Your search returned 8 papers.
Title: The Status Of Agroforestry In The South
Author(s): F. Christian Zinkhan and D. Evan Mercer
Year: 1997
Abstract: Southern agroforestry has emerged as a significant research topic. Research results indicate that agroforestry can address such sustainability problems as erosion and water pollution, while improving economic performance in selected situations. Silvopastoral systems are the most commonly adopted agroforestry application in the region; less-common alley-cropping systems would seemingly help many landowners achieve specific economic objectives. Based on a survey of land-use professionals, the most important research topics related to southern agroforestry are: methods for improving economic returns, mechanisms for enhancing the productivity of alternative systems, and predicting and reducing damage to trees and soils by livestock and farming equipment.
Title: Assessing the Market and Non-Market Benefits of Southern Agroforestry Systems
Author(s): Christian Zinkhan, D. Evan Mercer and Blake H. Stansell
Year: 1998
Abstract: Agroforestry systems produce multiple benefits from outputs that are both traded and not traded in the marketplace. Accurate accounting of both monetary and non-monetary benefits is needed by resource managers to effectively evaluate the relative attractiveness of alternative land-use plans. An approach for applying the technique of conjoint analysis to the measurement of benefits for a landowner considering a tree-crop agroforestry system in North Carolina is described and critiqued. Conjoint analysis enables the resource manager to compare the competing management plans in terms of landowner utility.
Title: Nutrient Management with Agroforestry: A simulation model for Kenya
Author(s): Meredith Soule
Year: 1999
Abstract: A farm simulation model was designed to assess the long-term impact of existing and improved soil management practices on farm productivity, profitability. The model links soil management practices, nutrient availability, plant and livestock productivity and farm economics.
A case study is presented of the application of the model to Vihiga District, in the highlands of western Kenya. The model is used to assess the performance of the existing farm system for three farm types. The existing system is then compared to improve nutrient practices including the use of commercial fertilizers and the agroforestry techniques of improved fallows and biomass transfer
In most cases, commercial fertilizers prove to be more profitable for farmers than the agroforestry technologies. Biomass transfer is less desirable due to the large labor costs of moving the leafy biomass from the trees to the field. The major drawback of improved fallows is the need to leave the field fallow for at least one season and lose that season’s production. Despite the potential large returns to fertilizer use, fertilizers are still seldom used by poor farmers due to cash and credit constraints.
Title: State Policies Addressing Agroforestry
Author(s): Agus I. Rahmadi, Bruce E. Cutter , William B. Kurtz , Sandra Hodge
Year: 1999
Abstract: In 1995, a nationwide survey of state-employed natural resource professionals in the United States was conducted to
determine existing state legislation and programs pertaining to agroforestry. At that time, 30 states had no legislation
that could be identified as pertaining to any of the five major agroforestry practices. Nine states had direct legislation
specifically referring to one or more agroforestry practices, while the remaining 11 states had indirect legislation that
could be construed as pertaining to agroforestry. Cost-sharing was the most commonly employed incentive in the direct
legislation states and windbreaks were the most common practice in those states. Tax incentives and cost-sharing were
the most favored approaches in the 11 states with indirect legislation.
Title: Farmers¡¦ Willingness to Invest in Agroforestry in Campeche, Mexico: Does Human Capital Matter
Author(s): James F. Casey, D. Evan Mercer, and Ann E. Snook
Year: 2000
Abstract: This paper presents results from a survey aimed at analyzing farmersƒ willingness to invest in agroforestry near the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in the state of Campeche in Southeastern Mexico. One hundred seventy-five farmers were interviewed from January through March of 1998. The survey included questions pertaining to levels of human capital investment made by individual farmers. The objective of this paper is to empirically test the hypothesis that reducing uncertainty through investment in human capital increases the likelihood of participation in an agroforestry development program. A model based on Keynesƒ notion of profit expectations and ƒ±weightƒ° is developed in order to gain some insight into agroforestry adoption behavior. Results support the hypothesis that particular forms of human capital investment improve the likelihood of participation.
