Mapping the global scientific landscape of indigenous knowledge in agroforestry systems: a bibliometric perspective (2000–2024)

Indigenous knowledge systems have long underpinned sustainable agroforestry, yet their academic visibility remains fragmented across disciplines and regions. This study presents a systematic bibliometric analysis of 798 peer-reviewed articles (2000–2024) retrieved from the Scopus database, focusing on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) within agroforestry and silvopastoral systems. Utilizing the bibliometrix R package, we examined authorship structures, publication outlets, keyword evolution, citation trajectories, and patterns of international collaboration. Findings reveal a pronounced upward trend in scientific production, with an annual growth rate of 7.6% and 45.6% of publications featuring international co-authorship, underscoring the domain’s rising global relevance. Agroforestry Systems, Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, and the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine emerged as the most influential journals. Keyword co-occurrence and thematic mapping reveal a shift in agroforestry research from domestication and land-use practices toward integrated frameworks emphasizing biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, food security, and Indigenous knowledge, underscoring its role as a multifunctional system for sustainability. Citation analysis highlights the multidisciplinary nature of the field, where seminal works draw on ethnobotany and sustainability science to emphasize Indigenous practices as nature-based solutions. Moreover, regional analyses reveal strong contributions from Latin America, Africa, and South Asia, alongside notable research gaps in Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific. This bibliometric synthesis not only charts the intellectual contours of indigenous agroforestry research but also supports the need for epistemologically inclusive and co-produced approaches. Integrating Indigenous knowledge holders within scientific communities is essential to inform policy, enhance agroecosystem design, and advance global sustainability goals.