Climate Change and Agroforestry

Climate change is a natural process that occurs over millions of years, making our planet habitable for life. This phenomenon is not confined to a particular country or continent, as evidenced by droughts in Texas and flooding along the Missouri River in the United States, as well as along the Red River in Canada. Climate change presents multiple challenges and interacts with various non-climatic stressors, making it difficult to predict the consequences in a general sense, except for the threats to agriculture. Agroforestry can help mitigate these challenges by increasing biodiversity within agricultural lands, which supports various ecological and production services that enhance resilience to climate change.

Managing the risks associated with climate change in annual cropping systems is complicated due to the increasing uncertainty of inter-annual variability in rainfall and temperature. Agroforestry, which involves mixing woody trees with crops, forage, and livestock operations, provides greater resilience to these fluctuations through crop diversification and improved resource use efficiency. Deep-rooted trees allow better access to nutrients and water during droughts and can enhance resource utilization when integrated appropriately into annual cropping systems. Agroforestry also increases soil porosity, reduces runoff, and increases soil cover, which improve water infiltration and reduce moisture stress during periods of low rainfall. In times of excessive soil moisture, tree-based systems keep soils aerated by pumping out excess water, offering an economic return.

The book comprises 36 chapters, primarily focusing on agroforestry practices in India and their role in climate change mitigation and adaptation.