| Abstract: |
Trees are invisible. At least agricultural statistics and policies don’t usually mention them, while more than 40% of the worlds’ farmland has at least 10% tree cover. Trees have been a footnote in agricultural science, representing the history, not the future, of farming. Farming a forest isn’t done, or if farmers do, forest institutions will claim the results. Forests need to be restored under forestry rules. Forty years ago, this was the situation in many parts of the world – and now we can at least talk about this. Agroforestry as praxis is as old as agriculture. As science of the interface of agriculture and forestry it is entering its fifth decade. Time to reflect, take stock and look forward.
Agroforestry as a term, as a field of scientific enquiry and policy dialogues was created as the gap between two worldviews was too wide. In fact, a lot of life was found to thrive in this gap. Firstly, it exists. Secondly, it has challenges. Thirdly, something can be done. Fourthly, it can contribute even more to current global issues of focus than it already does. In a nutshell that’s four decades worth of emancipation of agroforestry as it played out and is documented in this book, to be released at the 4th World Congress of Agroforestry in May 2019 in Montpellier (France).
In twenty-one chapters a total of 80 authors review the way agroforestry itself transformed, while studying and contributing to the transformation of rural livelihoods and landscapes. Initially, agroforestry was defined as a technology for using trees on farm. Then, it also came to be understood as landscapes with trees, inside and outside of forests. As a third step it represents a view that land use across the full spectrum of tree cover needs to be understood and managed as a continuum, harmonizing agricultural and forestry policies for progress on all 17 sustainable development goals. The first section of the book reviews the science of trees, soils and their interactions with crops. The second describes six landscapes around the world where the local transformations and learning contributed key lessons to the emerging agroforestry science. The third section starts from issues of current public and policy concern and discusses the prospects that a more integrated approach to land use policies can bring by connecting local action to global concerns. |
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