Recent development in agroforestry research and its role in climate change adaptation and mitigation

Abstract

Agroforestry research is site specific/region specific and hence the technologies developed in agroforestry vary in different agro-climatic zones. Based on promising tree species for a particular agro-climatic zone, the agroforestry system is characterized for different agro-climatic zones.Agroforestry provides a unique opportunity to combine the twin objectivesof climate change adaptation and mitigation. It has the ability to enhance the resilience of the system to cope the adverse impacts of climate change. Agroforestry also indirect benefit through C sequestration of elemental carbon in the trees and it helps to decrease pressure on natural forests, which are the largest sinks of terrestrial C. Another indirect avenue of C sequestration is through the use of agroforestry technologies for soil conservation, which could enhance C storage in trees and soils. This paper reviews the recent technological development of agroforestry model and its role in environmental services particularly in carbon sequestration.