Agroforestry Systems最新文献

Despite its commercial success, intensive oil palm monoculture is facing both social and environmental constraints. Adapting the traditional plantation model towards more resilient and climate-smart farming systems will require deep changes. Agroforestry offers great potential for biodiversity and carbon storage benefits while maintaining high palm oil yields. The TRAILS multidisciplinary research project has installed a 39-ha prototype experiment in Sabah, Malaysia. The project includes different planting designs (interplanted rows, mixed tree plantation and forest islands) aimed at providing information about: i) the ability of oil palm to grow in competition with forest trees, ii) the best combination of tree species and their compatibility with the oil palm constraints for co-cultivation, and iii) the growth and developmental characteristics of a selected number of native forest species of interest. More specifically, we plan to describe changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services together with oil palm performance.

This study aimed to explore the knowledge and attitudes of livestock farmers from the United Kingdom regarding agroforestry planning and management issues. The farmers (n = 48) answered an online survey with demographic, open, closed and Likert scale questions. Almost half of the participants said they need more information to successfully plan and manage an agroforestry system, and self-reported low knowledge on management practices related to trees. Participants stated they did not expect to receive technical support from governmental agencies to maintain the agroforestry area. However, they would like to improve their knowledge through field days, courses, and Internet sources. Benefits to the environment, animals and farm profitability were considered central to successful agroforestry systems. In conclusion, participants cannot successfully plan and manage agroforestry, but they are willing to improve their knowledge and skills.

Parkland systems in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of West Africa are commonly perceived as a resilient agroforestry practice well adapted to the semi-arid climatic conditions of the region. However, there exist several knowledge gaps regarding the interplay between the different components of this agro-silvopastoral land use system. A literature review with subsequent meta-analysis was conducted to analyze the effects of woody perennials on soil, crops and livestock, for which our study found very context-specific responses. A scoring of tree and shrub species indicated a general trend of trade-off between positive impact on crops and livestock vs. impact on soil organic carbon content. The study further confirmed that Faidherbia albida (Del.) Chev. is one of the most promising parkland species, but also revealed that there are no multipurpose single species that should be promoted exclusively. The focus should rather shift to species mixtures that satisfy multiple human and environmental needs. The study also pointed out that information on the nutritional properties of the majority of browse species is particularly limited. Transdisciplinary modelling is suggested as a tool to assess the complex interactions between the different components that shape this agro-silvopastoral system at different scales.

Cover crops could provide numerous benefits on cocoa farms, including promoting nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and active soil microbial communities. Despite growing interest in cover crops for cocoa, many knowledge gaps remain, particularly detailed species and management recommendations to maximize ecosystem services and optimize the soil microbiome in different geographies and production contexts. A field experiment was conducted in South Sulawesi, Indonesia to investigate the suitability of two potential cover crops, tropical kudzu (Pueraria javanica) and fodder sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam), for cocoa agroforestry systems. Cover crops were terminated after 6 months due to leaf chlorosis and declining yields in 2-year-old cocoa trees, leading to an analysis of tradeoffs among supporting, regulating, and provisioning services and impacts on diversity and community composition of soil prokaryotes and fungi. Kudzu had a slight positive impact on N cycling, but both cover crops appeared to compete with cocoa for K, with lower yields in sweet potato plots. Among regulating services, cover crops tended to increase C sequestration but did not affect pest and disease incidence. Cover crop treatment accounted for a small but significant percentage of soil microbiome variation, likely driven by effects on soil pH and C, and altered the relative abundance of 155 microbial taxa. Functional-trait-based species selection and optimized management could help maximize the ecosystem services delivered by cover crops, including those mediated by the microbiome, and minimize negative impacts on cocoa productivity.

Agroforestry can offer carbon sequestration, higher system productivity and biodiversity. However, a limited number of field experiments exist to study their feasibility and trade-offs for large scale deployment. Agroecosystem models could represent a valuable tool for their ex ante assessment. Here, we present ZonalCent, a novel approach to use the DayCent model to simulate multi-component agroforestry systems by splitting them into several independent zones, and simulating each zone individually. We used six agroforestry sites in France to evaluate how well ZonalCent represented carbon sequestration in tree biomass, soil organic carbon stocks and in the total system. This proved promising because with the default parameter set of DayCent, ZonalCent was highly suitable to represent tree carbon sequestration (Nash–Sutcliffe modelling efficiency; NSE of 0.86), and suitable for total system carbon sequestration potential (NSE of 0.55), despite a tendency to overestimate SOC stocks (NSE of 0.38). Only one site had yield data and there, ZonalCent approach could approximate the mean yield reduction—yet more detailed evaluation is necessary. Negative correlations showed that simulated yield was most strongly affected by (a) shading by mature trees and (b) the loss of arable area due to grass strips. While more detailed models may be needed for a detailed process understanding, ZonalCent includes the most important interactions (light, water, nutrients, temperature) in a simple but effective way and can be readily used—because it is based on DayCent—to estimate the potential carbon sequestration of agroforestry systems at larger scales.

