Systematic Approach to Agroforestry Policies and Practices in Asia

Abstract

This paper introduces the Special Issue “Systematic Approach to Agroforestry Policies and Practices in Asia”. This Special Issue contains eleven papers on agroforestry at national, regional, and global levels. These papers discuss research trends; dominant services and functions of agroforestry; multiple case studies from Asian countries including Nepal, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Timor-Leste; and the benefits of agroforestry including income generation and carbon sequestration. They also interpret the goals, challenges, and social and cultural norms in agroforestry policies in national and local contexts. The research results can support policy design for the systematization and stabilization of agroforestry. This Special Issue provides us with scientific evidence and practical lessons on agroforestry policies and practices in Asia. It contributes to expanding the knowledge base for agroforestry and towards establishing and implementing agroforestry policies and practices in the region.

Use of species distribution models to study habitat suitability for sustainable management and conservation in the Indian subcontinent: A decade's retrospective

“…It is an important topic now in global and national agendas considering sustainable development. It is internationally recognized as a climatesmart agricultural system by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (Park et al, 2022).…”

“…The system is also limited due to the lack of technical and functional knowledge, lack of participation of people, absence of separate policy, and market development about the process. For instance, in India, after agriculture, the second largest land use sector is represented by forestry, although it contributes only about 1% of GDP, reflecting the inert potential of the industry (Singh and Dhyani, 2014;Park et al, 2022).…”

Enabling Women as Key Actors in Nature-based Solutions

“…Agroforestry is classified as a production system that integrates trees and other woody perennials with agricultural crops and animals in farms and landscapes to deliver multiple economic, environmental, and social benefits (FAO 2015;König et al 2020). 5 According to World Agroforestry, agroforestry covers around 1 billion ha of agricultural lands globally and involves more than 900 million people (Park et al 2022). Practiced throughout the world for centuries, agroforestry has since been recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as a climate-smart agricultural system and a nationally appropriate mitigation and adaptation approach for the agriculture sector.…”

Leveraging the Power of Forests and Trees for Transformational Adaptation

“…The real potential of forests to facilitate both mitigation and adaptation, however, is still largely untapped. This is even less tangible when it comes to trees outside forest and agroforestry systems (Mbow et al 2014, Skole et al 2021Somarriba et al 2021;van Noordwijk et al 2021, Park et al 2022. This paper aims to summarise a set of clear and tangible key principles, which are backed by science, to fully tap into the potential of forests and trees for adaptation.…”