FAO Agroforestry Guide: Sloping Lands in DPR Korea (2013)
By Xu. J., Mercado, A., He, J. & Dawson, I (eds.)
TL;DR: This guide provides field practitioners with universal principles and methods for designing and implementing agroforestry systems on sloping land, emphasizing site-specific adaptation and participatory planning.
- Integrate trees into farming to restore degraded lands.
- Assess site conditions to plan effective interventions.
- Select species for compatibility and multiple benefits.
- Design layouts considering contours, soil, and water.
- Implement terracing, planting, and ongoing maintenance.
- Learn from local and international best practices.
Why it matters: Agroforestry on sloping lands is crucial for environmental protection, economic development, and sustainable land management, especially in vulnerable regions prone to degradation.
Do this next: Conduct a thorough site assessment of your sloping land to identify key characteristics influencing agroforestry design.
Recommended for: Field practitioners, forest rangers, and extension workers involved in land restoration and sustainable agriculture on sloping terrains globally.
Edited by Xu. J., Mercado, A., He, J. & Dawson, I. in 2013, this FAO guide offers technical illustrations and user-friendly information for field practitioners like forest rangers, county forest board members, and extension workers planning agroforestry on sloping lands, particularly in DPR Korea. It focuses on principles and procedures for restoring degraded lands and integrating trees into agricultural landscapes without ready-made recipes, instead fostering participatory planning tailored to local conditions. Covers sloping land management interventions, drawing from local and international good practices, success stories, and failure lessons to build practitioner knowledge and innovations. Key elements include site assessment, agroforestry options like tree-crop integration, species selection for compatibility and multifunctionality, layout design considering contours, soils, water flow, and vegetation. Establishment steps: land preparation (terracing, clearing), planting timing, sourcing materials, protection (fencing, weeding), maintenance (pruning, fertilization). Emphasizes economic development, environmental protection, and sustainability through continuous learning. Serves as an entry point for initiating tree incorporation where absent, supporting sustainable practices via illustrations for visual planning. Complements broader land restoration efforts, providing concrete tools for field-level application, adaptive strategies, and community involvement to enhance resilience, biodiversity, and productivity on challenging terrains.