Using the diversity of existing situation to analyse dynamics and services of agroforestry systems
Agroforestry systems (SAF) are cultivated in tropical areas in a context of familial, non mechanized and no chemical input agriculture. They are characterized by a high diversity of species (mainly trees) and a multi-strata structure. These systems are set up and managed on long time horizons (several decades) with a specific management of the various species in each field. The perennial crops (coffee trees cacao trees most often) are the pivot crops of the SAF because they often represent the major farm income. In fact, if the perennial crops yields are often lower than in intensively managed monoculture, they provide various products (fruits, wood) and environmental services (biodiversity conservation, carbon storage). To compare SAF with other cropping systems and to design innovative SAF, the services provided by the SAF (yields of the various products and environmental services) remain to be evaluated. But, the long time horizon and the complex structure of the SAF make it difficult to conduct experiments. But in countries where they are practices for centuries we can assume that the diversity of existing situations on SAF fields in a small region (< 100 km2) can be used to analyse the dynamics and the services provided by these systems during their lifespan. We therefore used the diversity of situations on SAF fields, as the various phases of the dynamics of these cropping systems. We present here an example of this approach, applied to characterize the dynamics and the relationships between the structure, productions and biodiversity conservation provided by the coffee agroforests in Guinee forestière (West Africa).
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | conference_item biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
Agropolis international
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| Subjects: | F08 - Systèmes et modes de culture, K01 - Foresterie - Considérations générales, P01 - Conservation de la nature et ressources foncières, |
| Online Access: | http://agritrop.cirad.fr/557233/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/557233/1/document_557233.pdf |
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| Summary: | Agroforestry systems (SAF) are cultivated in tropical areas in a context of familial, non mechanized and no chemical input agriculture. They are characterized by a high diversity of species (mainly trees) and a multi-strata structure. These systems are set up and managed on long time horizons (several decades) with a specific management of the various species in each field. The perennial crops (coffee trees cacao trees most often) are the pivot crops of the SAF because they often represent the major farm income. In fact, if the perennial crops yields are often lower than in intensively managed monoculture, they provide various products (fruits, wood) and environmental services (biodiversity conservation, carbon storage). To compare SAF with other cropping systems and to design innovative SAF, the services provided by the SAF (yields of the various products and environmental services) remain to be evaluated. But, the long time horizon and the complex structure of the SAF make it difficult to conduct experiments. But in countries where they are practices for centuries we can assume that the diversity of existing situations on SAF fields in a small region (< 100 km2) can be used to analyse the dynamics and the services provided by these systems during their lifespan. We therefore used the diversity of situations on SAF fields, as the various phases of the dynamics of these cropping systems. We present here an example of this approach, applied to characterize the dynamics and the relationships between the structure, productions and biodiversity conservation provided by the coffee agroforests in Guinee forestière (West Africa). |
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