Historical Development of Agroforestry in the World and in Nepal

Historical Development of Agroforestry in the World and in Nepal
Agroforestry practices in Nepal are traditional, very old, and very specific to the local social, economic and agroecological conditions. The farmers, graziers, and forest dwellers have an intimate knowledge of these traditional practices. 1) History of agroforestry dates back to almost 1700 years ago in parts of China. 2) In Europe until the middle ages, forests were clear felled and burn the slash, and cultivate food crops. 3) This practice followed in Finland in the 18th century, and was practiced in some part of Germany until 1920s. 4) In tropical America, multistory agroforestry system was practiced, where coconut with lower layers of papaya, banana or citrus fruits and shrub layers of coffee and maize were grown. 5) In southern Nigeria, yam, maize, pumpkins and beans were grown under scattered trees from the beginning of human settlement. 6) In Philippines, a complex and sophisticated systems or types of shifting cultivation were practiced. 7) At the end of 19th century, forest plantation has been established adopting agroforestry systems, which is known as Taungya agroforestry system. 8) This system was first started from Burma in 1850s, where teak (Tectona grandis) plantation areas were given to shifting cultivators to grow agriculture crops. 9) Taungya agroforestry has been adopted widely in South Asia in 1890s. 10) In present Bengladesh, plantation was established adopting Taungya approach in between 1887 to 1890s, where as this in West Bengal of India in 1896.

Internationally, 11) the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) have initiated research in agroforestry. 12) The International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) has been established in 1977 for agroforestry research and extension, and its head office is in Nairobi, Kenya.
In Nepal, 13) agroforestry is a method of farming that allows trees and shrubs to grow along with crops and/or livestock, therefore blending agriculture and forestry in the same production system. It is a traditional practice, where fodder, fire wood and timber species are grown along terrace bunds, borders and slopes. 14) Shifting cultivation is also found commonly in Nepal until now.
15) Taungya agroforestry practice was first started in Nepal in 1972 in Tamagadhi of Bara district, where forest areas encroached by the hill migrants were planted and given to encroachers to grow agriculture. The main aim of this practice was to protect remaining forests from encroachment. 16) After that Terai Community Forestry Development Project and Sagarnath Forestry Development Project have also practiced this system in large scale from 1983 to 1992. These projects have given plantation areas (generally 1 ha for one family) for poor farmers living around for 4-5 years on simple agreement to grow agriculture crops without any damage to trees. Farmers were responsible to replant seedlings when planted trees were damaged during growing crops in Taungya plots.
17) Traditional agroforestry farming system of Nepal includes growing of trees, agriculture crops and livestock for the purpose of subsistence livelihood, which is gradually replaced by the cash crops. 18) Farmers have started cultivating cash crops such as cardamom under Uttis (Alnus nepalensis), ginger and turmeric under tree shade and home gardens, and coffee under Ipil Ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) and shade trees, and tea under Sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo) and Siris (Albezzia spp), vegetables, and fruits (orange, banana, papaya, mango, apple etc) for commercial purposes. These changes in crops and cropping pattern have changed the agricultural landscape and environment resulting to agricultural evolution.
Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS), Nepal Agroforestry Foundation (NAF)/ Kathmandu Forestry College (KAFCOL), Institute of Forestry (IOF) and other I/NGOs are promoting agroforestry research and extension work in Nepal.