Sustainability indicators, alternative strategies and trade-offs in peasant agroecosystems: analysing 15 case studies from Latin America
Por:
Astier M., Speelman E.N., López-Ridaura S., Masera O.R., Gonzalez-Esquivel C.E.
Publicada:
1 ene 2011
Resumen:
In view of the urgent need to improve agroecosystem sustainability, several efforts have been made to evaluate the effect of alternative strategies on key environmental and socioeconomic variables at the farm, community and regional levels. Most peasant farmers manage complex and diverse agroecosystems, and constantly adapt management strategies with multiple aims. A sustainability evaluation framework for peasant systems has been applied in over 40 case studies in Latin America, from which 15 were analysed, focusing on the choice of indicators, the effect of alternative strategies on agroecosystem sustainability and the trade-offs involved. Common indicators include yields, income, agrodiversity and external input dependence. Alternative strategies include crop/product diversification and soil conservation practices. Yields, income and agrodiversity improved in most cases, but in some cases the establishment costs increased external input use. Trade-offs observed include improved perf
Filiaciones:
Astier M.:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Ctr Invest Geog Ambiental, Morelia 58190, Michoacan, Mexico
Speelman E.N.:
Biological Farming Systems, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, Netherlands
López-Ridaura S.:
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR Innovation, Campus de la Gaillarde 2, place Viala 34060, Montpellier, France
Masera O.R.:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Ctr Invest Ecosistemas, Morelia 58190, Michoacan, Mexico
Gonzalez-Esquivel C.E.:
InCrops Enterprise Hub, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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