Agroforestry Essay

6080 Words25 Pages
NATURAL SUCCESSION OF SPECIES IN AGROFORESTRY AND IN SOIL RECOVERY Ernst Goetsch Fazenda Três Colinas Agrosilvicultura Ltda. 45436 Pirai do Norte Bahia, Brazil August 1992 ABSTRACT This paper describes a method for the rapid recovery of degraded soils and for sustainable agroforestry in the humid tropics. The method, in essence, is an attempt at imitating the natural process of species succession. I have devised means of accelerating the process through strategic interventions. The net result of these practices is that, in only five years of time, completely degraded soils now support highly productive and diverse agroforestry systems. Evidence is presented that, even in regenerated soils, the dynamics of natural species succession play an important role in ensuring the health and vigor of crops. Key words: Agroforestrv; soil recovery; species succession; sustainable agriculture. 1 INTRODUCTION Modern agricultural techniques (monocropping, usually combined with the use of herbicides and pesticides and mineral fertilizers) lead to a very rapid loss of soil fertility in the humid tropics. Similarly, shifting cultivation, the practice of traditional farmers, is no longer viable as, due to population pressure, soil recovery periods are becoming increasingly short, entailing a decrease in productivity. One possible alternative to conventional agriculture is agroforestry, the practice of combining trees with crops and/or pastures. Sustainable agroforestry has been practiced by many Indios in the Americas and by small farmers all over the world for thousands of years. In spite of attempts at adapting traditional agroforestry to modern agriculture, there has not, to my knowledge, been a breakthrough inthe development of a form of sustainable agroforestry capable of meeting the needs of the1990's and of the 21st century. I outline below a method by which
Open Document