The demand for farming is increasing. However, it is creating a serious problem since it is destroying native forests and affecting biodiversity. However, there is a possibility of adapting approaches that might seek to enhance the forest cover while at the same time ensuring that people can engage in agriculture. The best strategy to deal with this problem is to practice forest farming. The approach focuses on farming non-timber crops and the forest canopy. The plan focuses on the aspects of integrative, intentional, interactive and intensive agriculture.

The approach

The focus of forest farms is to ensure that there is still a high production of food but at the same time conserve the environment. The role that forest cover play in cleaning the air is vital and cannot be overshadowed. However, at the same time, the demand for food is quite high. Therefore, there is a need to have a balance. The approach thus seeks to provide room and the forest canopy for people to cultivate high-value foods, while at the same time ensuring that the forest cover and its diversity is not affected. In this way, the species that depend on the forest will not be interfered with while at the same time man can get food for his consumption. There are two regions in the world among many that have used this approach, and it seems to work. Mbolo et al., 9580) show how Morocco has focused on the use of cocoa agroforestry to ensure that they converse the environment while still producing enough cocoa for trade. In the same way, Ethiopians have focused on the use of shade coffee approach, to ensure that they plat coffee while at the same time keeping the diversity of the forests (Buechley, Evan R., et al., 55). These two countries clearly show that conversation of the forest can go hand in hand with responsible agriculture.

The time frame

The project should run eight months

• One month –developing the plan and sourcing for financing
• Three months- training farmers on high-value farming
• Three months providing the high-value farming products and engaging the farmers in the farming process
• One month evaluating the returns from the farming process

Long term goals

• To equip the farming society on the skill to farm while at the same time conserves the forests
• Increase the knowledge of high-value farming
• Introduce new crops into the agriculture industry
• Improve the forest covers

Short time

• Stop the cutting down of the forests
• Reduce the cutting down of trees
• Increase the income from agriculture

End goal

As much as the purpose of the project might be on ensuring that the society has the capability of increasing the revenue from agriculture, the primary focus is ensuring that there is food security an environmental conservation. These are two different aspects, but they all go hand in hand. While in one side they are a focus on increasing the production of food, there is a keen focus on ensuring that forest is not cleared to pave the way for farming. It is an approach that seeks to teach the farmer to be active conservatives of the forests while also letting earn high profits from the farming endeavor. From this approach, it would be possible to shift from the focus on cutting down trees for timber a now focusing on only high-value products.

Works Cited

Buechley, Evan R., et al. “Importance of Ethiopian shade coffee farms for forest bird conservation.” Biological Conservation 188 (2015): 50-60.

Mbolo, Marguerite Marie Abada, et al. “The role of cocoa agroforestry systems in conserving forest tree diversity in the Central region of Cameroon.” Agroforestry systems 90.4 (2016): 577-590.