1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Swiss Red Cross (Swiss Red Cross) - Switzerland

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Agroforestry is a way of incorporating agricultural land combining trees and crops and / or livestock. The technology increases and diversifies production, generating social, economic and environmental benefits. In addition, planted around houses, trees offer hurricane protection.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

In Léogâne, agroforestry systems can be found in home gardens for subsistence and on the northern slopes where it is wetter.
They are often agro-silvo-pastoralist systems, since it includes animal production: For example when land users take their cattle into these small forests and give them old banana trunks to eat. The animal excrement fertilizes the soil.
The objective of agroforestry is the cultivation of edible products while preserving natural resources and reconciling economy with ecology. In contrast to weeded/ ploughed crops, agroforestry does not accelerate soil erosion when applied on slopes and benefits the water regime. Rainwater can better infiltrate, reducing runoff and replenishing groundwater. If applied in watersheds, agroforestry systems not only protect springs, but also villages and cropland downstream.
Agroforestry systems initiate by planting different fruit trees in the home garden. However, land users often profit from the shade of remaining trees of the abundant vegetation that once covered the country and plant fruit trees and cash crops in the understory. Samanea saman, for instance, is a tree that is quite popular for agroforestry; its shape is comparable to an umbrella and protects the crops underneath from the burning sun. The crops most used for agroforestry in Léogâne are banana, coffee, cocoa, pomelo and yam. There is no particular system in which they are established, but they are equally distributed in a forest or field. For maintenance they pull out noxious weeds that compete with the crops, harvest the products and replant if necessary.
Agroforestry has the potential to improve the quantity and quality of springs, stabilise the soil with deep rooted trees, reduce the risk of flooding to downstream areas and offer protection of settlements against hurricanes. Land users appreciate that this technology offers a great diversity of products and year round harvest. Coffee and cocoa, for example, are cash crops and can substantially increase their income. What is not preferred by land users is the time it takes to receive benefits from the first harvest in agroforestry systems.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• more than 50 years ago (traditional)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Before having all cleared, Haitians frequently cultivated using agroforestry systems.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• reduce risk of disasters
• create beneficial economic impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agro-silvopastoralism

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• rainfed

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• agroforestry
• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

M1: from forest to agroforestry, afforestation

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• prevent land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

HTG

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

62.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Plant fruit / forest trees around the house, if there are already some, all the better.	March / April (before big rainy season)
2.	Plant crops between the trees	March / April (before big rainy season)

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Labour	person-days	10.0	200.0	2000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoe	pieces	1.0	5.0	5.0	100.0
Equipment	Pickaxe	pieces	1.0	5.0	5.0	100.0
Equipment	Machete	pieces	1.0	5.0	5.0	100.0
Plant material	Banana tree	cutting	10.0	75.0	750.0	100.0
Plant material	Cacao tree seeds	milk powder tin	0.25	500.0	125.0	100.0
Plant material	Coffee tree seeds	milk powder tin	0.25	500.0	125.0	100.0
Plant material	Coconut tree	cutting	3.0	500.0	1500.0	100.0
Plant material	Mango tree	cutting	1.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Plant material	Papaya tree	cutting	3.0	30.0	90.0	100.0
Other	Coffee for labourers	cup	10.0	25.0	250.0	100.0
Other						11.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					4955.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					79.92

Comments:

Labour: the land users are organized in so-called Konbits, a form of traditional organization of work built around a philosophy based on the bases of mutual aid and the living together of the peasants. The participants in a Konbit do not expect anything from the harvest to which they contributed. The process is completely altruistic, the organizer of the Konbit can offer something as compensation, but the essence of Konbit is the service. In Léogâne the organizer of the Konbit normally offers a cup of coffee per day worked.

Land users have the necessary tools (the 5 HTGs are budgeted as compensation cost for using their own tools).

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Weeding during the first 2 years	First 2x a year and after 2 years only when necessary (about 1 once a year)
2.	Harvest	throughout the year
3.	Cut banana trunks to give cattle	throughout the year
4.	Plant new fruit trees	March / April, frequency depends on the plant

Comments:

During the first 2 years, it is necessary weed. Afterwards, when the trees have grown and there is enough shade, there will almost no weed.

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Labour for maintenance	person-days	50.0	200.0	10000.0	100.0
Equipment	Machete	pieces	1.0	5.0	5.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoe	pieces	1.0	5.0	5.0	100.0
Equipment	Pickaxe	pieces	1.0	5.0	5.0	100.0
Plant material	Cacao tree (economic lifetime +/- 20yrs)	milk powder tin	0.5	500.0	250.0	100.0
Plant material	Coffee tree (economic lifetime +/- 20yrs)	milk powder tin	0.5	500.0	250.0	100.0
Plant material	Papaya tree (economic lifetime +/- 4yrs)	cutting	3.0	30.0	90.0	100.0
Plant material	Coconut tree (economic lifetime +/- 15-60yrs)	cutting	3.0	500.0	1500.0	100.0
Plant material	Mango tree (economic lifetime >100yrs)	cutting	1.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					12205.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					196.85

Comments:

Depending on the crops, there is no need to buy new ones: bananas, for instance, makes seedlings and a mango tree has an economic lifetime of more than 100 years.
Land users have the necessary tools (the 5 HTGs are budgeted as compensation cost for using their own tools).
on de leurs propres outils).

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The price of seeds: If some seeds from the last harvest are kept, there is no need to buy (many) new ones the next season. The price of the seeds varies seasonally. At the time of the harvest prices are low, and in March (beginning of the planting season), they are higher. By planting crops that regrow every season or trees with a long economic life, money can be saved on the cost of seeds.

If the land users take care of their tools, they can last up to 6 years.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Agroforestry systems do not depend on topography.

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Normally the women do the harvest. People of all ages help.

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, not titled

Land use rights:

• open access (unorganized)
• communal (organized)

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)
• communal (organized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
tropical storm	well
local rainstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
landslide	very well

Comments:

Hard to say if seasonal precipitation increases or decreases. However, they vary more strongly than before.

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• single cases/ experimental

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 91-100%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Year-round production
Diversity of production
Increased income through cash crops (coffee, cocoa)

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Conservation of biodiversity
Creation of microclimate
CO2 sequestration
Soil and water conservation
Protecting homes against strong winds
Protection of downstream areas from flooding and siltation

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
The first harvest is late.	This is a big challenge because land users in the area live from hand to mouth. This can be overcome by planting fruit or forest tree seedlings when implementing progressive terraces with vetiver hedges (see documented technology in WOCAT database). In this way, the land user can plant and harvest other crops while waiting for the trees to grow.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Difficult to convince land users because the benefits are rather in the long-term.	It’s necessary to raise the land users’ awareness on all the benefits of this technology.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Ethicable (2013): Pourquoi nous soutenons l'agroforesterie.

URL:

http://www.ethiquable.coop/page-dactualites-mag/pourquoi-nous-soutenons-lagroforesterie