Editorial: Agroforestry for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Donald Mlambo^1*Yashmita Ulman²Pedro Álvarez-Álvarez³Sangram Bhanudas Chavan⁴

• ¹National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
• ²Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
• ³Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, Polytechnic School of Mieres, Institute of Oncological Research of the Principality of Asturias, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
• ⁴National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

The 21st century presents humanity with a converging triad of crises: unprecedented biodiversity collapse, escalating climate disruptions, and deepening food insecurity, with over 800 million people enduring chronic hunger ((IPBES, 2023;IPCC, 2023;FAO et al., 2024).These challenges are exacerbated by widespread soil degradation, affecting 33% of the Earth's land surface, threatening agricultural systems worldwide (FAO et al., 2018). While agroforestry-the intentional integration of trees with crops and/or livestock-offers a promising, nature-based solution to harmonize ecological resilience with human prosperity, its potential remains significantly underutilized (Roy et al., 2025;Mlambo and Mufandaedza, 2025).Despite its ancient roots and evolution into a cornerstone of nature-based solutions, agroforestry faces persistent barriers to widespread adoption (Tranchina et al., 2024). Policy fragmentation, including conflicting land-use regulations, weak financial incentives for longterm investments, and gaps in locally adapted knowledge, continues to hinder its implementation (Venn et al.) Addressing these barriers is essential to unlock agroforestry's dual promise: safeguarding planetary health while advancing equitable development.This Research Topic directly addresses this critical need by exploring agroforestry's role in harmonizing biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and sustainable development across diverse landscapes -from semi-arid tropics to temperate woodlands. The nine articles in this collection address three interconnected dimensions: policy frameworks, ecological impacts, and socio-economic dynamics. Through policy analyses, geospatial modelling, and on-the-ground case studies, they provide actionable insights for scaling agroforestry effectively. This editorial synthesizes key findings, underscoring agroforestry's dual capacity to strengthen agricultural productivity and ecological resilience. By integrating native trees with food crops, these systems mitigate habitat fragmentation, sequester carbon, and sustain livelihoods-a critical balance in regions facing land-use conflicts. Collectively, these studies equip farmers, policymakers, and conservationists with evidence-based strategies to mainstream agroforestry. Their methodologies offer replicable pathways to align food security with planetary health, ensuring agroforestry transitions from a niche practice to a cornerstone of sustainable land-use policy.Agroforestry's potential to reconcile biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and rural livelihoods is well-documented (Mlambo et al., 2024;Ulman and Singh, 2024). However, systemic policy and governance challenges continue to hinder its widespread adoption. A cross-continental narrative review by Venn et al. dissects agroforestry policies in the EU, India, Brazil, and the U.S., revealing stark contrasts in governance frameworks. While Brazil leads in jurisdictional integration-notably through its ABC+ Plan aligning agroforestry with lowcarbon agriculture-the EU and U.S. lag due to misaligned financial incentives (Venn et al.).For instance, the EU's Common Agricultural Policy prioritizes monoculture subsidies, inadvertently disincentivizing tree-crop integration. In India, agroforestry relies on ad hoc initiatives like the Sub-Mission on Agroforestry, which struggles to harmonize with state-level forest laws, and in Brazil, despite progress, dedicated legislation remains absent. These fragmented approaches often relegate agroforestry to jurisdictional gaps between disconnected agricultural, forestry, and environmental policies, stifling its capacity to enhance carbon sequestration, soil health, and biodiversity at scale. Complementing this analysis, Singhal et al. underscore agroforestry's dual role as both an ecological safeguard and an economic lifeline in times of crisis. Their research demonstrates that agroforestry aligns with green economy principles by generating diversified income streams (e.g., timber, fruits, non-timber forest products) while mitigating risks during global shocks, such as pandemics or climate extremes. By addressing deforestation drivers, supporting green recovery, and reducing zoonotic spillover risks through habitat restoration, their work provides a compelling case for policymakers to prioritize agroforestry. Integrating their recommendations-financial incentives, policy coherence, and community empowermentcould accelerate the transition to resilient, multifunctional landscapes that