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 Periodical article |
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| Title: | Sustainable Agricultural Land Use and Farmers' Participation in Agroforestry Technology in Zambia |
| Author: | Lado, Cleophas |
| Year: | 1994 |
| Periodical: | Eastern and Southern Africa Geographical Journal |
| Volume: | 5 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Period: | July |
| Pages: | 18-27 |
| Language: | English |
| Notes: | biblio. refs., ills. |
| Geographic terms: | Zambia Central Africa |
| Subjects: | popular participation farmers land use agricultural land forestry Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Development and Technology Agriculture, Agronomy, Forestry agroforestry sustainable development |
| Abstract: | The need for agroforestry technology development in Kasama, northern Zambia, became apparent in the mid-1980s, when increasingly erratic rainfall, combined with rising population pressure, growing need for firewood leading to forest depletion, declining soil fertility and crop production began to inflict serious damage to this previously fertile maize-growing area. It was assumed that agroforestry would improve the 'chitemene' (shifting cultivation) agricultural land use system. A study was carried out in 1989-1990 to assess farmers' participation in agrisilviculture as a component of agroforestry technology involving the growing of tree species (hedgerows) with cassava, maize and pigeon pea as food crops. A participatory research approach was adopted. The 'trial farmers' were found to be most willing to experiment. In this respect it is important that the farmers involved in technology generation and development research are motivated to innovate, while at the same time they should be representative of the target group in terms of available key resources (land, capital, labour and skills). When designing agroforestry technologies, attention should be paid to a number of specific issues. These include measures to improve farmers' socioeconomic conditions, the choice of agroforestry packages which are offered and the institutional backup provided, as well as future research. Bibliogr., sum. |