By Alice Beetz
NCAT Agriculture Specialist
June 2002
Abstract: Integrating trees and shrubs with the other enterprises on a farm can create additional sources of income, spread farm labor throughout the year, and increase the productivity of the other enterprises, while protecting soil, water, and wildlife. Agroforestry systems include alley cropping, silvopasture, windbreaks, riparian buffer strips, and forest farming for non-timber forest products. While they clearly offer economic and ecological advantages, these systems also involve complex interactions, which complicate their management. When designing an agroforestry enterprise, one should research the marketing possibilities and include the agroforestry system in the complete business plan for the farm.
This publication presents the principles of agroforestry, an overview of common practices, marketing considerations, several case studies, and an extensive list of further resources.