Trees play a vital role in combating climate change by sequestering carbon and helping farmers adapt to and become more resilient to future climatic changes. Understanding the factors influencing households’ tree-planting decisions is essential for shaping policies and initiatives aimed at increasing on-farm tree cover, improving farmers’ incomes, and achieving national climate and land restoration goals. This study explores the determinants of farmers’ tree-growing decisions in Kiambu County, Kenya. Data was collected through interviews with 120 households and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Probit, and double-hurdle models to assess the factors driving tree planting and diversification aspirations. Results reveal that 97% of farmers grow trees for their products, while 26% do so for ecosystem services. A majority (93%) are aware of climate change, with 66% and 71% willing to plant more trees for climate mitigation and adaptation, respectively. Probit analysis shows that factors such as land ownership, dependency ratio, labor availability, number of farms, and the belief in trees' importance to households significantly (p ≤ 0.05) encourage tree planting. Furthermore, education, availability of land for tree planting, and food security influence the decision to diversify tree species. Perceived benefits, livestock ownership, and access to piped water positively affect future tree-planting efforts. However, a one-level increase in food insecurity reduces tree species diversification by 0.88. Farmers are primarily motivated to plant trees that provide direct product benefits. Therefore, strengthening education, land ownership policies, and food security measures is crucial for promoting sustainable tree-growing initiatives.

Agroforestry is seen as a strategy to sustainably boost agricultural production by creating favorable microclimatic conditions. However, tree shade can significantly reduce crop yield, making it important to assess the balance between the positive and negative impacts of tree cover on food security, especially as climate change alters weather patterns. To understand this relationship, a trial was conducted to evaluate how tree canopy influences crop yield in degraded soils. This study examines how different levels of natural tree shade affect the physiological and biophysical constraints of soybean (Glycine max) in an Emblica officinalis-based agroforestry system. The study assessed the effects of shade intensities (S1-0%, S2-40%, S3-50%, and S4-60%) on physio-biochemical and yield traits of two soybean varieties: KDS-726 (V1) and MACS-1188 (V2). Increased shade led to significant reductions in net photosynthetic rate (16.21%, 25.32%, 40.08%), transpiration rate (6.45%, 21.14%, 39.61%), and stomatal conductance (22.86%, 39.79%, 55.91%) due to reduced light availability over control (S1-0%). Chlorophyll content and NDVI increased up to 50% shade but decreased beyond this, indicating limited photosynthesis. Higher shade levels also increased total phenol, proline, and other antioxidants, indicating increased stress. Soybean yield parameters decreased with increasing shade. The highest seed yield was in open conditions (2.15 t ha⁻¹), with reductions of 24.65%, 39.53%, and 59.53% under S2-40%, S3-50%, and S4-60% shade. KDS-726 produced 20% more seed yield than MACS-1188 (1.35 t ha⁻¹). Correlation analysis revealed that higher phenolic content and internal CO₂ levels, indicators of stress, negatively impacted seed yield (− 0.51 and − 0.49, respectively) due to reduced photosynthesis. A Crop Status Index (CSI) was derived to identify the shade threshold level in agroforestry for the first time. The highest CSI was recorded under open conditions, statistically comparable to values under 40% and 50% shade, and lowest in 60% shade. This suggests that moderate shading (up to 50%) does not significantly affect the crop’s overall status, while higher shade levels (60%) impose severe stress. Understanding the shade threshold helps manage understory crops to maximize light and reduce stress. Additionally, it demonstrates the potential of fruit-based agroforestry to rehabilitate degraded lands, enhance crop yield, increase fruit production, improve the environment, and meet India’s GROW report commitments of land degradation neutrality by restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

