Syllabus: GS3/Environment
Context
- Recently, the experts highlighted that India’s agroforestry continues to face serious challenges, especially in access to finance, policy implementation, and farmer awareness, during the first South Asian Agroforestry & Trees Outside Forests (AF-TOF) Congress.
South Asian Agroforestry & Trees Outside Forests (AF-TOF) Congress
- It is referred to as the ‘Treescapes’ 2026 Congress.
- It marked the first regional platform dedicated to advancing agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests (TOF) across South Asia.
- It was organised by the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
About Agroforestry
- It is a land-use system that integrates trees with crops and/or livestock on the same land.
- It enhances food security, soil health, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and income diversification for farmers by combining perennial trees with farming systems.
- It helps in addressing land degradation and climate risks.
Current Status & Future Projection
- India currently has about 28 million hectares under agroforestry, and the government aims to expand this to 50 million hectares by 2050.
- Tree-based systems account for nearly 20% of India’s national carbon stocks.
Related Issues & Concerns
- Limited Access to Finance: Of nearly ₹20 lakh crore in annual institutional agricultural credit, less than 5% reaches agroforestry. Reasons include:
- Long gestation periods (5–30 years);
- Tenure and land ownership complexities;
- Lack of acceptable collateral;
- Policy Awareness Gaps: Low awareness among farmers about the National Agroforestry Policy, 2014, especially regarding:
- Tree harvesting rights;
- Transit and regulatory clearances;
- Weak Policy Implementation: Although agroforestry is recognised as climate- and livelihood-friendly, it remains under-supported by institutions and financing mechanisms, limiting scale and impact.
- Missed Economic Opportunities: India imports over $7 billion worth of wood annually, indicating underutilised domestic potential, lost opportunity for farmers and the green economy, despite strong domestic tree resources.
Efforts For Agroforestry in India
- National Agroforestry Policy, 2014: First-of-its-kind policy globally to promote tree-based farming.
- ICAR-led research and regional studies: Evidence shows agroforestry helps reduce deforestation and avoid tens of millions of tonnes of GHG emissions annually.
- AF-TOF/Treescapes Congress: Regional platform involving policymakers, researchers, financial institutions, industry, farmers, and youth to strengthen governance and investment frameworks.
Way Forward
- Improve Institutional Credit Flow through tailored financial products for long-gestation tree systems.
- Simplify Regulations on tree harvesting and transit, with clear, farmer-friendly guidelines.
- Enhance Awareness of agroforestry policies at the grassroots level.
- Leverage Carbon Markets and Digital Tools: Align carbon credits, digital traceability, and private-sector procurement with smallholder realities.
- Reduce Import Dependence: Promote domestic timber and tree-based value chains to strengthen rural incomes, especially for India’s 86% marginal farmers.
- Align Climate, Agriculture, & Trade Policies to unlock agroforestry’s potential for income generation, climate mitigation, and ecosystem services.
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