ANALYSIS OF AGROFORESTRY RESEARCH IN MEXICO: A BIBLIOMETRIC APPROACH

Abstract

The world is currently confronted with a complex task involving the sustainable balance of food production and long-term consumption. One way to face this challenge is through agroforestry systems (ASF). At the national level, there is relevant information on the subject; however, few studies have attempted to analyze trends in agroforestry scientific development over time. In this sense, it was proposed that the number of ASF publications related to food security and natural resource conservation increase on an annual basis. The objective of the present study was to perform a quantitative analysis of agroforestry research published between 1990 and 2022 from Web of Science in Mexico with a bibliometric approach. There were 204 publications related to agroforestry systems, recording an increase of 86 % in the last decade. Among the scientific journals analyzed, Agroforestry Systems and Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine registered the highest number of publications and citations. The most frequent terms mentioned in publications over 32 years were the relationship between the effects of ASF on crops, traditional management, local knowledge, and the conservation of natural resources. The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) is the institution with the highest number of research works on the subject, mainly by scientists Alejandro Casas Fernandez and Isabel Moreno Calles, both individually and collaboratively. In conclusion, the number of publications on ASF increased during the time period studied, primarily in the area of food security.