Agroforestry, an agricultural practice that integrates trees and crops, has shown promise in halting soil degradation, biodiversity loss, deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions typically caused by agriculture. However, agricultural practices called agroforestry sometimes lead to deforestation or forest degradation, particularly through the conversion of forests into tree plantations.
Natural forest conversion for agroforestry
Agroforestry, an agricultural practice that integrates trees and crops, has shown promise in halting soil degradation, biodiversity loss, deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions typically caused by agriculture. However, agricultural practices called agroforestry sometimes lead to deforestation or forest degradation, particularly through the conversion of forests into tree plantations.
Nº 61
Bahia, Espírito Santo
- Land, Food & Agriculture
- Agricultural Productivity Increase
- Promotion of Agroforestry
some attempts made
past case
Region-1
Region-2
Region-3
Region-4
ongoing case
no attempts made
Yes
Natural forest conversion for agroforestry
In the states of Bahia and Espírito Santo in eastern Brazil, cocoa is grown as part of the ‘cabruca’ agroforestry system. This system involves clearing the undergrowth of native Atlantic forest and thinning the canopy to provide optimal shade for the cocoa trees. This cabruca system has an economic and social role and is claimed to play a role in biodiversity conservation. However, it has been observed that species richness is much lower in the study areas where the system is implemented than in less disturbed forest areas. In addition, pioneer and early secondary stage trees are much more common than late secondary and climax trees. Cabruca forests tend to be less diverse, less dense and have impaired natural succession. Management practices such as thinning and felling of native trees therefore run the risk of damaging biodiversity in the long term.
- Frustrated the efforts to address the initial problem
- Cascading (far-reaching effects following each other)
Rolim, S.G., Chiarello, A.G. (2004). Slow death of Atlantic forest trees in cocoa agroforestry in southeastern Brazil. Biodiversity and Conservation 13, 2679–2694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-2142-5
Ollinaho, O. I., & Kröger, M. (2021). Agroforestry transitions: The good, the bad and the ugly. Journal of Rural Studies, 82, 210-221. https://doi-org.proxy.library.uu.nl/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.01.016
Rolim, S. G., & Chiarello, A. G. (2004). Slow death of Atlantic forest trees in cocoa agroforestry in southeastern Brazil. Biodiversity & Conservation, 13, 2679-2694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-2142-5
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