Title: Adoption of Agroforestry Practices in Malawi: A Case Study of Gliricidia Sepium and Maize
Author(s): P H Thangata and J R R Alavalapati
Year: 2000
Abstract: Agroforestry as a sustainable agricultural system is being widely promoted all over the world especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper investigates the adoption of mixed inter-cropping agroforestry technology, Gliricidia sepium and maize, in Malawi. The differences between adopters and non-adopters of Gliricidia sepium in terms of their age, size of the family, extension contact, income sources and other socioeconomic variables are examined. Results from logistic analysis suggest that extension contact, size of the family, and age of the farmer are important variables in determining the adoption of agroforestry. It was observed that farmers modified technologies to suit their situation. This suggests that local participation is important in technology development.
Title: Adopting Agroforestry
Author(s): Subhrendu K. Pattanayak, D. Evan Mercer, Erin O. Sills, and Kirsten Cassingham
Year: 2002
Abstract: There is growing interest in the study of agroforestry adoption because it is promoted as a technology that can generate a sustainable version of development in which economic growth occurs in tandem with ‘sustenance’ or protection of ecological capital. Conventional wisdom suggests that agroforestry provides substantial economic and ecological benefits to communities and households and, therefore, should be readily adopted by farmers. Yet, many attempts to promote agroforestry systems have resulted in inadequate rates of adoption. We review the literature on technological innovations in general to identify the determinants of adoption within an economic framework. We find five categories of determinants of technology adoption: preferences, resource endowments, economic incentives, biophysical factors, and risk and uncertainty. We then analyze 56 articles on adoption of agricultural and forestry technology by small holders to evaluate these factor-clusters. Ultimately, based on the criteria of (a) empirical analysis and (b) focus on agroforestry and soil-water conservation investments, we narrow our list down to 26 studies from 17 countries. We discuss in detail the direction of influence of variables in each category.
Title: Grazing Conservation Tillage Corn with Steers in an Agroforestry Environment:
Advantages for Land Owners, Wildlife and Timber Producers.
Author(s): Michael E. Boyd, Glover H. Triplett, David Lang, Jeanne Jones, Deborah Gaddis, Phil Steele, and Don Grebner
Year: 2003
Abstract: A pilot project designed for the small landowner was conducted at the Leveck
Animal Research Center from April through October, 2002, has shown that grazing conservation
tillage corn with steers can be a very profitable venture. Gross returns per acre were $290 with
room for improvement. Direct costs per acre were $120-$140. There were no detectable
negative effects on the steers due to this grazing system. No yellow fat (an undesirable product
for consumers) was found and taste panel analysis of the resulting beef has found it to be highly
acceptable with no off flavors or tenderness problems. This is a system that was designed for the
small producer that has land that would normally not be considered arable due to erosion
potential or is too small to justify expensive harvest equipment. The majority of the “hill” area
in Mississippi fits this description.
Many other potential advantages were “discovered”. First this system eliminates
endophyte infected tall fescue without removing the land from production. It feeds cattle to
finish or near finish condition without using any of the stored corn crop. It provides ideal habitat
for turkeys, quail, rabbits, deer, mourning dove, raptors and other wildlife species. Mechanical
harvesting of corn is efficient with little wastage or dropped grain for wildlife. This system has
shown to have at least 10% wastage or 500-600 lbs of dropped corn per acre, 100 bu/acre yield.
Since animal grazing is over an extended period, dropped grain is available for 3 to 4 months, the
amount varying with the corn yield.
A more appealing thrust for this project would be to use this system in an agroforestry
context. Doing so would have many advantages for both timber production and wildlife habitat
and ultimately the landowner. Improvements to the land or trees, such as pruning, become
deductible expenses. A dominant advantage to this system is that the landowner has a significant
annual income from the land during timber establishment and early growth. The income, while
quite high for the grazing alone, can be supplemented by fee hunting for upland game or deer
and turkeys. This system has the potential to move turkey nesting sites from high predation
bottomland locations to upland areas. The cropland component of this system provides a clean
open area ideal for quail chick survival.
Most of the nutrients applied for corn production remain on site. Conservation tillage
requires a fairly high level of N. The N not utilized by the animals will be left for the trees. This
should accelerate growth of the pine trees and improve timber yields. This project will utilize
two different age classes, 3 and 10-year-old trees at initiation to evaluate the effect of cattle
feeding around young trees. Pruning of the trees is expected to produce better quality sawtimber
than is usual in unthinned plantations. Economic returns, including tax analysis, will be
compared to traditional forest plantation systems.
