Agroforestry performance on small farms in Amazonia: Findings from the Rondonia Agroforestry Pilot Project

Abstract

This article reports on the success of an agroforestry pilot project first begun in 1992. Overall, there is a high rate of success in adoption and in linking producers to markets, with particularly high sustainability rates among fruit trees and some hardwood varieties. Among the failed experimental plots, the role of social factors in planting, harvesting, and overall performance are discussed in detail. It is indicated that these social factors are key to long term sustainability for small-holder agroforestry.