Products and services derived from agro-forestry systems
Agro-forestry practices contribute a wide range of products and services. Trees may provide food, shelter, energy, medicine, cash/income, raw materials for crafts, fodder and forage and resources to meet social obligations. Trees used in agro-forestry systems can also provide a variety of services such as being a form of saving and investment and contributing to the improvement of soil fertility for crop production.
These products and services can be summarized as follows:
Food
- Increased amounts of food
- Provides food throughout the year
- Provides better-quality food
Energy
- Increased fuel wood supply
- Better-quality fuel wood
- Cheaper and more convenient fuel wood sources
Shelter, Structures
- Building materials
- Shade
- Protection from wind
- Protection from animals
- Marking of boundaries
Medicine
- Preventive (to maintain health)
- Curative (to treat diseases or injuries)
- Veterinary medicine
Raw materials for craft and cottage industry
- An increased supply of materials
- New types of material
- Cash income, savings and investment
- Employment (cash earnings)
- Sale of products (cash earnings)
- Substitution of own products for purchased items (less cash spent)
- Exchange of products for other goods (less cash spent)
- New forms of saving and investment
- Greater profitability or security of existing savings and investment
Fodder and forage
- Primary feed
- Supplementary feed