The Government of India is promoting natural farming (NF) which is evolved from our ancient heritage and traditional cultivation practices. Though NF has many advantages, it is facing several challenges like low yield in initial years, expecting high outputs from low cost of cultivation, lack of local cultivars and livestock, less availability of tree based diverse inputs, dependency on purchase or exchange inputs from other farm hold and dispute in farming type and crop composition. On these backdrops, sustainable and/or resilient agroforestry (AF) systems can be synergized by using principles and practices of AF with NF. This AF assisted NF hybrid model is helpful in diversification and restoration of agroecosystem. AF includes at least one livestock components along with perennial trees and agricultural crops. Trees and livestock based NF is the foremost nature based solution (NBS) for climate change mitigation, food security and land degradation neutrality. In NF, to prepare various plant protection formulations neem, pongamia and various perennial species byproducts are essential which can be substituted by tree components in AF. It also provides continues supply of inputs for jeevamrut and beejamrut preparations along with continuous biomass mulching through nitrogen fixing trees. In addition, AF assisted NF practices reduce methane emission from ruminating livestock by reducing heat stress and increasing the feed quality. Some studies on NF have indicated that yield levels were drastically reduced in several cropping systems. Instead of integrating tree and animal components, these studies focused solely on the multi-location evaluation of various cropping systems. Therefore, it would be premature to recommend its wide-spread adaption or adoption prior to scientific validation of this NF. This review provides detail information and implications of AF assistance in NF and recommends preferentially, climate resilient, economical, native and naturalized trees and livestock incorporation, along with amalgamation of traditional and improved AF practices.

Land use of the sub-Himalayan region is not that intensive like the intensively land-managed region of Punjab, India. Land resources of the sub-Himalayas must be managed effectively for sustainable development by preparing carbon inventories and data banks. Such macro-level studies have not been conducted yet in the present study area, and thus were conducted to suggest sustainable land use management options. To achieve the present study’s desired goal, 33 tree-based land uses were identified from forested and agricultural landscapes of the sub-humid tropical region of West Bengal, India. Stratified random nested quadrat sampling was adopted for the study. The SOC, biomass, and carbon accumulation significantly differed. Mixed forests had the highest soil primary nutrients and carbon stock. Positive correlations were observed between SOC, total standing biomass, litter production, and ecosystem carbon. The sequence of land uses based on carbon stock was mixed-species forest > sole tree species stands in a forest landscape > tea plantations > homegardens. This baseline information can be used for developing prediction models for future interventions towards sustainable land management. The study, however, could not estimate the carbon fluxes in and out of the systems due to the absence of detailed land use land-cover databases.