Scientific framework of the mesoamerican scientific partnership platform (PCP) for agroforestry systems with perennial crops

The natural resources of Mesoamerica have been identified as a foundation stone for the development of this region and of particular importance for the livelihoods of the rural poor. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC) is an exemplary effort to protect natural renewable resources while promoting sustainable development. Nevertheless in the rural areas of the MBC around protected zones, agricultural expansion and intensification have resulted in a progressive fragmentation of forest habitat, loss of landscape connectivity, increased pollution of rivers and aquifers by agrochemicals and extensive loss of biodiversity. The implementation of environmentally friendly agroforestry practices may reduce the productivity of crops; for example, decreasing coffee and cacao productivity when shade-tree cover is increased above a certain threshold to enhance environmental benefits. On the other hand, these practices are associated with reduced impacts on the environment and can qualify the products for ecological and other certifications as well as offer diversification options. Revenue diversification and new marketing opportunities can help reduce the vulnerability of rural communities to the price volatility of export crop products, thereby improving the economic sustainability of agroforestry systems. The exploration of the trade-offs between productivity and the provision of environmental services (ES) opens the way to designing the most appropriate AFS. A key challenge is to produce relevant tools and methods to certify value and sell these ES, so that they can be effectively marketed. At the same time, farmers' organizations must be strengthened to better handle business opportunities for ecoproducts from AFS and improve the liveli-hoods of the farmers. The PCP (French acronym for Scientific Partnership Platform) is a platform launched to bring together scientists from GIRAD, CATIE, INCAE, CABI and PROMECAFE to address these challenges as a strong, multidisciplinary, group and achieve significant research and developmental results. The founding agreement was signed on April 19, 2007, for 10 years. Bioversity joined the PCP in December 2007. The work to be carried out in the PCP includes scientifically challenging issues. Even more challenging is the prospect of building a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional team to develop these themes, particularly the integration and synergy between the themes presented in the scientific framework.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Rapidel, Bruno, Vaast, Philippe, Beer, John
Format:	conference_item biblioteca
Language:	eng
Published:	CATIE
Subjects:	F08 - Systèmes et modes de culture, P01 - Conservation de la nature et ressources foncières, K01 - Foresterie - Considérations générales, agroforesterie, impact sur l'environnement, service, Coffea, Theobroma cacao, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_207, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_24420, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6989, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1720, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7713, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1434,
Online Access:	http://agritrop.cirad.fr/553031/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/553031/1/ID_553031.pdf
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