As a mode of improving on the sustainability of the environment, agroforestry is carried out given the different benefits to it holds.
Given that agroforestry improves on the micro climate, enhances biodiversity, help with soil and water management, it also improve animal welfare and increases on the productivity diversification hence a good practice to carry out on the farm.
Agroforestry and types
It is the farming with trees and it involves the integration of of farm land at arable land of pastures for benefits of symbiosis.
Similarly, types of agroforestry include silvopastoral which is the combination of trees with livestock, silvoarable which involves growing of trees with crops such as alley cropping. Other types are agrosilvopastoral which combines crops, trees and livestock, hedgerows, shelterbelts and riparian buffer strips, forest farming and home garden.
Finally, benefits include productivity diversification, improvement on micro climate, water management, enhance biodiversity and improve on animals welfare. However, demerits are slow growth of trees, farmers need skills and there is competition for resources.