302 Sustainable Farming
Planting Trees and Crops Together
When land is scarce, some farmers cut down trees in order to plant crops.
But planting trees and crops together (agroforestry) can make farmland more
productive and provide more and different crops.
Agroforestry requires care in choosing trees and in planting them where
they will be of most use. Some farmers use these guidelines:
• Trees should not compete with crops for water, sunlight, or space.
• Each tree should provide for more than one need, such as food, fodder,
medicine, shade, firewood, thatch, or lumber.
Planting trees and bushes on
contours and high on
slopes saves soil
and water.
Trees planted apart from
each other around the
farm can provide lumber,
fruit, fodder, and other
products while letting
sunlight reach crops.
Trees planted in rows
on the windy side
of crop or pasture
land can provide a
windbreak.
Trees in pastures provide
shade, fodder, and
homes for the birds
and insects that
eat pests.
Plant crops that need a lot of
sun with trees still too young
to shade the crops. Planting a new
section each year allows both crops and
trees to be harvested each year.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012
Mixing trees
that grow
at different
heights, such as
coffee, coconut, and
cacao, increases the
variety of crops.