Resilient and sustainable agriculture with enhanced income through agroforestry in Odisha

Abstract

Agroforestry refers to the intentional integration of trees along with agricultural crops and/or livestock into agricultural landscapes. It represents a multifaceted approach to sustainable land management with profound implications for ecological resilience, economic development, and climate change mitigation. It has good potential to contribute to the achievement of nine Sustainable Development Goals and additional employment generation in rural landscapes through production, processing, and value addition involving a variety of tree products, both wood and non-wood. Globally practiced by around 1.2 billion people, it is getting recognised as a nature-based solution with the ability to mitigate climate change without compromising food security or biodiversity. Describing the contours of agroforestry in India, including actions taken for implementation of the National Agroforestry Policy 2014, this paper deliberates upon the prevalent practices and various initiatives to promote agroforestry in Odisha. Discussing the overall vision and objectives of the Odisha State Agroforestry Policy notified in June 2025, and the strategic initiatives and key stakeholders identified for its implementation, the way forward lists the important action points requiring urgent attention.