Pathways, motivations, support systems, and experiences of current agroforestry practitioners in the Eastern United States

Abstract Agroforestry (the integration of trees with crops and/or livestock) is a timeless practice and one which has earned growing attention in the last thirty years from growers and researchers interested in its potential environmental, economic, and social advantages. Early agroforestry research focused on its use in tropical regions, and to date, relatively sparse research exists on the social dimensions of agroforestry in the United States: who chooses to adopt agroforestry and why, where they find support, and their perspective on the challenges associated with agroforestry practices. This research addresses those gaps through in-depth interviews with thirty forest farming and silvopasture practitioners in the eastern U.S., all of whom received funding for their agroforestry projects through the privately funded Catalyzing Agroforestry Grant Program. Our qualitative analysis finds that agroforestry practitioners are disproportionately first-generation farmers and are motivated to adopt agroforestry as a persistence strategy due to its perceived agronomic and economic advantages. Overall, respondents had strong positive relationships with extension and agency professionals and learned about agroforestry from a diverse mix of institutional, nonprofit, and online sources. On the other hand, respondents frequently reported isolation and a desire to be better connected with their agroforestry peers. Most respondents were in the early stages of agroforestry implementation, and had not seen measurable economic or environmental impacts, but generally reported positive social outcomes and improvements to their quality of life.