Agroforestry diffusion and secondary forest regeneration in the Brazilian Amazon: Further findings from the Rondônia Agroforesty Pilot Project (1992-2002)

Abstract

This article reports on research conducted on a ten year pilot program for agroforestry in the Amazon. With the aim of studying the effectiveness of agroforestry practices and sustainability as a livelihood method, the experiment allowed for the selection of 50 farms in the Amazonian region, each of which were connected with resources to establish a small plot of trees to produce products with high market potential. After five years, 64% of the original plots remained. Moreover, nearly 18% of farmers nearby had adopted some practices of agroforestry, far above the rate of adoption outside the pilot project area. The study concludes that agroforestry can be sustainably adopted and practiced with minimal outside intervention over the long term.