Agro forestry emerged as the soul of biodiversity conservation. A system of land use in which harvestable trees or shrubs are grown among or around crops or on pastureland, as a means of preserving or enhancing the productivity of the land is known as agro forestry system .  The forests of India are shrinking under acute socio economic pressure and developmental process. So it is essential to follow agro forestry system throughout India.  33.3% of total land surface must be forest for proper eco balance. But in India it is now less than 20%.  Reducing forest area is the main causes of climate change, disasters like Uttarkand incidents, extreme seasons and so global warming.  As an eco boy I always insist the benefits of forestation. 

No forest means no rain no proper seasons no agriculture and no economic. Agro forestry is found to be the most desirable strategy for maintaining social, economic and ecological sustainability in India. Under ?Greening India Programme?, central government has stipulated that all states must have 33% tree cover by the year 2020. This, it is hoped, will encourage carbon sequestration and restore degraded lands.  Some states will be able to achieve their targets by planting more trees on state-owned forest land, but for those lacking forest land, the increase will have to come from planting trees on agricultural land – in other words, through agro forestry. Countrywide, the most important agro forestry tree was mango, followed by neem and coconut.

The agro forestry is unique in Kerala because they are always around the farmers house and hence it is often called as homestead agro forestry. The major crops associated with in the homestead agro forestry system in Kerala are coconut (100%), Banana (99%) vegetables (98%) , Mango (95%), Papaya (90%) Tulasi (85%), Pepper (83%), Glyricidia (83%), Arecanut (79%), Jack (76%), Tamarind (75%), etc. Coconut (Cocos nucifera) with synonym `Kalpavriksha', the tree of heaven is the most dominant plantation crop prevalent in homestead of Kerala.