Socio-Economic and Environmental Benefits of Agroforestry and Its Multilevel Barriers to Adoption: A Systematic Review

Agroforestry, a sustainable land management system, integrates trees with crops and livestock, providing substantial benefits in terms of social, economic, and environmental sustainability. However, its adoption remains limited due to multiple barriers. This systematic review analyzes 148 peer-reviewed studies published between 1980 and 2024 to synthesize evidence on agroforestry’s contributions to livelihood improvement, income diversification, soil and water conservation, biodiversity enhancement, and climate mitigation, while also identifying barriers at micro (household), meso (institutional/market), and macro (policy) levels. Findings show that environmental benefits dominate the literature, whereas economic and social dimensions, as well as adoption barriers, are comparatively understudied, with only nine papers focusing specifically on barriers. The review highlights high initial costs, limited technical capacity, weak markets, inadequate extension support, and restrictive policies as persistent obstacles inhibiting broader adoption. Addressing these structural constraints, particularly at the meso and macro levels, is crucial to scaling up agroforestry as a viable sustainability strategy.