Complex agroforestry systems and conservation of biological diversity (II)
As far as environmental impact is concerned, large-scale development of complex agroforests as those developed by peasants in Indonesia appears highly desirable. However, their productivity, in terms of cash income per unit of land, is still low and irregular. Complex agroforestry systems can no lon...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Contribution |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2013
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://agris.upm.edu.my:8080/dspace/handle/0/4822 |
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| Summary: | As far as environmental impact is concerned, large-scale development of complex agroforests as those developed by peasants in Indonesia appears highly desirable. However, their productivity, in terms of cash income per unit of land, is still low and irregular. Complex agroforestry systems can no longer compete with other agricultural systems which may be more risky, but are more profitable in the short term. Thus, further spreading of complex agroforestry systems mainly depends on an increase of their profitability. Until now, this increase has been achieved by the reduction of the less productive components of the system to the benefit of selected high yielding crops. This process leads sooner or later to the replacement of the complex model by simple agroforestry systems or monocrop fields. As is suggested here, the commercial valorizaiton of timber, the main biomass component in complex agroforests, could be another way of intensification, bringing about a large number of beneficial effects. Shifts in the commercial value of timber species prove to be feasible, as recently exemplified by rubber wood. Such shifts should be considered as well for many traditional agroforestry species which are also good timber species. Moreover, the depletion of forest resources due to the regression of natural forests, and the ever increasing social problems faced by the forestry industry because of land conflicts with rural populations, could well give complex agroforests a new value as a source of supply for wood industry. The increased profitability of complex agroforestry systems achieved by this new output could promote their spread leading to both economic development and environmental conservation. |
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