Potential of Agroforestry for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

Climate change, driven by increasing greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the most pressing global challenges, with severe impacts on ecosystems, economies, and human health. Rising temperatures, frequent extreme weather events, and shifting precipitation patterns are disrupting agricultural systems across the globe. Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) practices such as agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and precision farming offer promising solutions to address these challenges and combining sustainable practices with strategies to enhance resilience, reduce emissions, and maintain productivity. This paper reviews the potential of agroforestry systems in India for carbon storage, focusing on both aboveground and belowground carbon stocks. Studies indicate that tree-based systems have significant carbon sequestration potential, ranging from 0.25 Mg C/ha/yr to over 23.0 Mg C/ha/yr. In dryland areas, agroforestry mitigates water scarcity, soil degradation, and climate extremes while supporting sustainable agricultural practices. The introduction of India’s National Agroforestry Policy in 2014 marked a crucial step toward scaling up agroforestry systems. However, realizing the full potential of agroforestry in climate change mitigation requires enhanced policy support, targeted research, and financial incentives.