Agroforestry
Addressing Climate Challenges and
Improving Social Conditions
V. Miranda Chase
Research Associate
Remineralize the Earth
Advancing Renewable Energy in Latin America and Integrated
Farm Energy Systems,
RELACCx, Puerto Rico, November 19, 2014
How to tackle Complex Problems?
Complex Issues:
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Climate Change
Hunger and Poverty
Job creation and Income generation
Energy and Food Security
The Triple Bottom-Line Approach:
• Social, Environmental and Economic Sustainability
• Integrated and holist perspective
What is Agroforestry?
Mixed-use land management system, that combines
agriculture and forestry practices in order to create
more diverse, productive, profitable, healthy, and
sustainable land-use systems.
• Diverse intercropping of species
• First harvest can come as early as a few weeks
• Plant succession:
Herbs and spices vegetables fruits hard wood
What is Agroforestry?
Advantages of Agroforestry
• Water Savings due to less
evapotranspiration (greater
soil coverage).
• Require less fertilizers (the
plants naturally supply each
other with key nutrients).
• Resembles natural
ecosystems, protecting
biodiversity and producing
natural goods and ecosystem
services.
Advantages of Agroforestry
Galbert et. al. (2013).
Advantages of Agroforestry
Galbert et. al. (2013).
Advantages of Agroforestry
• Trees can be used for
shelter, biofuels and
medicinal purposes.
• It can be easily
combined with other
sustainable agricultural
techniques, e.g.
Remineralization,
Biochar, Compost,
Organics, etc.
How it Works
Case Studies:
• The Tucurui Dam in
the Amazon Basin
• The APACA Community
Projet in Bahia, Brazil
• The Savannah project
in Brasilia, Brazil
• The Costa Rica model
(Food, Fuel and
Income)
Case Studies- Tucurui Dam
Case Studies- Tucurui Dam
Case Studies- Bahia (Brazil)
Case Studies- Bahia (Brazil)
Case Studies- Brasilia (Brazil)
Two views of a private Agroforestry initiative
Case Studies- Costa Rica
Case Studies- Costa Rica
More than 1600 trees were planted
This model can be
transferred to other poor
countries and yield social
and environmental benefits,
such as replacing firewood
harvesting.
Jatropha- Biofuel tree
References
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NAC 2014, National Agroforestry Center (http://nac.unl.edu/#about)
LEONARDOS, O.H., FYFE, W.S.; KRONBERG, B.I. Rochagem: o método de aumento da fertilidade em solos
lixiviados e arenosos. Anais 29 Congresso Brasileiro de Geologia, Belo Horizonte, 1976. p.137-145.
MEDEIROS, F. P. (2014). Sistemas agroflorestais aliados à rochagem para recuperação de áreas
degradadas. Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Universidade de Brasília,
Brasília, DF, 24p.
Suzi Theodoro et al (2012) Stonemeal of amazon soils with sediments from reservoirs- a case study of
remineralization of the tucurui degraded land for agroforestry reclamation
Campe, J. The Potential of Remineralization as a Global Movement. 2nd Brazilian Stonemeal Conference
May 12th to May 17th, 2013 - Poços de Caldas/Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Goreau, T.J., Goreau M., Lufkin F., Arango C.A., Despaigne-Matchett G., Despaigne-Ceballos G., Solis R.,
Campe J. Basalt Powder Restores Soil Fertility and Greatly Accelerates Tree Growth on Impoverished
Tropical Soils in Panama. Symposium on Soil Ecology and Restoration August 22 2011
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0924-hance_bhagwat.html#sthash.qUYxBq8u.dpbs
Connelly, G. (n.d.). Costa Rica Agroforestry Project: Food, Fuel and Income to Sustain Local Communities.
Available at http://remineralize.org/costa-rica-remineralization-for-sustainable-living
Michel de Galbert, Fabian Schmidt-Pramov, Gerhard Dieterle and Gunnar Larson (2013). Widening the
scope of forest-based mitigation options in the tropics:The roles of forests in substituting for fossil
energy sources and moving towards a greener economy. Available at:
www.unece.org_uploads_pics_Widening_the_scope_of_forest_based_mitigation_-_June_2013
Thomas J. Goreau, Marina Goreau, Felix Lufkin, Carlos A. Arango, Gabriel Despaigne-Matchett, Gabriel
Despaigne-Ceballos, Roque Solis, & Joanna Campe (2011). Basalt Powder Restores Soil Fertility and
Greatly Accelerates Tree Growth on Impoverished Tropical Soils in Panama. Symposium on Soil Ecology
and Restoration, 38 pg.
Pictures
1. Agroforestry (slides 4 and 7)
http://www.sitiosemente.com/
2. Agroforestry (slide 8)
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0924hance_bhagwat.html#sthash.qUYxBq8u.dpbs
3. Agroforestry project in Bahia (slide 16) Theodoro,
S.H. (2009) Apaca: Arranjo Produtivo Agroecologico
em Comunidades de Afrodescendentes. Relatorio
Final, Brasilia, 48pg.
4. Acacia Magnum
(http://www.kew.org/files/styles/content_wysiwyg_
medium/public/assets/PPCONT_010847.jpg?itok=lo
cP8yu3 )