Adaptive agroforestry: mitigating climate change impacts by farmer`s perception in different climate conditions in Iran

Sajad Ghanbari^1*Mostafa Jafari²Javad Ghasemi³Ivan Eastin⁴Pedro Álvarez-Álvarez⁵Samira Sasanifar⁶Mohsen Azizi⁷Leila Eskandari⁸

• ¹Department of Forestry, Ahar Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
• ²Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Alborz, Iran
• ³Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Alborz, Iran
• ⁴School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA, Ann Arbor, United States
• ⁵Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
• ⁶Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
• ⁷Extension officer of Agricultural Extension and Training Department, Agricultural Jihad Management, Paveh, Iran
• ⁸Faculty of Natural Resources, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Tehran, Alborz, Iran

Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to climate change (CC), impacting food production and changing the species composition to provide essential services. Sustainable land use systems, such as agroforestry, have emerged as adaptive solutions for climate change. Agroforestry, which combines trees and shrubs with crops or livestock, offers multiple benefits, including enhanced production, soil and water conservation, and increased carbon sequestration. A study assessing the impact of CC on agroforestry was carried out in Iran, spanning across semi-arid, semi-humid, and humid climates. Data were collected from 204 households using surveys to understand the socio-economic characteristics, land use, and agroforestry. Results indicated significant differences in farming experience and land holdings (p<0.01) across regions. Agroforestry was more prevalent in semi-arid regions, with alley cropping being the most common form. Farmers' attitudes towards continuing agroforestry were positive, although there was a general lack of information about the practice. The main sources of information were other farmers and extension experts. Species diversity in agroforestry varied by region, with apples, walnuts, and poplars being the most common in semi-arid regions, while species diversity was lower in humid regions. Adaptation strategies, such as altering crop and tree species to those more resilient to climate change, have been employed to mitigate its impacts. The farm size assigned for the agroforestry systems at the semi-arid region was 0.86 ha which was higher than other regions. Farmers at the semi-arid regions rely on more species to mitigate CC impacts rather than other regions. This approach ensures the sustainability of agroforestry by optimizing resource use and maintaining agricultural productivity.