Planting trees on land where crops are grown and animals such as cows, sheep, chickens, etc. are raised is basically what agroforestry is all about. Agroforestry attempts to emulate natural ecosystems where there is cooperation and synergy between different species, in this case, trees, crops, and animals. 

According to Gallusser (2007), agroforestry is a collective name for land-use systems and technologies in which the management of perennial woody species (trees, shrubs, palms, etc.) is associated with agricultural crops or animal production in some form of spatial arrangement or temporal sequence.  

The main characteristic of agroforestry systems is their capacity to optimize the production of the territory (farm unit) through a diversified exploitation in which trees play a fundamental role in the supply of many products, such as wood, food, fodder, firewood, posts, organic matter, medicine, cosmetics, oils, and resins. Moreover, trees are important providers of services such as food security, soil conservation, soil fertility enhancement, microclimate improvement, demarcation for the recovery of degraded lands, and weed control (Nair, 1983 and 1985). 

The main purpose of an agroforestry system is to achieve a balance between the different biotic and abiotic elements that coexist (soil, plants, trees, and animals) and to recreate a natural ecosystem in which different species cooperate with each other. 

Sistemas Agroforestales, alternativa multifuncional de vida. (June 25, 2020). Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural. https://www.gob.mx/agricultura/articulos/sistemas-agroforestales-alternativa-multifuncional-de-vida

The synergy between trees, crops, and animals

Agroforestry has enormous potential to increase soil fertility (Catacutan et al., 2017). This is mainly because leguminous trees used in agroforestry-based farming systems improve soil organic matter and contribute to biological nitrogen fixation. Numerous studies have evaluated the impact of organic debris cover of leguminous trees on improving soil fertility of crops in agroforestry systems in the tropics (Garnett et al., 2013). Compared to monoculture systems, these studies have indicated that the integration of trees in plots enriches the soil with nutrients and organic matter, allows for tighter nutrient cycling, and improves the soil's structural qualities (Mbow et al., 2013). Waliyar et al. (2003) and Garrity et al. (2010) found that the presence of trees on cropland improves soil organic matter, soil moisture conservation, and nutrient recovery by drawing water from deeper soil horizons and limiting nutrient leaching. According to Bayala et al. (2008), the presence of trees on cropland enhances soil structural stability, promotes water infiltration through tree roots, and increases the number of soil pores, which improves water storage.

These studies show that trees naturally fertilize the soil with their falling leaves, bark, and branches, prevent soil erosion, and maintain the level of nutrients in the soil. Also, the roots of many trees fix nitrogen from which crops benefit greatly.

But these are not the only contributions of trees in an agroforestry system; they also protect crops from strong winds and heat waves and serve as shelter for livestock in times of high heat, allowing them to conserve energy and save water.

The excrement of animals such as cows, sheep, and chickens fertilizes the soil, favoring the growth of both crops and trees. Some crops, such as pasture, are used as food for livestock.

In this way, all the elements (trees, crops, and animals) cooperate and contribute to an agroforestry system, achieving an impressive synergy.

Agroforestry and climate change

Agroforestry methods in smallholder farming systems help with climate change mitigation and adaptation, according to research by Lal (2004), Verchot et al. (2007), Schoeneberger (2009), Nair et al. (2009), Catacutan et al. (2017), CGIAR (2017), and Sanz et al. (2017). According to Jose (2009), research on the possibility of agroforestry as a method to combat the negative effects of climate change has increased in the last 20 years. According to research, agroforestry increases the amount of carbon stored compared to monocultures as it incorporates trees and shrubs (Sanz et al., 2017). According to Schroeder (1994), perennial woody plants store a significant amount of carbon in aboveground biomass and contribute to belowground carbon sequestration.

Agroforestry could greatly help to capture and store high concentrations of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making it a very efficient method of mitigating the effects of climate change.

But not only that, agroforestry is also considered a method of adaptation to climate change, as many farmers and ranchers use it to cope with the extreme temperatures and weather phenomena triggered by global warming. Trees in agroforestry systems help crops and livestock develop and grow well by providing protection from frost and heat waves. In addition, trees maintain soil fertility and prevent soil erosion, which greatly benefits crops and also livestock, as many cows and sheep often feed on pasture crops in agroforestry systems. Fertile soil produces high-quality crops in great abundance. For example, tall grasses that cattle feed on. As a result, cattle perform better. In the case of cows, they produce more milk. According to research developed in New Zealand (2016), milk production increases when pasture growth increases and decreases when pasture growth increases. This study exhibits the importance of pasture to improve milk production.

Agroforestry is a multifunctional land use system that contributes to both climate change adaptation and mitigation. Since there are not many solutions available that can achieve this, it is of utmost importance to promote and encourage farmers to adopt and use sustainable agroforestry practices.

Reference materials

Awazi N, Tchamba M. (February 14, 2019). Enhancing agricultural sustainability and productivity under changing climate conditions through improved agroforestry practices in smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. African Journal of Agricultural Research. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b816/9568a5cc126c705ca0251cf6e45a2b711312.pdf

ClimateScience. (s.f.). Feeding 10 billion people: More food on less land. https://climatescience.org/advanced-food-feeding-10-billion

Torres J, Tenorio A, Gómez A. (2008). Agroforestería: una estrategia de adaptación al cambio climático Propuesta de adaptación tecnológica del cultivo de café y cacao en respuesta al cambio climático en San Martín. Soluciones Prácticas. http://infocafes.com/portal/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/MzM3.pdf