Intercropping

Intercropping is a long-established method of obtaining maximum yield from a plot of land but is largely focused on using different food plants that occupy different height regimes and have different light requirements. By including trees into the idea, we can increase the land usage by providing useful shade for plants in the dry season which extends the growing period, and also by providing fodder, fruit or firewood in the rainy season when they can be pruned to allow light to reach the crops below. The trees also donate natural fertilizer by mulching the soil with their fallen leaves and drawing water up to the surface through their deep root network. All much-needed positive effects!