Articles
Cocoa and coffee agroforestry systems constraints analysis in order to improve the reforestation process: case of Togo
Article number
1355_30
Pages
233 – 240
Language
English
Abstract
The study was carried out in Wawa district in Togo, where agroforestry systems are used to product sustainable cocoa and coffee.
At the same time, those systems contribute to reforest these areas once degraded.
In effect, this area is suffering from present different levels of deforestation.
Actions carried out by different actors focused on reforestation processes that attempt to consider this case diversity.
Agroforestry promotion is one of them.
Those systems have various functions such as shade, fertility and ecosystem services.
Based on the trees needs and systems specificities, this study undertakes a typology of agroforestry systems and highlights their key constraints in order to answer the following questions: What are the current limits to the development of agroforestry systems and what avenues exist to improve their impact on reforestation?. The method of the study relies on a historical analysis through interviews of producers and traditional leaders to understand the trajectories of change.
Based on a comprehensive approach and a system diagnosis, the agronomic and technical-economic study of farm typologies has made it possible to clearly identify the limits of the development of agroforestry and reforestation.
The results show a process of development of cocoa and coffee crops at the expense of forests since the 1960s.
Changes across the area have induced five agroforestry systems characterized by the type of species, density, age of plantation and type of association.
Through the analysis of these systems, we identified environmental constraints; agronomic constraints; constraints of availability of plant material; limits related to land competition; economic and social limits.
But adapted solutions to the diversity of systems could finally be proposed: improved assisted natural regeneration, agronomic diversification of the systems, sustainable and innovative renovation of the old systems.
At the same time, those systems contribute to reforest these areas once degraded.
In effect, this area is suffering from present different levels of deforestation.
Actions carried out by different actors focused on reforestation processes that attempt to consider this case diversity.
Agroforestry promotion is one of them.
Those systems have various functions such as shade, fertility and ecosystem services.
Based on the trees needs and systems specificities, this study undertakes a typology of agroforestry systems and highlights their key constraints in order to answer the following questions: What are the current limits to the development of agroforestry systems and what avenues exist to improve their impact on reforestation?. The method of the study relies on a historical analysis through interviews of producers and traditional leaders to understand the trajectories of change.
Based on a comprehensive approach and a system diagnosis, the agronomic and technical-economic study of farm typologies has made it possible to clearly identify the limits of the development of agroforestry and reforestation.
The results show a process of development of cocoa and coffee crops at the expense of forests since the 1960s.
Changes across the area have induced five agroforestry systems characterized by the type of species, density, age of plantation and type of association.
Through the analysis of these systems, we identified environmental constraints; agronomic constraints; constraints of availability of plant material; limits related to land competition; economic and social limits.
But adapted solutions to the diversity of systems could finally be proposed: improved assisted natural regeneration, agronomic diversification of the systems, sustainable and innovative renovation of the old systems.
Authors
M. Céron-Siméon, L. Andres, A.K. Adden, S. Laboisse
Keywords
agroforestry systems, reforestation, constraints, systemic diagnosis, Togo
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