Agroforestry and water for resilient landscapes

Agroforestry can improve local water cycles and increase farms’ control over and access to freshwater. Trees are crucial components in local, as well as global water cycles. By incorporating trees in agricultural land, it is possible to improve food production systems and meet water needs without adversely affecting neighboring or downstream water users. This brief focuses on the role of trees for increased water security on smallholder agroforestry farms in the tropics, and opportunities to adopt agroforestry as a landscape restoration practice to make degraded lands more resilient to the consequences of climate change while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.