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Concept of Sustainable Agriculture and Its Link to Agroforestry System

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Onanong Longpichai

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 The paper reviews previous studies emphasizing on sustainable agriculture, in terms of its history, dimensions, and indicators; and its link with agroforestry. Promoting economic viability, social welfare, providing food for satisfying human needs and enhancement of natural environment are the prime focuses of sustainable agriculture. Several indicators are used to assess these economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable agriculture. This paper initiates the idea of application of indicators of sustainable agriculture in analyzing sustainability of agroforestry system. The concept of agroforestry system is consistent with the concept of sustainable agriculture in terms economic viability and being socially and ecologically sustainable. This idea being a novice approach is not sufficiently developed for application and thus encourages further studies in developing methodologies focusing on inter relation of indicators, for selection of indicators so as to analyze sustainability of agroforestry system. However this paper finds agroforestry system of being capable of leading to sustainable agriculture, should be promoted through decentralized planning and implementation of strategies. This can lead to development of sustainable agriculture in developing countries including Thailand. 

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sustainable agriculture; sustainability indicator; agroforestry system