Coffea arabica

Shaded-Coffee: A Nature-Based Strategy for Coffee Production Under Climate Change? A Review

Background

Coffee agroforestry systems are a natural climate solution that are used to reduce the impact of coffee cultivation on ecosystem health. Coffee generates over $200 billion in income globally each year, so ensuring the efficiency and success of cultivation is crucial for human livelihood. Coffee agroforestry systems are often variable, and there lacks a compiled knowledge base about these systems and practices.

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The Embedded Agroecology of Coffee Agroforestry: A Contextualized Review of Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption and Resistance

Background

Agroforestry crops are known to provide many benefits to both people and nature. Implementing agroforestry practices can be complex and requires improvement in certain regions and practices. Coffee agroforestry is not widely adopted and there is a lack of knowledge about the implementation of agroforestry techniques for coffee production.

Goals and Methods

The authors conduct a literature review including coffee production in Colombia, Malawi, and Uganda to understand their perceptions of coffee agroforestry, decisions on implementation, local policies, and capacity to adopt new practices.

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Towards integrated pest and pollinator management in tropical crops

Background

Insect-mediated services such as pollination and pest control are important for agriculture. Nearly 75% of the worlds’ crops depend on animal pollination. Overuse of pesticide impacting the health of agricultural landscapes and animal species is a growing concern. Integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM) co-manages pollination and pest control with preventative and biodiversity-based practices. However, IPPM is newly conceptualized and remains mostly theoretical.

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Designing pest-suppressive multistrata perennial crop systems: shade-grown coffee in Central America

Background

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Agro-Successional Restoration as a Strategy to Facilitate Tropical Forest Recovery

background

Tropical forest restoration to address resource degradation and climate change is a growing trend in tropical regions. However, a lack of funding and provision for human livelihoods often hinders forest restoration projects. Traditional agroforestry systems are often seen as a way to connect farmers to forest restoration, and the article outlines existing agroforestry models. 

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Agroforestry Adoption in Haiti: The Importance of Household and Farm Characteristics

background

During the last century, the forest cover of Haiti has decreased from 8-10% of total land area to under 2%. This has serious implications for a nation with rapid population growth, 70% of the population living in rural areas, and 63% of the land is steeply sloping. Intensive agriculture on steeply sloping lands without tree cover could lead to topsoil and fertility losses. To combat this problem, the government implemented a USAID-funded agroforestry program to encourage reforestation strategies such as hedgerows, tree seedlings, and top grafting on smallholder farms. 

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A Comparative Assessment on Regeneration Status of Indigenous Woody Plants in Eucalyptus grandis Plantation and Adjacent Natural Forest

background

This study investigates and compares diversity, density and species composition of naturally regenerated woody plants under Eucalyptus grandis plantations and the adjacent natural forest in southwestern Ethiopia.

research goals & methods

Vegetation data was collected from 40 sample plots, 20 in natural forest and 20 in plantations. Within the plots plant species were identified, DBH of all trees measured using a caliper; total heights of larger trees were measured using hypsometer.

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Vinculación entre el sustento de los agricultores, los árboles y el proceso de agua y suelos en las buenas prácticas de gestión de áreas de captación (Linking farmers livelihoods, trees and soils in water catchments management practices)

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Caracterização do Dossel e do Estrato de Regeneração Natural no Sub-Bosque e em Clareiras de Uma Florestal Estacional Semidecidual no Município de Viçosa, MG

The authors analyzed clearings in a forest reserve belonging to the Federal University of Viçosa, MG, to compare the species and composition of clearing and forest understory vegetation. The found that the level of diversity (Shannon index) and species found (n= 69) were similar in the clearings and the understory in the surrounding forest. Coffee (Coffea arabica) and Picramnia regnellii were the most common species in both the clearings and the understory. The authors suggest that the dominance of coffee may be problematic for the regeneration of native species.

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Multifunctional Shade-Tree Management in Tropical Agroforestry Landscapes – A Review

background

This article discusses the benefits of shade systems in the production of cacao and coffee crops, with a particular focus on the long-term cycle of cacao production.

Open access copy available
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