Agroforestry’s potential to be a mitigation tool for environment conservation discussed

The Annual Group Meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Agroforestry commenced today at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Nauni. The three-day event, jointly organized by the university, AICRP Agroforestry and the Central Agroforestry Research Institute (CAFRI) in Jhansi, brings together experts from across India to discuss the future of agroforestry in the country.

Currently, there are 35 Coordinating Centres across various agro-ecological regions of India. These centres conduct diagnostic surveys and design studies to document indigenous agroforestry practices adopted by farmers. This meeting marks an important step in advancing agroforestry practices, addressing environmental concerns and ensuring economic resilience for farmers across India.

Dr. S.K. Chaudhari, ICAR Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his address, Dr. Chaudhari emphasized the need for a holistic, integrated approach to agroforestry. He called for evaluating past research and leveraging that knowledge to create comprehensive guidelines to advance agroforestry practices. Dr. Chaudhari further stressed that future funding would be directed towards institutions demonstrating substantial on-the-ground work and tangible outcomes that benefit stakeholders, ensuring meaningful progress in agroforestry.

In his presidential address, Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel underscored the importance of addressing existing gaps in agroforestry projects. He highlighted the need for data-backed agroforestry models that ensure both environmental sustainability and economic security of the farmers. Prof. Chandel encouraged scientists to integrate natural farming practices with agroforestry, exploring multilayered cropping systems while aligning the project’s innovation with the needs of India's developing economy.

Dr. A. Arunachalam, Director of CAFRI and Project Coordinator of AICRP on Agroforestry, reflected on the substantial achievements of the project over the past 40 years. He highlighted key milestones, including the development of India’s first National Agroforestry Policy in 2014, which positioned India as a global leader in the field. Dr. Arunachalam also praised CAFRI’s role in advancing national nursery accreditation, which ensures high-quality planting material for farmers. He outlined future priorities, such as developing site-specific agroforestry models, identifying high-yielding and climate-resilient tree species, and promoting advanced technologies to farmers.

Dr. S.K. Dhyani, Country Director-India at CIFOR-ICRAF, spoke about the founding of ICRAF in 1977 and its transformative global role in advancing agroforestry. Dr. Dhyani highlighted India’s pioneering adoption of the National Agroforestry Policy and noted that other nations, including Nepal followed suit. He emphasized agroforestry's vital role in combating climate change while supporting rural communities through non-timber forest products. He called for increased global collaboration to promote agroforestry practices and policies that ensure sustainable development for farmers and ecosystems alike. Earlier Director Research Dr. Sanjeev Chauhan, welcomed the guests and participants and shared the university's ongoing work in agroforestry.

The event also saw the release of 30 publications from various AICRP centres. During the ceremony, four of the university’s agroforestry nurseries, two from the main campus in Nauni and one each from COH&F Neri and RHRTS Jachh were awarded nursery accreditation certificates.