Agroforestry Systems最新文献

We evaluated the farmer’s local knowledge and perceptions of sustainable cocoa agroforestry and sustainable soil carbon management in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire using a social survey research methodology. We employed in-depth interviewing and focus group discussions to solicit information from identified key stakeholders in the cocoa supply chain focusing on the perception of sustainable cocoa agroforestry and soil carbon management. Our results revealed that about 83% and 50.5% of smallholder cocoa farmers from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana respectively practiced agroforestry on their farms. The respondents, however, had limited knowledge about the term agroforestry and were also not very much aware of soil carbon management. Also, about 53% and 22% of the respondents from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana perceived agroforestry practice as better than practicing cocoa monoculture. The results further revealed that most of the cocoa farmers in these study areas had limited knowledge of the approaches or strategies to achieve sustainable cocoa agroforestry and soil carbon management on their farms. At the same time, the industry’s stakeholders had different perceptions about the approaches or strategies to achieve these. Our results also revealed that educational level was the only socio-economic factor that influenced the farmer’s awareness of agroforestry and soil organic carbon. This study thus suggests the need for appropriate training and education for smallholder cocoa farmers, and harmonization of the understanding among different stakeholder groups along the cocoa supply chain of common strategies to adopt to achieve sustainable cocoa production that addresses low productivity, biodiversity loss and carbon emission within the smallholder cocoa production system in West Africa.

Abstract

Trees are intentionally integrated in agroforestry for numerous ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, environmental, production, and economics. Open tree growth is different from that in forests and data is limited, thus restricting integration of trees in agroforestry for optimum benefits. Growth of pin oak (Quercus palustris Muenchh.), swamp white oak (Q. bicolor Willd.), and bur oak (Q. macrocarpa Michx.) were evaluated for 24 years in an alley cropping agroforestry watershed in Northern Missouri, USA. Containerized oak seedlings were planted at 3-m spacing in the center of 4.5-m wide contour grass-legume strips established at 22.8–36.5 m intervals on a 4.44-ha watershed with a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation. Tree height and diameter (dbh and 10-cm) were recorded. Among the three species pin oak had the greatest height, diameter at 10-cm, and dbh growth during the 24-year study. Pin oak trees showed 1.2-, 1.4-, and 1.2-times greater height, 10-cm diameter, and dbh than swamp white oak trees, the second-best species at the watershed. Biomass and carbon values of pin oak were 1.7 and 3.7 times in 2021 than swamp white oak and bur oak. Bur oak trees had the lowest height, 10-cm diameter, dbh, biomass, and carbon values among the three species. With the 3-species composition, tree biomass and carbon accumulation in a 24-year period were 22,613 and 10,854 kg ha⁻¹. Trees had > 20% tapering in the main stem. Among the three species swamp white oak had 21% tapering while pin and bur oak both had 25% tapering. All three species appear to be suitable for watershed protection while pin oak showed promising growth and greater accumulation of biomass and carbon. The study emphasizes development of agroforestry-specific tree growth models as open-grown trees differ from those in conventional forestry. This can help the selection of suitable species for enhanced ecosystem services.

Agricultural production occupies large territory extensions, influencing the supply of Environmental Services (ES) and the levels of welfare and utility obtained by rural population. In Uruguay, extensive livestock on native grasslands is the most common form of Land Use and Land Cover, and is related to the conservation of this local ecosystem and its ES. Nonetheless, the emission of greenhouse gases and the animal thermal discomfort are environmental aspects of concern from these production systems. The use of integrated tree-animal-pasture systems, in silvopastoral designs, is a strategy to fulfill these environmental considerations. Besides biophysical aspects, social preferences are important factors influencing the ES from the agroecosystems. The farmers’ preferences for environmental-productive conditions and managements can generate relevant information for land management. This research aimed to assess the valuation of local farmers for the ES of SPS and their willingness to incorporate areas of silvopasture. The hypotheses evaluated were: farmers positively value the ES once certain levels of livestock productivity are obtained; farmers’ willingness to incorporate Silvopastoral Systems (SPS) are related to their farms’ structure and management. The preferences of 27 individuals were assessed using surveys with Discrete Choice (DC) and Contingent Valuation (CV) experiments, including environmental-productive scenarios of silvopasture and conventional extensive livestock. The results of the DC experiment indicated significant trade-offs among the ES, with farmers assigning greater utility levels to animal thermal comfort and livestock productivity. This analysis also indicated a tolerance of farmers to reduce up to 20% of the stocking rate in silvopastoral areas in order to obtain greater animal thermal comfort. The results of the hypothetical CV experiment showed a positive willingness from farmers to participate in a program of economic incentive for silvopastoral production. Their preferences indicated the use of reduced fractions from their properties for incorporating SPS on areas of lower livestock productivity, with lower opportunity costs. The results obtained suggest that SPS can elevate the levels of utility obtained by local farmers and the accomplishment of specific environmental and productive demands from the agricultural sector.