benefit both people and the planet. Together, these studies highlight the urgency of context-specific frameworks to align agroforestry with global climate and biodiversity agendas, bridging the gap between its proven potential and fragmented implementation.Small forest patches embedded in agricultural landscapes serve as vital biodiversity refugia, sustaining ecological networks within human-dominated environments (Add a citation??). A study by Karamdoost Marian et al. in Iran's mixed temperate broadleaf forests demonstrates how sustainable management practices can amplify these benefits. Their research found that the single-tree selective harvesting method-targeted removal of individual trees rather than clear-cutting-led to an increase in tree species richness and diversity in managed than unmanaged patches. Crucially, this approach maintained critical ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, with harvested patches retaining most of their baseline carbon storage capacity. These findings challenge the assumption that minimal intervention is always optimal for biodiversity, revealing that carefully designed harvesting can enhance ecological resilience without compromising agricultural productivity. By balancing human needs with conservation goals, the study underscores the potential of adaptive management to transform small forest patches into multifunctional assets within working landscapes.Kebebew and Ozanne's study in southwest Ethiopia examines the conservation potential of coffee agroforestry systems, emphasizing their role in preserving woody plant diversity. Their research demonstrates that these systems not only sustain higher native tree species richness compared to monoculture coffee farms but also act as refuges for endangered plant species. By mapping ecological corridors and prioritizing keystone species, their findings provide actionable strategies to align agricultural productivity with biodiversity conservation in human-modified landscapes. improvements (e.g., removing boulders to optimize planting pits), integrated nutrient management that combines organic and inorganic fertilizers, mulching with crop residues and tree leaf litter to retain moisture and suppress weeds, and incorporating deep-rooted nitrogenfixing species to enhance soil stability and nutrient cycling.Building on this framework, Uthappa et al. analyze soil quality indices across diverse tree-based land-use systems. Their findings reveal that agroforestry significantly enhances key soil health parameters, including soil organic carbon (critical for fertility in arid regions), nutrient retention (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), and microbial biomass, which drives nutrient mineralization and overall soil health. This work highlights agroforestry's role in mitigating the harsh conditions of semi-arid climates, where soil degradation poses a significant threat to food security. Together, these studies reinforce agroforestry's dual capacity to restore degraded landscapes and sustain agricultural livelihoods. Their complementary findings advocate for policy frameworks that incentivize conservation agroforestry, particularly in regions vulnerable to climate-induced desertification.Collectively, the nine articles in this collection highlight the multi-functionality of agroforestry-not merely as a farming practice but as a holistic strategy for ecological and socioeconomic resilience. These studies underscore its fundamental role in fostering biodiversity, enhancing ecosystem services, and strengthening agricultural landscapes in the face of environmental challenges. Moving forward, embracing agroforestry offers a tangible pathway to a more sustainable future-one that integrates agricultural productivity with ecological integrity. The evidence presented in this collection demonstrates that through proactive policy-making, community engagement, and innovative research, agroforestry can significantly contribute to biodiversity conservation and the provisioning of critical ecosystem services.We hope this Research Topic inspires further inquiry and collaboration in agroforestry, driving the development of scalable, effective solutions that support both food security and environmental sustainability. By bridging science, governance, and practice, agroforestry can evolve from a promising concept into a cornerstone of sustainable land-use strategies worldwide. As editors, we urge policymakers, farmers, and researchers to recognize agroforestry as a vital nexus between conservation and productivity. Beyond policy and economic factors, agroforestry adoption is significantly influenced by socio-cultural contexts.Integrating gender-sensitive approaches, addressing resistance to change, improving training, and incorporating indigenous knowledge are essential for its sustainable success, supported by quantitative assessments.DM: Writing-original draft. YU: Writing-review and editing. PÁ-Á: Writing-review and editing. SBC: Writing-review and editing.The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.