STATE-OF-THE-ART OF AGROFORESTRY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

Organized research in agroforestry is just about 15 years old. The mai n categories of research during this period have been methodological, system- and component descriptions, experimental and quantitative, eco nomic, and on-farm. The diagnosis and design (D & D) methodology, and procedures for design and analysis of agroforestry field experiments h ave been the major areas of methodological research. The system- and c omponent descriptions have resulted in several databases, books, and o ther publications. The main aspects of experimental research have been screening and selection of multipurpose trees, component- and system management trials, component interaction studies, and prototype evalua tion of trials. Significant accomplishments have also been made in soc ioeconomic and on-farm research. Although international attention in a groforestry has been focused primarily on the tropics and developing c ountries, significant expansion in agroforestry activities has also oc curred in the temperate zone. However. the pace of these developments has been slower than that in the developing world. In the area of agro forestry education and training, the major accomplishment has been in short-term and non-degree training. Several such training courses are offered on general, as well as specific, aspects of agroforestry at di fferent institutions around the world. The focus on agroforestry educa tion (i.e., degree programs) has been, and will probably continue to b e, at the postgraduate rather than undergraduate level. In the future, agroforestry research will move rapidly from descriptive to quantitat ive and experimental, with increasing levels of multidisciplinary invo lvement. Applications of biotechnology, geographic information systems , and computer-based predictive and integrated models are likely to be come important aspects. Social and economic research is also likely to see an upsurge. Agroforestry research and education are still in thei r formative stages, but have gathered considerable momentum. Research development seems poised to accelerate, and when - rather than if - th at happens, education will follow suit.