The scientific history of agroforestry (AF) is brief; it wasn’t until the 1990s that a collection of largely descriptive and empirical research studies was gradually transformed into a process-orientated and more robust scientific approach. AF is essentially a new term for age-old practices of integrated land-use that occurs in most parts of the world. Silvopastoral systems (SPS) can be defined as complex management systems that integrate trees, pasture and animals in an edapho-climatic context. This introduction to SPS provides a historical perspective to highlight the sustainability of AF. It analyses the three main components of SPS, trees, pasture and animals, and their interactions as well as examines its economic and environmental benefits.