Growing Timber and Income Together

Industrial forest plantations in Sri Lanka have traditionally been managed as monocultures, limiting opportunities for agricultural diversification, soil improvement, and local community participation. While agroforestry practices allowing annual crops to be introduced in some areas, the integration of perennial cash crops within industrial forest plantations has remained largely unexplored. In response to national food security concerns and agricultural policy reforms, a pilot program was initiated Sri Lanka, permitting the intercropping of perennial cash crops with forest tree species. Preliminary observations indicate strong growth of both forest trees and perennial crops, demonstrating a positive synergy between forestry and agriculture. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the socio-economic and productivity outcomes of integrating perennial cash crops into industrial forest plantations, focusing on crop yields, income generation, and community engagement. The research aims to inform sustainable forest management practices and support evidence-based policy development, highlighting intercropping as a viable pathway to enhance ecological resilience, rural livelihoods.