Journal of Agronomy and Field Innovations

Climate change, accelerated land degradation, and desertification pose severe threats to agricultural sustainability, ecological balance, and rural livelihoods in semi-arid environments. The escalation of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations highlights an urgent need for sustainable land-management interventions that enhance terrestrial carbon sinks. Agroforestry-based cropping systems offer a scientifically validated approach to combine climate change mitigation with resilient agricultural production. This comprehensive paper analyzes the carbon sequestration potential of various agroforestry configurations—including agrisilvicultural, silvopastoral, and hortisilvicultural systems—operating within fragile, moisture-stressed semi-arid regions. By evaluating aboveground woody biomass accumulation and belowground soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics down to deep profiles, this study details how perennial-annual combinations optimize carbon stabilization.
Empirical synthesis indicates that commercial and indigenous agroforestry interventions in semi-arid regions can sequester substantial volumes of carbon, with vegetation stocks ranging from 15 to over 200 Mg C per hectare depending on system maturity and species density, alongside vertical soil carbon enrichment. Beyond ecological restoration, these systems improve moisture retention, enhance water-use efficiency, and optimize the carbon sustainability index of marginal lands. This paper outlines structural classifications, biomass allocation patterns, experimental carbon pools, technological barriers, and market-driven policy frameworks required to scale agroforestry as a core pillar of global carbon farming initiatives.