• Agro-forestry can be defined as the inclusion of trees in farming systems and their 
  management in rural landscapes to enhance productivity, profitability, diversity and eco- 
  system sustainability. It is practiced in India traditionally over thousands of years.
• It embraces both disciplines like “agriculture” and “forestry”. Agroforestry is increasingly seen as a bridge and a leader of innovation in both farming and forestry.

Potential of agro forestry:-

• The accurate estimation of agro-forestry area can be done through geo-spatial technology which is an integration of GIS, Remote Sensing and GPS and three are used for different purposes– GIS used for geo-referencing, masking of area and for area estimation, GPS data used for  collecting locations of agro-forestry from the ground and Remote Sensing data to create Land Use and Land Cover map and delineation of other features.
• Scientists  have projected area of agro-forestry in 2050 as 54 m ha. Even if the projected area of Agro-Forestry after 30 years also considered at 33% of present combined cultivable area, current and old fallow land appears to be grossly underestimated, with proper extension methodologies and relaxation of regulatory regime, Agro-Forestry will be practiced over 70 m ha in next 20 years as only climate resilient farming option.
• Agroforestry system not only gives a stability to farm income but also enhances it due to cash flow from multiple streams
• In such an integrated system, if food crop which is vulnerable to climate get affected, farmers can get assured income from other sources
• Agro-Forestry/Farm Forestry has the maximum potential in extension of green cover etc.
• Agroforestry can be a solution to supplying India with timber and fuel wood without further deforestation or reliance on expensive wood imports.
• Agroforestry can also provide green fodder and supply fruits, oilseeds and other useful commodities important for nutrition and farm incomes.
• There are environmental benefits too from agroforestry, including the ability of trees to sequester carbon dioxide, conserve biodiversity and enhance soil health

Factors impeding the growth of agro forestry :-

• Inhibition among farmers, especially small and marginal farmers, regarding shade of tree canopies, root competition, birds damage leading to reduced crop production 
• Trees as obstacle in mechanized farming 
• Undue harassment to farmer for obtaining felling permit from competent authorities 
• Complex procedure for obtaining Transit Pass  Non-availabilities of organized trade in wood 
• Absence of wood processing units in the neighborhood
• Lack of proper agro-forestry extension
• Getting Quality Planting Material 
• Inadequate network of Forest Nurseries in the region 
• Vulnerability of tree saplings from grazing and browsing by stray animals, particularly after crop-harvesting period 
• Low survival in tree crops due to pests and diseases 
• Absence of Market Information System 
• Predominant Buyers Market 
• Lack of proper agro-economic model and their proper Demonstration 
• No buy back guarantee from wood based Industries
• Lack of entrepreneurship among farmers and their tendency of risk-avoidance
• Heavily dependent on Government subsidies.
• Lack of uniformity in policies and regulations relating to felling and transporting farm-grown timber and other products in different states. Agroforestry ventures are not covered under agricultural insurance schemes or entitled to marketing support, and cannot access the soft bank loans available for crop farming.

Way forward:-

• A national agroforestry policy is needed that should address many of these issues and hopefully “optimize exploitation of the massive socio-economic and environmental potential of agroforestry”.