Degradation is limiting the ability of arid lands to provide ecosystem services. Agroforestry Systems can supply several of these ecosystem services. In this context, we carried out a systematic review of literature, to find the ecosystem services provided by Agroforestry Systems in arid lands irrigated by rainwater harvesting systems in worldwide. The ecosystem services most mentioned (soil quality, productivity increase, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, cultural values, water regulation and purification, and pollination), that were provided by the four Agroforestry Systems (protein banks, intercropping, windbreaks and homegardens) were used to apply the Weight of Evidence Approach. The regions where Agroforestry Systems practices were carried out, the species most used and their multipurpose were also evaluated. Most of the experiences were documented in Africa (42%) and Asia (37%). We registered 82 species, being the Fabaceae and Chenopodiaceae families were the most used. These species (49% shrubs) were mainly integrated in Agroforestry Systems by homegardens (43%), intercropping (40%), and windbreaks (23%). The most evaluated species uses were medicine (58%), food (28%), and forage (27%). We found several positive evidence of Agroforestry Systems in all ecosystem services evaluated. We also found some evidence that Agroforestry Systems can cause drawbacks such as salinization, or species invasion.

In agroforestry systems, such as integrated crop-livestock-forest (iCLF), the agricultural, livestock and arboreal components are explored in the same field in rotation, succession or intercropping. Our objective was to investigate if the diameter growth of eucalyptus in agroforestry systems differs from those cultivated as a planted forest, as well as to assess whether there is a difference in its growth in face of the air temperature and precipitation. The study was held at Ponta Porã, Brazil, a region of humid subtropical climate with hot summers and soil classified as Oxisol, which is fertile, deep and clayey. Dendrometer bands measured the diameter growth of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urograndis) cultivated as a forest and in iCLF, with eucalyptus rows distance of 12.5 × 12.5 m, 12.5 m one side × 25 m another side and 25 × 25 m. The study took place from four years and nine months after transplanting till six years and seven months (22 months monitoring). On iCLF, the inter-row was explored with grain crops (soybean or corn) and pasture. Climate data of air temperature and precipitation were used to investigate their influence or not on diameter growth. Eucalyptus diameter growth is higher when cultivated in agroforestry systems and this growth is as higher as larger is the distance between eucalyptus rows. Precipitation proved to strongly and positively influence the diameter growth, especially when cultivated in agroforestry systems. On the other hand, under the conditions of this study, air temperature showed little or no correlation with eucalyptus diameter growth.

Graphical abstract

Smallholder farmers in Tigray have been growing Rhamnus prinoides trees/shrubs with annual crops in rain-fed farmlands. Although this agroforestry system is widely practiced, there are no sufficient scientific reports on its profitability and financial returns. The objective of this research was to analyze the financial profitability and relative financial advantages of R. prinoid-based agroforestry compared to monocropping practices, in eastern Tigray. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 123 randomly selected households who practiced R. prinoides-based agroforestry. To address the objective, we estimated the net present values (NPV), Annuity values, and benefit to cost ratio (BCR) on per hectare basis. The annuity and BCR of agroforestry were compared with those of adjacent monoculture farms of the associated crop components in agroforestry. The land equivalent ratios (LER) of the agroforestry were calculated and compared with sole crops. The NPV and BCR of the agroforestry were 5.6 and nearly fourfold higher than that of the monocropping, respectively. Similarly, the R. prinoides-based agroforestry LER was 0.33–1.36% higher as compared to monocultures. Stocking density and age of agroforestry affected the financial return from R. prinoides-based agroforestry. We concluded that R. prinoides-based agroforestry has superior financial performance over monocrops and is financially less risky. Therefore, the adoption of R. prinoides-based agroforestry practices is a viable option for smallholder farmers to maximize net returns from their rain-fed farmlands and resource inputs.

Abstract

Olive-based agroforestry could provide a sustainable solution to improving agricultural productivity and environmental conservation, particularly through intercropping cereal and legume crops with olive trees. However, the deep assessment of agro-physiological indicators between intercropped forage legumes and cereals with olive trees is poorly documented in the literature. The aim of this field research was to assess the performance of olive-based agroforestry systems by analyzing how the main agro-physiological indicators change among two contrasting intercropping arrangements of forage and arable crops. Field trials were carried out during two contrasting growing seasons in a young olive grove under semi-arid climate. To further enhance our understanding of olive-agroforestry performance in terms of growth and yield, multiple agro-physiological parameters were measured in arable and olive monocultures, as well as in the olive-intercropping system with two contrasting intercropping arrangements of pea and barley. The results demonstrated that olive tree canopy significantly stimulated the growth of shoots and roots of intercropped barley, increasing LAI (+ 4 units), shoot dry biomass (+ 56%) and both root depth (+ 19%) and width (+ 26%), compared to barley monoculture. Olive-agroforestry also enhanced barley grain and protein yield (+ 58%) during both seasons. The agroforestry system had additional benefits in improving the vegetative growth of intercropped olive trees by increasing soil nitrogen availability. Our findings highlight also the potential benefits of intercropping olive trees with pea in improving both fruit and oil yields in olive production. Olive-based agroforestry promotes an optimized micro-climate to effectively reduce the impact of drought on intercropped barley and improves resources use by pea under optimal conditions.