Climate change adaptation through agroforestry: opportunities and gaps

Abstract

This review highlights the current state of knowledge about the socioeconomic and biophysical role of agroforestry for climate change adaptation, identifies three knowledge gaps, and discusses the role of agroforestry in adaptation policy processes. Recent scholarship has focused on biophysical modeling of agroforestry’s ability to buffer crops from climate extremes, and farmer perspectives of biophysical benefits. Socioeconomic scholarship examines how agroforestry increases adaptive capacity, reduces vulnerability, and thus helps farmers reduce climate risk. However, we identify three knowledge gaps: (1) uneven geographic distribution of research, (2) understanding benefits during specific climate hazards, and (3) lack of integrated biophysical–socioeconomic research. Last, we discuss agroforestry’s emergence in the global climate change agenda, as evidenced in recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change processes.