Greater private sector involvement is expected to result from India’s new agroforestry policy combined with measures to treat agroforestry as a priority in corporate social responsibility programs.

Business Standard outlines how these initiatives will see agroforestry having equal status with agriculture in India.

India’s National Agroforestry Policy was announced in February 2014 during the World Congress on Agroforestry. As well as a goal of helping to achieve the country’s goal of 33 per cent tree cover, the policy aims to increase private sector involvement in agroforestry.

Agroforestry in India is expected to benefit from public private partnerships in areas of technology development and dissemination, especially for planting materials, processing, extension services and market information.

The private sector is also seen as having a key role in providing institutional credit and insurance cover for agroforestry and in mobilizing dedicated producer organizations to take up agro forestry on a large scale.

The new agroforestry board which will be established to oversee the policy is expected to attract funding of Rs 4,000-5,000 crore (around US $65 to 82 million) from ongoing agricultural programs.

Read the full story: Agro forestry to get equal status with agriculture

See also: India’s bold plan to achieve 33% tree cover through agroforestry