Evaluation of Traditional Agroforestry Systems and Their Botanical Diversity in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria

Traditional agroforestry systems in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria, integrate trees, crops, and sometimes livestock in ways that sustain plant diversity and ecosystem services, yet professional botanical evaluation of these systems across the state's diverse ecological zones has not been conducted. This study evaluated the botanical composition, structural diversity, and conservation value of three dominant traditional agroforestry systems in Adamawa State: taungya, compound gardens, and parkland agrisilviculture, across both the Guinea savanna and Sudan savanna ecological zones. Data were collected from 60 agroforestry plots (20m x 20m) distributed across six Local Government Areas using vegetation survey methods. All plant species (trees, shrubs, herbs, and climbers) were recorded and identified. Shannon-Wiener diversity, species richness, and importance value index were computed per system and zone. Socioeconomic variables including farm size, household food security score, and market access were collected from plot owners. A total of 148 plant species from 67 families were recorded across all systems. Compound gardens had the highest species richness (mean 42 species per plot) and diversity (H' = 3.61). Parkland agrisilviculture was dominated by economic trees including Vitellaria paradoxa, Parkia biglobosa, and Faidherbia albida. Guinea savanna systems were significantly more diverse than Sudan savanna counterparts. Positive correlations were found between botanical diversity and household food security scores. The study concludes that traditional agroforestry systems in Adamawa State are botanically rich and food-security-relevant, and recommends their formal recognition in state agricultural development planning.

Keywords: agroforestry, botanical diversity, Adamawa State, parkland agrisilviculture, food security