Institute of Forestry, Hariyokharka, Pokhara 33700, Nepal
Agroforestry is a natural resource management system that integrates trees, crops and animals in a manner that produces two or more crops from a small unit of land sustainably. It is a sustainable land use system that is ecologically and economically sound and offers the added benefit of carbon sequestration. This paper reviews agroforestry practices in Nepal and its role in carbon sequestration and climate change adaptation. Agroforestry is being practiced in the mid-hills of Nepal for the requirement of daily needs like fodder, food and fuel as a substitute to forests. The fodder trees, fuelwood and fruit trees around the farm have an important role in diet supplement as well as in carbon storage. Various researchers have estimated carbon content in agroforestry range from between 12 and 228 MgC/ha with a median value of 95 Mg/ha in the terrestrial agro ecosystem. In Nepal, the mid-hills agroforestry is estimated to store about 48.60 ton C per hectare. Agro-ecosystems also contribute to the mitigation of the climate change and are being an adaptation strategy for the farmers.
Keywords: Adaptation;Agroforestry; Carbon sequestration.