Socio-environmental contradictions in carbon mitigation processes in agroforestry systems

Agroforestry has allowed, in multiple regions of the world to improve agricultural production systems, contributing to food sovereignty, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Maize, coffee and cattle systems are essential activities in southern Mexico. In Chiapas, s...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Soto-Pinto, Lorena, Jiménez-Ferrer, Guillermo
Formato: Online
Lenguaje:spa
Publicado: Instituto de Ecología, A.C. 2018
Acceso en línea:https://myb.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/myb/article/view/e2401887
Descripción
Sumario:Agroforestry has allowed, in multiple regions of the world to improve agricultural production systems, contributing to food sovereignty, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Maize, coffee and cattle systems are essential activities in southern Mexico. In Chiapas, some agroforestry experiences for carbon mitigation stand out because of their multifunctionality: they simultaneously produce food, forestry goods and ecosystem functions. Mitigation projects present constraints and trade-offs for implementation and continuity, although these systems have showed the importance of trees for mitigating greenhouse gases. The aim of this work is to discuss the trade-offs of agroforestry carbon mitigation projects. Agroforestry systems contain important amounts of carbon in soil and biomass, live and dead. From the point of view of food and timber production, as well as species conservation and ecosystem functions, small-scale agroforestry systems are strategic. However, from the farmer’s perspective, there are concerns in the context participation, benefits, requirements and labor investments. Trade-offs are important elements to be taken into account for the design of agroforestry systems and ecosystem service programs. To the extent that these processes are understood, there will be greater possibilities of success, with local and global benefits.