate contour, and so
trees. As the years go by, strong, permanent
is the “cow back” method.
terraces will be formed which will anchor the
precious soil in its right place.

Improves soil

Improves soil

timber

wheat

rice corn
Protects water sources Short term food production offsetting cost of establishment of trees

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 Short-term crops providing income while Makes
farmers are waiting for the permanent unproductive
crops to bear fruit, or for timber to be lands
harvested
productive
 Agroforestry = Short-term crops +
Long-term crops
 Agroforestry = Short-term investment
+ Long-term investment
 Economic implication: reduced risks
because of diversification of crops
Economically
productive !

Cogon

Agroforestry systems in the

Philippines and the humid tropics
1. Indigenous agroforestry systems
2. Alley cropping system
3. Multistorey systems
4. Live fence/Boundary planting
5. Windbreak systems
6. Taungya system
7. PICOP system
8. Silvipastoral systems
9. Forest in agroforestry systems/Agroforest
Long term production of fuelwood and timber

e.g., Rice-terraces forest system

Fallowing

Indigenous agroforestry systems Indigenous agroforestry systems

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 SALT is an alley cropping system
Alley cropping systems

Coconuts

Gliricidia
Cacao

Sloping Agricultural Land Technology Cassava

SALT is a package technology on soil conservation
and food production, integrating different soil
conservation measures in just one setting. Multistorey Systems

Live fence/Boundary planting Windbreak systems

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 Farmers grow timber on 80% of the land that
PICOP owns; the remaining 20% is used for
growing agricultural crops.

Taungya system PICOP system

Gmelina arborea

Grass + LCC (Callopogonium)

Silvipastoral systems Silvipastoral systems

Problems?

Forest in Agroforestry systems

6
 Maraming Salamat
Po!

Agroforestry will provide solutions.

Notes

Proof of better production and income

Hedgerows take area of farm out of
production thereby reducing production
Yes, this is true particularly during the first year or first few
years. But once hedgerows are contributing to soil fertility,
production will increase. For example, in SALT demo farm,
it was reported that the yield of corn increased by
fourfolds.

Hedgerows occupy approximately 20% of the farm.

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Ipil-ipil prunings, 20.37 ton/ha
•
•
291.97 kg N or 12.7 bags of urea (45-0-0)
153 kg P or 13.6 bags of solphos (0-20-0)
Hedgerow interval
• 101.85 kg og K or 13.4 bags of muraite of potash (0-0- Slope (%) Interval (m)
60)
10-15 25-30
16-25 20-24
26-40 15-19
41-60 10-14
>60 4-9

Some agroforestry species

Characteristics of desirable trees Flemingia strobilifera

• Nitrogen fixers
• Multiple uses
• Must not cast too much shade Stylosanthes guyanensis

• Deep rooted but roots should not

spread too much Flemingia macrophylla - A Valuable
Species in Soil Conservation
• High, small, open crown and sparse
foliage
Recommended species:
-Ipil-ipil (leucocephala and diversifolia)
-Calliandra tetragona/colothysus
-Flemingia macrophyalla
-Gliricidia sepium
** Cassia species are doubful nitrogen fixers Desmodium tortuosum Desmodium triflorum