Blowing ten myths about agroforestry: restoring the productivity of marginal dry regions

Abstract

The ten myths discussed in this paper are: 1) Privatization of common lands leads to sustainable agro-forestry based land use, 2) Poor people have shorter time frame and have lesser trees in and around their fields, 3) Poor people need fast growing species because they cannot wait for too long, 4) Agro-forestry can survive entirely through market incentitives, 5) Capital support for undertaking agroforestry is adequate, the basic problem is lack of demand, 6) Agroforestry is a new concept and, therefore, farmers need to be trained and motivated, 7) Agroforestry systems can be designed primarily on the basis of soil physical properties independent local socio-cultural traditions and values, 8) The model of green revolution in wheat and rice can be replicated in the agroforestry systems as well, 9) Viable agroforestry systems require emphasis on yMulti-Purpose Tree Speciesz (MPTS) and 10) National land use policies and institutional arrangements are robust and conducive for promotion of agroforestry systems in marginal as well as other regions.