Analysis of family agroforestry production units in the altiplano Potosino, Mexico

Abstract

Objective:

To understand how small producers perceive their agroforestry production unit (UPAF) from a social, economic, environmental, and technical context.

Design/methodology/approach:

A non-experimental qualitative analysis of the UPAF was performed. The information was collected through semi-structured interviews, participatory direct observation, and a field diary. The information was analyzed through codification, categorization, and the development of comparative and descriptive tables between the two municipalities and among the peasant families.

Results:

The UPAF provide socioeconomic, environmental, and technical-productive benefits to the producers who adopted and adapted the agroforestry system. Two factors influenced the adoption of the technology: age and technical monitoring.

Limitations on study/implications:

The main limitation of the present study was the small number of agroforestry production units and the specificity of the project, which restricts the generalization of results.

Findings/conclusions:

Agroforestry production units are consistent with the peasant economy, because they meet several of its characteristics: family productive unit, partial mercantile nature, undivided family work, way of playing with risk and belonging to a group. Therefore, these types of agroecological alternatives are viable for farmers.