Agroforestry: A review of its importance, problems and prospects in crop production

Abstract

Currently, the whole world is confronted with a geometric increase in the human population without a corresponding increase in the agricultural land resource to meet the human demands for food and clothing which are primarily sourced from agricultural industry. Therefore, it is needful for every country to search the importance of agroforestry and make haste to adopt it as it is the only option and panacea with which to combat the world ever increasing human population with limited and dwindling agricultural land resource. Agroforestry is more intentional, intensive, interactive and integrated than agriculture per se. Improved agro-forestry practice is eco-friendly, job creative and lucrative. It also promotes wider biodiversity and high yields of crops and livestock through proper soil management. Agroforestry is a multidisciplinary science encompassing agronomy, physiology, horticulture, apiculture, soil management, ecology, agrisilviculture, silvopasture, agrosilvopasture, and apisilvoculture have made it more comprehensive than other farming systems. The most glaring importance of agroforestry is centered on its ability to adapt to climate change, especially now it has become a case study in the world as its adverse effects on both living and non-living things cannot be neglected. So, this review paper is aimed at sensitizing and encouraging worldwide farmers and non-farmers to adopt the modern agro-forestry practices as improved means for promoting food security and checking deforestation with its associated adverse effects in the world. However, there are numerous challenges confronting the establishment of agroforestry and basically among them are - scarcity of land, improved seeds/seedlings, and conservative attitudes of the farmers.