Agroforestry for Sustainable Agricultureby | 27-09-2014 18:07 |
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 Most of agroforestry systems are proven indeed able to achieve three pillars of sustainable development. For instance: conserving biodiversity, increasing agriculture and forestry productivity, which gives income and stimulates the creation of alternative agricultural systems for farmers. In accordance with the above mentioned milestones, the Indonesian Green Action Forum (IGAF) endeavored to implement and promote agroforestry system among children and local communities (farmers). The project was executed in the abandoned and marginal lands with the engagement of more than 75 students from the towns of Jambu, Mlonggo, and Jepara. These students were very happy for having ascertained in detail how to rehabilitate and plant trees as well as agricultural crops. There were two agendas of project execution. On the one hand, the first pace was to promote the system by providing an early education about agroforestry to children, which should comprise the definition, benefits and implementation of agroforestry itself. On the other hand, the following step consisted of implementing the agroforestry system in abandoned and degraded lands. During the execution of the project, we utilized some tree species to be planted, including fast growing species (albizia, jabon, acacia), long life ones (mahogany and teak) and multipurpose species (mango and rambutan). Furthermore, we cultivated banana, herbal plants and orchids. Yet the project of agroforestry implementation has been well managed and maintained of being sustainable, for making it real, we keep cooperating with local farmers in order to give them incentives, aiming to escalate farmers? awareness in implementing agroforestry. |
