Research
Social-Environmental Opportunities and Tradeoffs of Agroforestry
Agroforestry Suitability
Sustainable forestry and agricultural practices like agroforestry are necessary to ensure global food security, mitigate climate change, conserve biodiversity, and provide ecosystem services. Such practices can also boost economic profitability and enhance human well-being. Agroforestry, defined as the integration of trees into crop and livestock systems, is widely promoted as a sustainable land use practice. However, the rate of adoption of agroforestry practices remains low due to social, economic, ecological, and political barriers. Consequently, we miss a critical opportunity to advance both environmental and social sustainability goals. Scientific understanding based on an interdisciplinary approach to address ecological, economic, social, and political interactions is needed to spur appropriate expansion of agroforestry practice.
The goal of this research project is to advance agroforestry knowledge and policy by mapping the suitability of agroforestry practices and developing a model to predict priority areas for targeting agroforestry across the United States (US) Midwest. Additionally, I am assessing the feasibility, opportunities, and barriers for agroforestry policy in the US Midwest through field-based inquiry. Specially, I explore the tradeoffs between social-economic and environmental factors in the decision-making process around agroforestry adoption. |
Social-Environmental Impacts of Agroforestry
Agroforestry is widely promoted as a "win-win" solution for agriculture and the environment. We systematically mapped the literature on the impacts of agroforestry practice and policy interventions on ecosystem service and human well-being outcome globally. Our reviews demonstrated that there is substantial evidence on the impacts of agroforestry practices on regulating ecosystem services. In contrast, evidence on the economic and social outcomes of agroforestry practices, such as profitability, was very limited. There is also a paucity of evidence on the impacts of policy interventions to promote agroforestry. The results highlight the need for additional evaluation of policies as well as the economic and social impacts of agroforestry practices to inform future policy and practice.
Additionally, we systematically reviewed and conducted meta-analyses on the impact evaluations conducted for agroforestry interventions in low- and middle-income countries. We found positive overall effects of agroforestry interventions on yield and incomes, though the effect size and sign were context-specific. |
Related Publications:
1. Castle, S. E., Miller, D. C., Merten, N., Ordonez, P. J. & Baylis, K. (2022). Evidence for the impacts of agroforestry on ecosystem services and human well-being in high-income countries: a systematic map. Environmental Evidence, 11(1), 1-27. doi.org/10.1186/s13750-022-00260-4
2. Castle, S.E., Miller, D.C., Ordonez, P.J., Baylis, K., & Hughes, K. (2021). The Impacts of Agroforestry Interventions on Agricultural Productivity, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 17(2), e1167. doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1167
3. Miller, D.C., Ordonez, P.J., Brown, S.E., Forrest, S., Nava, N.J., Hughes, K., & Baylis, K. (2020). The Impacts of Agroforestry on Agricultural Productivity, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Evidence and Gap Map. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 16, e1066. doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1066
4. Brown S.E., Miller D.C., Ordonez P.J., & Baylis K. (2018). Evidence for the Impacts of Agroforestry on Agricultural Productivity, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Map Protocol. Environmental Evidence, 7(24), 1-16. doi.org/10.1186/s13750-018-0136-0
1. Castle, S. E., Miller, D. C., Merten, N., Ordonez, P. J. & Baylis, K. (2022). Evidence for the impacts of agroforestry on ecosystem services and human well-being in high-income countries: a systematic map. Environmental Evidence, 11(1), 1-27. doi.org/10.1186/s13750-022-00260-4
2. Castle, S.E., Miller, D.C., Ordonez, P.J., Baylis, K., & Hughes, K. (2021). The Impacts of Agroforestry Interventions on Agricultural Productivity, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 17(2), e1167. doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1167
3. Miller, D.C., Ordonez, P.J., Brown, S.E., Forrest, S., Nava, N.J., Hughes, K., & Baylis, K. (2020). The Impacts of Agroforestry on Agricultural Productivity, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Evidence and Gap Map. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 16, e1066. doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1066
4. Brown S.E., Miller D.C., Ordonez P.J., & Baylis K. (2018). Evidence for the Impacts of Agroforestry on Agricultural Productivity, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Map Protocol. Environmental Evidence, 7(24), 1-16. doi.org/10.1186/s13750-018-0136-0