Agroforestry combines trees with crops or livestock.
What trees can do
- Protect soil and water: roots hold soil, leaf litter feeds it, shade cuts evaporation.
- Fix nitrogen (some legume trees such as Acacia and Leucaena).
- Provide products: fodder, firewood, fruit, poles, gum and honey.
- Shelter crops and animals from wind and heat.
Design
Plant along borders, as alley rows with crops between, or as scattered trees. Choose locally adapted species, keep spacing wide enough to limit competition, and prune to manage shade.
Practical points
Protect young trees from grazing, water them in early dry seasons, and plan the long-term use (harvest or pruning cycles).
Trees need years to pay, so pair with crops for income in the meantime.
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