Agroforestry can help smallholder farmers in developing countries improve their lives as well as reduce emissions, says an article on the website of the Thomson Reuters Foundation reporting on discussions at the UN climate talks in Poland.

But, says the article, the adoption of agroforestry will be limited unless government agencies provide a more supportive legal and political environment. To date, agricultural policy has been focused on increasing productivity and has not considered the importance of forests and trees which help protect biodiversity and add to farm income.

“Trees play diverse but significant roles in agricultural landscapes,” says Henry Neufeldt, head of climate change research with the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) during a side event to the climate conference.

But, markets for tree products need to be more accessible and farmers need increased knowledge about agroforestry and secure land tenure to effectively practice agroforestry.

The article outlines how climate smart agriculture practices such as agroforestry and conservation farming can reduce emissions and actually sequester carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation. Trees on farms can also help with climate adaptation such as has been seen with agroforestry in Malawi and conservation agriculture practices in Zambia.

Crops yields too have been boosted with healthier soils and nutrient recycling through agroforestry and conservation agriculture.

Read the full story: Agroforestry can transform rural economies - climate experts