Thats a very interesting post. Surely , unless any such strategy not able to bring an improvement in crop yield and farmers income , would be an injustice to sustainability of any agro- ecosystem.But , many times , adopting an agroforestry system to facilitate carbon sequestration do not take into account these two important over- riding factors , whether it is hill farming having high altitude agriculture or watershed- based development program. As an agro- ecosystem , sooner or later , such efforts add to both improving crop yield as well as farmers income on a long term basis.

Thank you dear Anoop for your insightful post. Indeed, the notions of (in)justice and sustainability are important aspects of planning such agroforestry strategies. Should be these strategies further conceptualized as win-win approaches to nature and to humanity?

Yes off course , otherwise , agroforestry system will no longer be an ecosystem service provider and often so difficult to evaluate in economic terms .

Yes, I agree with you dear Anoop that the economic appreciation of agroforestry systems (generally natural sources), as an ecosystem service, is a complex and contentious issue, mainly due to conflict of interest arise between stakeholders (payee vs. payor dispute).

Agroforestry in true sense is sustainable land management system which also encompasses the carbon sequestration potential mainly interventions of perennial components. As mention by Anoop Kumar Srivastava its correct that long run framer will be benefited by agroforestry. Its common notion that trees on farm reduce the space and yield of crop component and so low income for farmers. But they forget the positive externalities of trees on farm and finally their contribution in total income of the farmer after certain period. There are now many economic evaluation studies suggest that agroforestry intervention are far more economical than sole crop production and role in carbon sequestration is one.

Thank you very much dear Manmohan for your interesting post. Could we specify the "long run" and "certain" periods referred to agroforestry intervention (months, years, decades)? Is this period proportional to time needed for carbon sequestration achievement?

I know rotational grazing and composting as we have in White Oak pastures. They aid carbon sequestration

This is a very interesting question. I also think a lot about this question. Researchers can introduce best cropping system by considering ecological benefits. However, when it come to adaptation of a particular cropping system, economical benefits also playing a crucial role. At least we should calculate the long term potential benefits including financial

Thank you very much dear Anjana for sharing your insightful post. Indeed, the cost-effectiveness and the profitability perspectives are unavoidably playing a decisive role to those agroforestry strategies applied, especially in the short- and mid- term periods.

I think that one of the best strategies for carbon sequestration is the implementation of trees in our production systems since they have other benefits that help in an integral way to the development and better rehabilitation of our soils (nutrient cycling) and in the health of crops and / or animals.

Interesting discussion. O am tempted to toss up another issue , what are the performance indicators of carbon sequestration by the soil as third major carbon sink globally , since utility of agroforestry in carbon sequestratiin is beyond any doubt ...

Is it carbon sequestration by soil alone or carbon fixed through plant biomass also should be made accountable as far as sustainability of agroforestry system is concerned...

Very significant notation dear Anoop. Thank you very much for sharing it.

Agro-forestry combines Agriculture and forestry. Trees help to store carbon and release oxygen into the environment, they also serve as windbreaks and help protect crops and livestock from harsh weather. When their leaves droop it adds nutrients to the soil. Some tree species provide staple diet for livestock.

All these factors contribute to improvement in crop and livestock yields and in turn increase in farmer's income.

Thank you very much dear Tairu for your interesting contribution to the discussion.

Grigorios Kyriakopoulos In agroforestry set up long run or certain period is period minimum to rotation period of tree component. e.g. if we put trees on farm for paper and pulp purpose which as cutting period of 3-4 years or even less 2.5 years in most of the fast growing species so carbon sequestered will be less and it will be again utilised but soil carbon will also be accounted. Similarly plywood we retain trees of 5-8 years while furniture & Timber from 12 - 50 years depending up on the species which naturally sequester more carbon in long period but is farmer willing to adopt such agroforestry or more interested in short rotation industrial agroforestry is the question?

If any agro- forestry system has to be effective , it has to serve towards the causes of agriculture, forestry and ecosystem service in a long term basis , otherwise carbon sequestered into the soil will be of longer service to benefit agriculture .Any work to compute the carbon footprint of different agro- forestry systems .??

Anoop Kumar Srivastava yes some work already carried out but need to refine as it based on major components carbon sequestration calculation on biomass basis. There was an NAIP project of ICRAF which computed carbon sequestration of AF sin different ecologies of India . In carbon footprint studies we have to take input and out energy studies in term of carbon utilization and release which I think still not taken very precisely.

Nice response Dr Dobriyal. How do you see a empirical relation between carbon footprint and net primary productivity vis- a- via plant biomass...

Anoop Kumar Srivastava thanks sir. plant biomass and carbon sequestration is well correlated and so carbon foot print. The primary productivity is function of biomass which can be link to carbon foot print. The empirical relationship of carbon foot print and primary productivity can be derived by equations and also be simulated through ecological modelling.

Thank you very much dear Manmohan for your insightful contribution at the discussion.

The agroforestry systems that have high sequestering ability are those that involve several high biomass density tree species and contribute much organic matter to the soil. Herbaceous plants within the agroforestry systems, which involves regular plowing and are harvested by crop removal do not sequester much carbon.