Productive homegardens are spaces around homes with different plant species associated with information on technology, appropriate management, food promotion, and nutritional education. They ensure product quality, distribution, access mechanisms to food, and mainly place-based development on family farming, becoming a great tool for food security and species conservation. The article analyzed the influence of gender and age on the use and knowledge of prominent plants cultivated in productive homegardens in the Fornos community, a rural area in Picos, Piauí, Brazil. The research performed semi-structured interviews, guided tours, and the application of free lists. In the 21 homegardens studied, the analysis recorded 76 species belonging to 67 genera and 38 families, highlighting the families Apocynaceae (5spp.), Fabaceae (5spp.) Lamiaceae (5spp.), Rutaceae (5spp.), Solanaceae (5spp.). Euphorbiaceae was the family with the largest number of representatives, with (699) individuals. In the homegardens surveyed, the gender or age of managers was not responsible for differences in species richness or number of individuals (structure). The preferred plants were classified into five categories (food, medicinal, ornamental, aesthetic, and shade production), and there is an overlap between the plants mentioned in the food and medicinal categories among the 14 preferred plants. Homegardens associated with traditional knowledge about useful plants, especially food plants, represent a main resource for food security in the semi-arid region, whose species provide several health benefits and improve the local quality of life.

This study evaluates oil palm- and rubber-driven deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia between 2000 and 2021 through secondary data analysis from a rich data set by collecting and integrating secondary data from multiple sources. The results revealed significant tree cover loss, accounting for 82 and 250% of the primary forest loss in Indonesia and Malaysia, respectively. The area of harvested oil palm increased by 650% in Indonesia and 50% in Malaysia, while palm oil production increased by 566% in Indonesia and 65% in Malaysia over the period. Over the past two decades, Indonesia’s palm oil export volume has risen by 619%, while that of Malaysia has increased by 83%. The study revealed that rubber-harvested areas increased by 54% in Indonesia but decreased by 20% in Malaysia, with rubber production increasing by 108% in Indonesia but decreasing by 49% in Malaysia. Indonesia’s natural rubber export volume also increased by 69%, but Malaysia’s decreased by 33%. The study revealed that the impact of oil palm and rubber on deforestation varies by region and period. However, plantation expansion and associated forest conversion have slowed, which can be associated with the consumer demand for no deforestation of oil palm and rubber products. Smaller companies and smallholder farmers, not bound by zero deforestation commitments, clear forests for plantation expansion and sell their products in the leakage markets. On the other hand, two countries may experience increased deforestation pressures in the future, primarily driven by the expanding use of oil palm for biodiesel production. Finally, the findings of this study suggest the need for region-specific investigations into the interplay between oil palm and rubber cultivation and their impact on deforestation. Such studies should account for geographical and socio-economic factors, aiming to facilitate the effective implementation of zero deforestation commitments.

It is widely recognized that agroforestry (AF) provides smallholder farmers with an array of social, economic, and ecological benefits. This study was aimed to assess the socio-economic and environmental benefits, conduct an investment analysis, document tree management operations, and examine the factors influencing the adoption of AF practices in the Eastern escarpment of Chercher Massive, South-East Ethiopia across four districts and six kebeles. A mixed method approach was employed to collect data from 432 respondents. The results revealed fifteen socio-economic and six environmental benefits of AF farms were mentioned. The uses of AF as source of cash, food, timber and firewood became the most prevalent ones. Farmers also plant trees on their farmland to get environmental benefits with the use of shade (90.7%) being the most frequently mentioned followed by soil erosion control. The finding also demonstrated that AF farm households mean annual net income was about 18.25% higher compared to the non-AF farm households. The analysis of the Benefit–Cost Ratio also showed that the AF farm households were found to be about 21.62% higher compared to that of the non-AF farm households indicating that farmers can decide to adopt AF practices. The AF farmers implement six main tree management strategies to maintain trees on their AF farms with pruning being the most implemented tending operation (90.5%), followed by thinning (80.6%). The Problem Facing Index (PFI) was used to identify and rank the farmers problems in implementing AF practices with longer rotation age of trees, lack of need assessment on the types of tree seedlings and the absence of nearby tree nurseries being the most severe problems. The binary regression model also indicated that demographic, socioeconomic and institutional characteristics of the households were found to affect the adoption of AF practices. However, the influence of access to irrigation services and improved seedlings were statistically insignificant. It is crucial to prioritize the development of farmer-based management strategies that integrate trees, crops, and livestock in order to produce highly demanded products and services for both socio-economic and environmental benefits of the farming households. The results may aid stakeholder in making sound decisions that will enhance rural livelihoods.