Solutions journalism is news about how communities and organizations are responding to social and environmental problems. This collection contains solutions stories detail how farmers are adopting tree intercropping methods, and the resulting benefits to the community. In Ethiopia and Uganda, many farmers are benefitting from the use of agroforestry, a version of tree intercropping that adds to biodiversity, promotes healthier crops, and improves food security. Instead of using harmful pesticides to get rid of bugs, farmers in Nairobi have found that intercropping different types of crops provides vital protection - something that Papua New Guinea farmers also discovered by mimicking forest ecosystems. In the US, a startup company is helping farmers transition to agroforestry amid growing recognition of the economic benefits of this farming model. Adoption of tree intercropping is key to repurposing the carbon in the atmosphere back into the soil, where it can benefit the community.
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Tree intercropping is growing trees and crops together in order to create a richer ecosystem and produce more resilient crops. There are many different ways to implement tree intercropping with the option to intermingle various types of plants. By using this land management technique, farmers are sequestering carbon dioxide, saving money, and replenishing the land which industrialized cropping methods have sucked dry. Project Drawdown considers tree intercropping to be a powerful solution for slowing climate change.