Agroforestry’s Contribution to Sustainable Soil Fertility, Livelihoods and Carbon Sequestration in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Agroforestry is a strategy for sustainable intensification in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), promoting multifunctional landscapes that improve soil fertility, support livelihoods, enhance carbon sequestration, and deliver ecosystem services such as water quality, erosion control, and biodiversity conservation. Despite wide recognition of its benefit’s comprehensive analyses of agroforestry's impact on soil fertility, livelihoods, and carbon storage are limited. This systematic review analyses 145 publications to quantify and assess the contributions of agroforestry in these areas within SSA. Results indicate that agroforestry systems substantially enhance soil fertility and provide viable climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, thereby diversifying and bolstering rural livelihoods against climate perturbations. Agroforestry also offers significant potential for carbon sequestration in both aboveground biomass and soil, although additional research is required to elucidate belowground carbon dynamics and greenhouse gas fluxes. Challenges such as land tenure, limited access to resources, and the need for context-specific research curtail the broader impacts of agroforestry. The review highlights the necessity for targeted policy support and further research addressing carbon rights, land tenure, and the implications of climate change to promote widespread adoption of agroforestry and maximize its contribution to sustainable development across SSA.