National Agroforestry Symposium 2020 (NAFS 2020) on climate resilient agroforestry systems to augment livestock productivity ensuring environmental biodiversity

Abstract

Agroforestry is a dynamic, ecological based, natural resource management system that through integration of trees on farms and in agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production of agricultural and its related commodities for increased social, economic and environmental benefits for land users at all levels. It is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or in pasture land. Agroforestry can be advantageous over conventional agricultural and forest production methods. Agroforestry enhances the ecosystem through carbon storage, prevents deforestation leads to biodiversity conservation and soil and water conservation. When adapted on a large scale, agroforestry enables agricultural land to withstand extreme weather conditions (floods and droughts) and climate change. Although agroforestry systems are not primarily designed for carbon sequestration, there are many recent studies that substantiate the evidence that agroforestry systems can play a major role in storing carbon in above ground and below ground biomass. India is the first country in the world to come out with a National Agroforestry policy which is aimed at not just increasing tree cover, but providing multiple livelihood and environmental benefits. The National Agroforestry policy which is aimed at not just increasing tree cover, but providing multiple livelihood and environmental benefits. The National Agroforestry policy which aimed at not just increasing tree cover, but providing multiple livelihood and environmental benefits. The National Agroforestry Policy is a path-breaker in making agroforestry an instrument for transforming lives of rural farming population, protecting ecosystem and ensuring food/ fodder security through sustainable basis. In view of this background, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Kattupakkan, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Amila Sciences University , Chennai collaboration jointly with the World Agroforestry, ICRAF and Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi are organizing a National Symposium on 'Climate resilient agroforestry systems to augment livestock productivity ensuring environmentally biodiversity' during March, 2020 to discuss the role of agroforestry to overcome various challenges and to suggest future scenarios for agroforestry development. The main objective for the symposium is to bring together the agroforestry researchers, academicians, planners, policy makers, administrators to discuss agroforestry research for sustainable development and address future scenarios