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GLOSSARY

AGROFORESTRY TERMS

Agroforestry
denotes a sustainable land and crop management system that
strives to increase yields on a continuing basis, by combining
the production of woody forestry crops (including fruit and other
tree crops) with arable or field crops and/or animals
simultaneously or sequentially on the same unit of land, and
applying management practices that are compatible with the
cultural practices of the local population.

Agroforestry embraces an agro-ecological approach, putting
emphasis on multi-functionality and the management of
complex systems and polycultures rather than focusing
exclusively on monoculture. We use the word ‘tree’ inclusively,
to refer to trees and shrubs, all woody perennials, palms and
bamboo. We also use the word ‘agriculture', inclusively, to refer
to a human activity, carried out primarily to produce food, fiber
and fuel by the deliberate and controlled use of plants and
animals.

Social Forestry – refers to the management of forest for the benefits of
local communities. It includes aspects of forest management,
forest protection, and afforestation of deforested lands with the
objective of improving the rural, and social development. Unlike
other forestry projects, in the setting of social forestry, the needs
of local communities come first.

Afforestation -
Conversion of bare land into forest land by planting of forest
trees.

The planting of a forest crop on land that has not previously, or
not recently, carried a forest crop. Related term: reforestation.

alley cropping
An agroforestry intercropping system in which species of shrubs
or trees are planted at spacing’s relatively close within row and
wide between row, to leave room for herbaceous cropping between,
that is, in the 'alleys' (syn: hedgerow intercropping).

buffer zone
An area around a forest, national park, or any other conserved
place that provides the local community with products that they
would otherwise take from the forest, or that provides an
opportunity to produce alternative products.