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Agroforestry key to farming future: Indian president
Indian President Shri Mukherjee has said that countries need to implement innovative models that encourage investment in the agroforestry sector rather than being discouraged by long gestation periods normally associated with agroforestry projects
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ndian President Shri Mukherjee has said that countries need to implement innovative models that encourage investment in the agroforestry sector rather than being discouraged by long gestation periods normally associated with agroforestry projects.
'Agroforestry holds immense promise in enhancing the productivity of land in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner,' he said during the World Congress on Agroforestry in India, as quoted by a release made available to The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
It is estimated that one smallholder farm in developing nations sustains four livelihoods. Globally, this figure equates to 2 billion people relying on smallholder farms. While the population continued to grow, Mukherjee said, 'These smallholding farmers are economically vulnerable'.
More than 1,000 delegates from 80 countries attended the week-long congress, deliberating on how best to promote the practice of agroforestry ' integrating trees and shrubs on farmland and rural landscapes.
A final joint communiqué challenges governments and policy makers to prioritize the promotion of agroforestry by formulating national agroforestry policies that encourage investment, restore degraded landscapes, establish sustainable enterprises, and remove constraints that hinder the optimal contribution of trees to farmers' livelihoods.
The delegates also challenged business leaders to engage strongly with smallholder farmers to build robust supply chains, dialogue with governments to remove barriers and increase incentives for agroforestry practices and systems to thrive. (ebf)
