Agroforestry

According to the United Nations, global population is expected to increase by 2 billion people, from 7.7 billion currently to 9.7 billion in 2050. To meet the demand for food by 2050, production will have to increase by over 60%. These figures, coupled with current problems borne out of past and existing non-sustainable land use practices, provide the case for changing the way we manage lands and our production of agricultural and tree goods.

Thanks to its multifunctional properties, agroforestry is part of the solution to addressing these issues, whether they be environmental, economic or social. Agroforestry systems include both traditional and modern land-use systems where trees are managed together with crops and/or animal production systems in agricultural settings. They are dynamic, ecologically based, natural resource management systems that diversify and sustain production in order to increase social, economic and environmental benefits for land users at all scales.

There is a growing body of scientific literature that demonstrates the gains accruing from agroforestry adoption. FAO recognizes these advantages and believes agroforestry can contribute to improve the environment and the lives of people. 

Yilou, Burkina Faso. ©FAO/ Renee VanDis

Global Survey: Agroforestry Capacity Needs Assessment

Agroforestry is gaining increased attention within global policy processes and has been promoted as a strategy for working towards better food security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and livelihood resilience. However, to maximize the potential livelihood and environmental benefits of agroforestry and to ensure the sustainability of agroforestry systems, interventions need to be designed and implemented in ways that align with the aspirations and needs of rural farmers. This requires enabling environments and contextually-adapted solutions. It is therefore important to strategically strengthen the capacities of stakeholders working on agroforestry at various levels so that agroforestry may live up to its aspired contributions towards more sustainable food and production systems. 

For these reasons, FAO is implementing a Global Agroforestry Capacity Needs Assessment aimed at anyone involved in agroforestry-related activities around the world. The objectives of the survey are to: 

1. Provide a baseline of existing capacities on agroforestry globally. 
2. Identify strengths, gaps, needs, and barriers to successful agroforestry design, implementation and scaling up.
3. Guide FAO's capacity development efforts on agroforestry, to the benefit of all involved.

The survey will take around 30 minutes to complete and will remain open until 15 September 2022. Responses will be treated with strict confidentiality. 

We kindly invite you to fill out the survey through the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZTWCWBL