Agroforestry can transform rural futures
Our research paper, 'Agroforestry: the green guardian', developed as part of the 2024-25 Entente Cordiale Day Challenge held at the London School of Economics, explores how this practice can be scaled to support farmer livelihoods, sequester carbon, and regenerate ecosystems across India.
Agroforestry presents a significant opportunity to protect biodiversity while contributing to climate change mitigation. It creates stable habitats for birds, pollinators, and soil organisms, while also lowering local temperatures by about one degree Celsius. In India, agroforestry could remove around 68 mega tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year.
Currently, India has approximately 13.75 million hectares under agroforestry, but this represents only a small fraction of its potential. Agroforestry can diversify farmer income through fruit trees, timber species, and medicinal plants, while also improving soil health, water retention, and climate resilience. However, several challenges persist.
Regulatory restrictions on tree harvesting and trade pose significant challenges to agroforestry implementation. As of 2023, only 33 tree species are legally permitted for free harvesting and transportation between States, limiting farmers' ability to select species freely. High-value species such as teak and sandalwood require government permits, creating bureaucratic barriers that discourage farmers from cultivating them.
Another major issue is the lack of information. Many farmers do not know which species combinations are best suited to their land or how to participate in carbon markets. Though digital tools and government incentives exist, they are often out of reach for farmers due to language, literacy, or connectivity barriers.
To bridge these gaps, I have begun developing AgroConnect, a prototype digital platform designed to turn policy insights into practical support for farmers. AgroConnect aims to be a one-stop ecosystem where small and marginal farmers can make informed decisions about agroforestry and access economic incentives.
Our research also examined Cameroon, where agroforestry is widely practised, though mostly informally. Local farmers have long used diverse agroforestry practices to sustain their livelihoods and protect biodiversity. However, the lack of technical support and market access has limited the impact of these practices.
These insights from Cameroon reveal a shared challenge: in both countries, agroforestry's potential is not constrained by land or people, but by the systems meant to support them.
This project was part of the Entente Cordiale Day Challenge 2025, a prestigious Franco-British competition held under the high patronage of President Emmanuel Macron and King Charles III. Rooted in the 120-year-old Entente Cordiale alliance, this initiative fosters collaboration between leaders of France and the U.K.
Representing France, I collaborated with peers from Cameroon and France to develop this interdisciplinary proposal on the theme 'Climate change, biodiversity, and developing countries'.
We came first in France and were awarded the Prix Président Loubet (President Loubet Award), the highest honour. We presented our work at the London School of Economics, and engaged in discussions at the U.K. House of Commons and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. We had the honour of presenting our solution to Salaheddine Mezouar, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco and President of COP22.
Our team has also been invited to present at the Élysée Palace (the official residence of the President of France) and at the U.K. House of Lords, and I am proud to share that our research paper has been officially published by the Entente Cordiale Association, further recognising its impact and feasibility.
India's farmers stand at the forefront of both climate vulnerability and ecological opportunity. Agroforestry offers them a way to contribute to climate resilience while improving their long-term financial stability. However, to scale adoption, it must be supported by the right mix of policy, technology, and trust.
By investing in inclusive and scalable models, we can ensure that India's path to a greener future is not only achievable, but is already underway.
khushi.tivary@edhec.com
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