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Preface

Ifugao State University (the then ISCAF) in partnership with the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), offered BS Forestry in
1982. It was first offered at Main Campus, Nayon, Lamut, Ifugao.
Same program was offered in IFSU Potia Campus in 2004-2005. It
has been settled that Forestry was one of the pioneering bachelor’s
degree program together with the bachelor of science in agriculture in
the university in which Agroforestry is a part of the curriculum.

Agroforestry as a subject was more improved when ISCAF
offered Certificate of Agroforestry in 2000. This was a two-year course
where enrolled student could graduate after fulfilling all the
requirements for 2 or more years training on agroforestry. The
academic council recommended 10 as first graduates in Certificate of
Agroforestry in 2003.

Agroforestry as part of the curriculum was first named as
agroforestry systems (SF 141) from the original curriculum (offered
with no CMO) and the amalgamated curriculum of forestry (Policy
Guidelines No. 28-2013). The amalgamated curriculum was adopted
for seven years (2012-2019). In 2019, CHED issued new Policy,
Standards and Guidelines (PSG) for forestry (CMO No. 6, s2019) and
agroforestry was then named as agroforestry and sustainable upland
development. By then, the university (IFSU) through the College of
Agriculture and Forestry (CAF) proposed new Forestry curriculum
based from the new PSG for board approval (BOR). Ones approved,
the said new curriculum will be adopted by CAF on August 2020.

Agroforestry from its meaning were given by various authors.
The meaning was first provided by Merriam dictionary in 1934. This
reveals that agroforestry was long time practiced in the tropics. It has
also been adopted in the Philippines for a millennium. The practiced
was not known to be agroforestry, but it was an agroforestry system.
Banaue Rice Terraces for example is indeed showed to be the best
agroforestry model. It has been artfully made by our Ifugao
grandparents.

The birth of the International Council for Research in
Agroforestry (ICRAF) in mid-1980’s which was established in Nairobi,
Kenya formalized with various authors contributed the definitions like:
Lundgren and Raintree (1982); J. B. Raintree and Warmer (1986); P.
K. R. Nair; M. E. Warkentin; S. R. Ruth and K. Sprague (1990); and to
mention a few.

Agroforestry showed to be a potential technology for soil
conservation. It was sustainably popularized since its inception during
the stone age till this present time adopted by private practitioners,
politicians and academicians.