Agroforestry is an ancient practice that involves cultivating trees, shrubs, and grasses alongside food and fruit crops. While the traditional methods have been in use for a long time, the scientific study of agroforestry is relatively new. Over the years, experience and research have demonstrated that agroforestry can produce both food and wood, while also conserving and rehabilitating ecosystems.

The book provides a comprehensive overview of agroforestry, covering ten chapters that delve into the history, concepts, systems classification, tree-crop interactions, planning and management, diagnosis and design, policy and projects, and propagation and management practices of multipurpose trees.

Alok Kumar Patra graduated in Agriculture from Chiplima campus of Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology in 1988, obtained M.Sc. (Agriculture) in Agronomy from Institute of Agriculture, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan in 1990 and Ph. D. from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, West Bengal in 1996. He has an MBA degree from IGNOU, New Delhi.

Patra has published more than 90 research papers, 130 popular scientific articles and bulletins, eight books and 35 book chapters. He has 30 years of experience in research and teaching in UG and PG level on agroforestry and agronomy. Presently he is working as Chief Agronomist in the All India Coordinated Research Project on Integrated Farming Systems, OUAT, Bhubaneswar-751 003, India

1 Forests and Forestry, 2 Status of Indian Forests, 3 Forest Regeneration,4 Silvicultural Systems,
5 Tending, 6 Forest Mensuration, 7 Agroforestry, 8 Cultivation Practices of Selected Multipurpose