Agroforestry for food and nutritional security

Agroforestry is a set of approaches to land management practiced by more than 1.2 billion people worldwide involving the integration of trees with annual crop cultivation, livestock production and other farm activities. Agroforestry systems range from open parkland assemblages to dense imitations of tropical rainforests such as homegardens, to planted mixtures of only a few species. These systems can increase farm productivity when their various components occupy complementary niches and the associations between them are managed effectively. Solving the problem of food and nutritional security requires a range of interconnected agricultural approaches, including improvements in the productivity of staple crops, the biofortification of staple foods, and the cultivation of a wider variety of edible plants that provide fruits, nuts and vegetables for more diverse diets. The yield and quality of production can be increased through genetic improvement and on-farm management, making planting a potentially attractive option for growers.