Deforestation, growing scarcity of tree products, and environmental de
gradation have created serious problems for rural land use in many dev
eloping countries. Agroforestry, a system in which woody perennials ar
e grown on the same land as agricultural crops or livestock, has been
increasingly enlisted in the campaign to meet these threats to the rur
al economy. Case studies of twenty-one agroforestry projects in six Ce
ntral American and two Caribbean countries formed the empirical basis
for the study described in this article. A focal point of analysis was
the profitability of agroforestry for farmers as a crucial incentive
to adoption. The findings indicate that many agroforestry practices ar
e profitable under a broad range of conditions and are therefore likel
y to be widely applicable. Successful projects have worked with local
communities, responding to local needs and preferences and offering fa
rmers a broad basket of species and systems from which to choose. Demo
nstration plots and the use of paratechnicians have been low-cost and
effective means of technology transfer, and applied research has been
important in identifying techniques and practices suited to the region
. Other findings have identified government regulation of tree harvest
ing and insecurity of tenure-though not lack of title in itself-as dis
incentives to adoption.