SIGNIFICANCE AND COMFORT OF NATIONAL AGROFORESTRY POLICY IN INDIA: A REVIEWSAYANDIP CHAKRABORTY, VIKRAM SINGH AND VISHAL JOHAR AND ARIYANT SENAbstract Agroforestry is defined as a land use system that integrates trees and shrubs on farmlands and rural landscapes to enhance productivity, profitability, diversity, and ecosystem sustainability. It is a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resource management system that, through the integration of woody perennials on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production and builds social institutions. Agroforestry systems include both traditional and modern land-use systems where trees are managed together with crops and or/ animal production systems in agricultural setting. Agroforestry is practised in both irrigated and rain-fed conditions where it produces food, fuel, fodder, timber, fertilizer, and fibre, contributes to food, nutritional and ecological security, sustains livelihoods, alleviates poverty, and promotes productive and resilient cropping and farming environments. The major policy goals are: Setting up a National Agroforestry Mission or an Agroforestry Board to implement the National Policy by bringing coordination, convergence, and synergy among various elements of agroforestry scattered in various existing, missions, programs, schemes, and agencies pertaining to agriculture, environment, forestry, and rural development sectors of the Government. Improving the productivity; employment, income, and livelihood opportunities of rural households, especially of the smallholder farmers through agroforestry. |