Impacto del Sistema Agroforestal Kuxur Rum en la sostenibilidad de los medios de vida de las familias rurales en Camotán y Jocotán, Guatemala

Posada Quinteros Karla Edith. 2012. Impacto del Sistema Agroforestal Kuxur Rum en la sostenibilidad de los medios de vida de las familias rurales en Camotán y Jocotán, Guatemala. Turrialba : CATIE, 164 p. Tesis Magister : Scientiae. Socioeconomía ambiental : Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Ensenanza

Résumé : Agriculture in Guatemala is the main source of food supply for households. In this country 51% of the population is living in poverty and this condition is conducive to social and environmental vulnerability of people. Poverty is widespread in rural areas where subsistence farming is generally practiced. In seeking ways to survive, families adopt unsustainable practices for the management of natural resources leading to communities to a downward spiral or vicious cycle of poverty increased, decreased quality of life, increased ecological and social vulnerability and low availability of food, and resources to acquire them. Our research aims to compare agricultural production systems without trees combined with crops in relation to the Agroforestry System referred to as Kuxur Rum SAK (my damp earth) which combines arrangements of scattered trees with crops of maize (Zea spp) and beans (Phaseoluss spp.), and farming practices such as no burning, no slashing, selective pruning of trees, permanent soil cover through the deposition of tree biomass as mulch, and crop residues. The comparison focuses on the contribution of the systems to reduce the environmental and social vulnerability, and contributing to the livelihoods of families in Camotán and Jocotán. These towns, which belong to the department of Chiquimula, have been classified with a high level of poverty, and where problems occur such as child malnutrition, climatic stress (drought), and economic crisis. The study combines qualitative and quantitative techniques to obtain information through a semi-structured interview, in addition to detailed case studies with several families to share their experiences in the use and management of SAK. The results show that the association of multipurpose trees, non-burning and sustainable management of maize and beans provides elements that strengthen the response capacity of families in times of climate shocks and crisis, through diversification of livelihoods strategies to meet the needs of households and help reduce environmental degradation such as soil erosion. It also identified that the land is a key factor for producers to innovate and adapt the SAK, the families who usually have land titles have higher adoption of SAK compared to those without. It was found that the preference for the SAK was important for supplying firewood for cooking and there was less dependence on the forest for firewood, and this resulted in savings from not purchasing firewood as well as an increased participation of women in other productive activities especially since they do not have to engage time in harvesting and transport firewood from distant areas. On the other hand. families who do not have SAK obtained most of firewood from the forest leading to greater environmental degradation. It was determined that both types of systems do not generate enough gross income to the household from the direct sale of corn and beans, however it was found that the SAK is a cultivated agroecosystem that provides income and a number of intangible benefits that contribute to the reduction of social and environmental vulnerability.

Classification Agris : K10 - Production forestière
F08 - Systèmes et modes de culture
E80 - Économie familiale et artisanale
P40 - Météorologie et climatologie

Auteurs et affiliations

• Posada Quinteros Karla Edith, CATIE (CRI)

Source : Cirad - Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/575304/)

Métriques

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