Soru

Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows.

For decades, agricultural policy in West Africa has focused primarily on increasing crop yields through the heavy application of synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides. While this intensive approach initially boosted food production, its long-term environmental and economic costs have become increasingly unsustainable. Prolonged chemical dependency has degraded soil fertility, contaminated local water bodies, and depleted natural biodiversity. Furthermore, the rising prices of imported agrochemicals have placed a severe financial strain on smallholder farmers, driving many into perpetual debt. In response to these growing crises, agroforestry—a practice that integrates trees and shrubs into crop and livestock systems—is emerging as a viable alternative. Agroforestry restores soil nutrients naturally through organic leaf litter, conserves soil moisture, and reduces the need for expensive chemical inputs. Additionally, trees planted within farms produce fruits, timber, and fuelwood, offering farming families supplementary income streams and greater resilience against market volatility. Thus, transitioning to agroforestry is not merely an eco-friendly preference, but an essential strategy for securing sustainable food production and economic stability for rural communities.

Which of the following best summarizes the central argument of the passage?