Agro-forestry will be renamed as ‘tree-based farming’, says Shivraj

The Agriculture Ministry announced that the practice of agro-forestry would be officially renamed "tree-based farming" — a rebranding aimed at making the con...

What Happened

The Agriculture Ministry announced that the practice of agro-forestry would be officially renamed "tree-based farming" — a rebranding aimed at making the concept more accessible to farmers and aligning it with the government's push to reduce chemical fertiliser dependence and diversify farm income.
The Agriculture Ministry cited Uttar Pradesh's example to underscore the scale of the chemical fertiliser challenge, noting the state reports an annual chemical fertiliser consumption of 20 lakh tonnes — highlighting the urgent need for alternative soil enrichment approaches.
The rebranding is part of a broader policy direction to encourage more farmers to integrate trees with crops, reduce chemical input dependency, and build climate resilience in agricultural systems.
Officials expressed concern over India's rising chemical fertiliser consumption as a structural challenge for soil health, input subsidy burden, and long-term agricultural sustainability.
The renaming signals an intent to popularise and mainstream agro-forestry beyond its current technical and forestry-department framing, making it a farmer-first, income-centric practice narrative rather than an environmental or conservation one.

Static Topic Bridges

Agro-Forestry (Tree-Based Farming): Concept and Significance

Agro-forestry is a land-use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown alongside crops or livestock, creating a more diversified, productive, and sustainable farming system. The term "tree-based farming," as proposed, emphasises the income and productivity dimensions over the ecological framing.

Combines the benefits of agriculture (food production) and forestry (timber, fruits, fuel, fodder) on the same land
Benefits include: additional income from tree products, improved soil health through nitrogen fixation and organic matter, microclimate moderation, carbon sequestration, and reduced need for chemical inputs
Common agro-forestry systems in India: Trees with food crops (e.g., eucalyptus or poplar with wheat), trees with horticulture, trees with fodder and livestock, homestead gardens
India has approximately 28.4 million hectares under agro-forestry (as of recent estimates), making it one of the largest agro-forestry areas globally
Small and marginal farmers (holdings below 2 hectares) constitute over 86% of India's farming households and are the primary target group for agro-forestry expansion

Connection to this news: The renaming to "tree-based farming" is a deliberate communication strategy to make the practice feel more immediately productive and income-relevant to the small and marginal farmer, rather than an environment-department concept.

National Agroforestry Policy, 2014

India became the first country in the world to adopt a dedicated national agroforestry policy, launched at the World Agroforestry Congress held in Delhi in February 2014.

Aims to: encourage tree cultivation on farmland; streamline and simplify tree-felling and transit regulations (historically a disincentive for farmers to plant trees); enhance coordinated implementation across the Ministries of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment
Addresses the key farmer concern: trees grown on farmland should be treated differently from forest trees — farmers should be able to fell and sell them with minimal bureaucratic barriers
Provides for a dedicated implementation mechanism (Mission or Board for Agroforestry) to coordinate across ministries
India's agro-forestry sector is estimated to contribute approximately 25% of India's total wood requirement, reducing pressure on natural forests

Connection to this news: The renaming and current policy push builds upon the 2014 National Agroforestry Policy, seeking to accelerate its implementation by changing the language and framing to drive farmer adoption.

Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF)

The Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) was launched in 2016–17 as part of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) to translate the 2014 Policy into on-the-ground implementation.

Implemented by: Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW), Ministry of Agriculture
Financial support: Up to 50% of intervention costs subsidised; at least 50% of funds must be utilised for small and marginal farmers; 30% of beneficiaries to be women farmers
Activities funded: Sapling distribution, nursery development, farmer training, demonstration plots
Achievement (cumulative): 1.21 lakh hectares planted with 5.32 crore multipurpose trees under SMAF
Provides farmers with alternate income sources (timber, fruit, fodder) while improving soil health

Connection to this news: The rebranding and renewed policy emphasis signals that SMAF's reach needs to be expanded significantly. The shift from a technical subsidy programme to a mainstreamed "tree-based farming" identity is intended to drive broader and faster adoption.

Chemical Fertiliser Dependence: India's Structural Challenge

India's agriculture is heavily dependent on chemical fertilisers, particularly urea, creating fiscal, environmental, and soil health challenges.

India's total fertiliser consumption: approximately 65–70 million metric tonnes per year (nutrient-wise around 55–60 lakh metric tonnes of NPK)
Urea: The most consumed fertiliser; India is the world's second-largest consumer of urea
Government fertiliser subsidy: Over ₹1.5–2 lakh crore annually — one of the largest fiscal outlays
Urea is priced at ₹242 per 45-kg bag (farmer price); actual cost is several times higher, with the difference as government subsidy
Uttar Pradesh: India's largest agricultural state and largest fertiliser-consuming state (approximately 120 lakh metric tonnes)
Overuse concerns: Soil acidification, micronutrient depletion, water body eutrophication, declining soil organic carbon
PM-PRANAM scheme (PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth): Incentivises states to reduce chemical fertiliser consumption through alternative promotion, with states retaining a share of subsidy savings
Nano liquid urea: Being promoted as a supplement/replacement to conventional urea; reduces transportation and storage costs and encourages precision application

Connection to this news: The push for tree-based farming is directly linked to reducing chemical fertiliser consumption — tree roots improve soil structure and fertility over time, reducing the need for chemical inputs and potentially helping states like Uttar Pradesh reduce their fertiliser footprint.

Climate Change and Agriculture in India

Agro-forestry is increasingly viewed as a climate-smart agriculture (CSA) approach, simultaneously improving farm productivity, building resilience to climate shocks, and contributing to carbon sequestration.

India's agriculture contributes approximately 14% of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Climate risks to Indian agriculture: Erratic monsoons, heat waves, droughts, and flooding are already impacting crop yields
Agro-forestry systems are more resilient to climate extremes than monocrops — tree cover moderates temperature, retains soil moisture, and reduces runoff
India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement include a target to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through forests and trees by 2030 — agro-forestry on farmland is a major contributor to this goal
ISFR (India State of Forest Report) tracks tree cover outside forests; agro-forestry expansion on farmland contributes directly to this metric

Connection to this news: By promoting tree-based farming, the Agriculture Ministry is aligning agricultural policy with India's climate commitments and the NDC target for additional carbon sinks — making this a convergence point between agriculture, environment, and international climate diplomacy.

Key Facts & Data

Agro-forestry renamed to: "tree-based farming" (Agriculture Ministry announcement, April 2026)
Uttar Pradesh annual chemical fertiliser consumption cited: 20 lakh tonnes (Agriculture Ministry statement)
National Agroforestry Policy: First of its kind globally; adopted February 2014
SMAF (Sub-Mission on Agroforestry): Launched 2016–17 under NMSA
SMAF achievement: 1.21 lakh hectares planted; 5.32 crore multipurpose trees
SMAF financial support: Up to 50% of intervention costs; minimum 50% for small/marginal farmers; 30% beneficiaries to be women
India's agro-forestry area: approximately 28.4 million hectares
Agro-forestry sector contribution: ~25% of India's total wood requirement
India's chemical fertiliser subsidy: Over ₹1.5–2 lakh crore annually
Urea price (farmer): ₹242 per 45-kg bag (heavily subsidised)
PM-PRANAM scheme: Incentivises states to shift from chemical to alternative fertilisers
India's NDC target: Additional 2.5–3 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent carbon sink from forests and trees by 2030
Small and marginal farmers: Over 86% of India's farm households (holdings below 2 hectares)