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Agroforestry System

Agroforestry structures are land control practices in which wood and shrubs are produced in the same land area as agricultural plants or farm animals. Thus, agroforestry structures integrate timber, plants, or farm animals to growth range, productivity, profitability, and environmental stewardship. Therefore, agroforestry structures can provide sustainable opportunities for biological simplification or low-range planting structures.

Agroforestry is an agricultural and forestry system that tries to balance different needs:

1) to supply timber for wood and different industrial purposes;

2) to supply a diverse, adequate supply of nutritious foods each to satisfy worldwide demand and to meet the needs of the manufacturers themselves; and

3) to ensure the safety of the natural surroundings in order that it maintains to offer assets and environmental offerings to satisfy the wishes of the existing generations and people to come.

THIS AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM BLOG IS ABOUT ALLEY CROPPING.

Alley cropping is an agroforestry practice that places trees within agricultural cropland systems. This system is sometimes called intercropping, especially in tropical areas. It is especially attractive to producers interested in growing multiple crops on the same acreage to improve whole-farm yield. Growing a variety of crops in close proximity to each other can create significant benefits to producers and help them manage risk. Alley cropping systems change over time. As trees and shrubs grow, they influence the light, water, and nutrient regimes in the field.

ALLEY CROPPING SYSTEM

Information about from a study conducted by BS Forestry students:

The locale of the Study is Alley cropping located in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte in Barangay Dilavo.

The chosen agroforestry system is alley cropping where the agroforestry farm is located we obtained from the barangay through the barangay officials. The site is 25 hectares in total and the brgy official said that this was awarded by DENR Integrated social forestry and they made use of the land as an agroforestry land.

COMPONENTS OF THE AREA

AGRICULTURAL CROPS

Onion

Garlic

Amplaya

Squash

Okra

Sitaw

FORESTRY CROPS

Narra

Mahogany

The physiographic characteristics is located in the mountain where the agricultural crops are planted.

Strength of the agroforestry farm that we have chosen is that the hedgerow has the ability to minimize erosion.

Disadvantage of the Brgy. Officials said that one disadvantage of alley cropping is that additional labor is required to prune/coppice the trees.

In this study, after analysis of the data, the students formulated a strategic plan for the site:

VISION

Convert the weaknesses and how to sustain the strengths of the agroforestry farm

GOALS

1. Improve the quality of the agroforestry farm over time, in ways that will optimize environmental, economic, habitat, food and social benefits to the city and its neighborhood.

2. Maintain and conserve appropriate forest and agricultural crops in a healthy condition through good management and cultural practices

OBJECTIVES

1. Develop a forest and agricultural crops removal and replacement program for poor tree stocks and for diseases and inappropriate trees or agricultural crops.

ACTIONS

1. Develop parameters and create a rating system for evaluating and prioritizing forest and agricultural crops for removal.

2. Secure funding for the program

3. Practice proper pruning

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SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES IN AGROFORESTRY

Soil conservation has become an important aspect of land use, and it is aided by a social and economic climate that encourages the preservation and improvement of soil capital. The ultimate goal of soil conservation is to acquire the highest level of sustained output from a given area of land while keeping soil loss below a threshold level that allows the natural rate of soil formation to keep pace with the rate of soil erosion.

Below are information from the BS Forestry students’ study on the same Agro-farm.

The farmers do riprapping in the area because it is slope and the soil texture is sandy soil, which it has higher or faster to erode because they do not have attachment. Therefore it easily pass through it means it has less resistance to soil erosion.

The concerns/issues of the farmer in relation to the use of SWC’s are the price of “garami” they are using in mulching. Based on our interview, they have been shortage in garami because of its price that is very high. Thus, higher inputs and greater cost is needed.

Recent research show that SWC's are effective in addressing the scarcity of water and soil erosion. SWC's reduces soil loss, trapping a significant quantity of water improving soil moisture. Mostly it is effective on low rainfall areas to help them conserve water and soil erosion. Like for example using riprapping, this was established to protect the soil against the impacts of the raindrops, trap the sediments and reduces the velocity of water. Thus, this will help to prevent and reduce soil loss and soil erosion.

One of the weakness of this SWC measure is that over mulching can bury and suffocate plants. Mulch provides a convenient hiding place for pests. Bake your plants with excess heat if done incorrectly

We have successfully manage to know what is the SWC measure used in Agro farm in Dilavo, Pasuquin which is the mulching. And the problem we have noticed is the shortage of the stocks of garami because of its high price including the transportation they need to use in order to have those garami. Another key role of mulching is to smother grass and weeds around your tree, preventing them from competing for nutrients and water.

It is essential for us students to know the kinds of SWC’s measures that farmers perform in Ilocos Norte. Engaging in these type of resesrch will allow us to gain knowledge and understanding the importance of agroforestry system specially the system that they are using in the farm.

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