Can agroforestry systems thrive in the drylands? Characteristics of successful agroforestry systems in the arid and semi-arid regions of Latin America

Abstract

Agroforestry systems are a strategy for rural communities to manage environmental change through contributions in agrobiodiversity, livelihood diversity and labour availability, and economic stability. The majority of research in agroforestry has focused on tropical humid and sub-humid environments and the characteristics of agroforestry systems in arid and semi-arid regions have not been extensively documented in Latin American countries. Here, we document the characteristics of replicable, widely practiced agroforestry systems in five climatic regimes across the arid and semi-arid regions of Latin America (dry sub-humid, warm semi-arid, temperate arid, cold arid, and warm arid regions). The research was conducted on 4-6 farms per region using the design and diagnosis method, highlighting that the combination of multi-purpose trees with subsistence crops and livestock is highly context-specific. The analysis was corroborated by semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions on farmers’ perceptions of the challenges and benefits of implementing agroforestry. In general farmers perceive the significant contributions to economic and ecological sustainability, including the improvement of soil fertility and resilience to climate change.