Fruit-based agroforestry systems for food security and higher profitability

The fruit-based agroforestry system comprises of a combination of perennial (fruit trees) and annual plant species as different components in the same piece of land arranged in a geometry that facilitates maximum utilization of space in four dimensions (length, width, height and depth) leading to maximum economic productivity of the system. This agroforestry system contributes products as well as services some of which have economic potential as cash crops and are also highly adaptable and applicable to a wide area and range of physical and social conditions worldwide. Because of the relatively short juvenile (pre-production) phase of fruit trees, fruits have high market value of their products and the contribution of fruits to household dietary and nutrition hence this system enjoys high popularity among resource limited producers worldwide and provides the subsistence to farmers and appreciable amount of economic returns even under unfavourable agro-ecological situations. This system has diverse products (fruits, vegetables, spices etc) which are available year-round in systems like home gardens and not only contribute to food security during the lean seasons but also ensure food diversity.