Agroforestry for healthy ecosystems: constraints, improvement strategies and extension in Pakistan

Globally, forest ecosystems are shrinking and their health is declining due to a range of biotic and abiotic factors. Forest ecosystems in Pakistan are no exception and the country faces a crisis as its growing population (> 208 million) places increasing pressure on the country’s food production systems and forest resources. Effective food systems that enhance productivity, increase economic outputs, improve ecological outcomes and maintain social acceptance are needed. Agroforestry, a traditional land management system in Pakistan, offers the opportunity to meet these goals. Planting trees on private farmland provides clear ownership of any timber resource and well managed systems have great potential both to boost agriculture and reduce wood shortages. Concerted extension efforts have been made to introduce and promote innovative agroforestry practices in Pakistan, but the success of these efforts depends on many factors. This paper reviews some of the current constraints to agroforestry promotion in Pakistan, including attitudes of the extension staff, poor or weak research-extension coordination, lack of trained personnel, lack of farmer response to advice, tree species limitations, and market mechanism as well as wood price challenges. Establishing model agroforestry farms at the village level can be a productive extension approach, but successful extension programming requires partners to share both an appreciation of the problem and a vision of successful outcomes. Successful promotion also requires appropriate choice of message, messenger, target audience and effective use of appropriate communication tools. Remedial measures to streamline the existing systems and devise future sustainable strategies and approaches are suggested to promote agroforestry in Pakistan.