Sa. Vosti et al., POLICY ISSUES IN AGROFORESTRY - TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION AND REGIONAL-INTEGRATION IN THE WESTERN BRAZILIAN AMAZON, Agroforestry systems, 38(1-3), 1997, pp. 195-222
Agroforestry systems (AFS) have received much attention from policymak
ers and others for their perceived ability to contribute significantly
to economic growth, poverty alleviation, and environmental sustainabi
lity. Yet in many areas of the developing world where AFS have proven
their agronomic potential, they have yet to be widely adopted. This pa
per approaches the issue with a focus on one such area - the western B
razilian Amazon, an area where economic integration within the region
itself, across national boundaries, and between the region and the res
t of Brazil ('regional integration') may soon vastly shift incentives
to natural resource users. The paper addresses AFS adoption via a conc
eptual framework that argues for scrutinizing agronomic and socioecono
mic characteristics of AFS and their potential adopters. This framewor
k facilitates a priori assessment of whether specific AFS will be adop
ted, and if so, by whom and with what likely impact on the development
objectives at hand. It highlights characteristics that lend socioecon
omic and agronomic 'agility' - connoting flexibility to easily shift p
roduction systems and accompanying marketing strategies in response to
unforeseen or rapid change (due to qualities of the AFS itself, or th
e producer). Financial performance indicators (net present value of AF
S during establishment and for the life of a project, and years to pos
itive cash flow) are presented for selected AFS, and juxtaposed to a l
ivestock production system that is already gaining wide adoption in th
e area. This juxtaposition illustrates the practical effects of socioe
conomic and agronomic characteristics posited as influential. Against
this backdrop, trends in 'regional integration' are discussed, along w
ith implications this integration process has for AFS adoption. The pa
per ends with a discussion of the roles and limitations of policy in p
romoting AFS adoption.