Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices: Insights from Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia

In Colombia, one-third of the land is devoted to cattle farming, which is one of the main drivers of deforestation, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and emissions of greenhouses gases. To mitigate the environmental impacts of cattle farming, agroforestry practices have been extensively promot...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Roberto Jara-Rojas, Soraya Russy, Lisandro Roco, David Fleming-Muñoz, Alejandra Engler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
Series:Forests
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/6/648
_version_ 1797565948055519232
author Roberto Jara-Rojas
Soraya Russy
Lisandro Roco
David Fleming-Muñoz
Alejandra Engler
author_facet Roberto Jara-Rojas
Soraya Russy
Lisandro Roco
David Fleming-Muñoz
Alejandra Engler
author_sort Roberto Jara-Rojas
collection DOAJ
description In Colombia, one-third of the land is devoted to cattle farming, which is one of the main drivers of deforestation, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and emissions of greenhouses gases. To mitigate the environmental impacts of cattle farming, agroforestry practices have been extensively promoted with mixed results. Despite research and extension efforts over the last 20-year period, agroforestry systems still involve a complex knowledge process among stakeholders that needs to be addressed. To understand the drivers of cattle farmers’ behavior with regard to adopting agroforestry practices, we apply a double hurdle regression for different social, economic and productive information to capture the decision to adopt and the intensity of the adoption as a joint decision of such practices. For this purpose, we use data from a survey (implemented as part of an international project) administered to 1605 cattle farmers located in five agro-ecological regions in Colombia. Our dependent variables are defined by the adoption of four agroforestry practices: scattered trees, trees and shrubs for forage production, forestry plantations, and management of native forest. The adoption decision of agroforestry practices was influenced by the access and use of credit, location, and the implemented livestock system. Herd size and participation in development projects that involved tree planting had a positive influence on the adoption and intensity of agroforestry practices, while the variable associated with presence of water springs tended to boost the intensity of adoption. The diffusion of these technologies might be increased among farmers who have adopted and who are potential adopters, and social capital and networking can play a crucial role in spreading agroforestry as sustainable practice.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T19:20:03Z
format Article
id doaj.art-97d4868dc6e344a3a59b059cf28015b9
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1999-4907
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T19:20:03Z
publishDate 2020-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Forests
spelling doaj.art-97d4868dc6e344a3a59b059cf28015b92023-11-20T03:04:38ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072020-06-0111664810.3390/f11060648Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices: Insights from Silvopastoral Systems of ColombiaRoberto Jara-Rojas0Soraya Russy1Lisandro Roco2David Fleming-Muñoz3Alejandra Engler4Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, ChileDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, ChileInstitute of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, ChileCSIRO, Brisbane 4179, AustraliaDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, ChileIn Colombia, one-third of the land is devoted to cattle farming, which is one of the main drivers of deforestation, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and emissions of greenhouses gases. To mitigate the environmental impacts of cattle farming, agroforestry practices have been extensively promoted with mixed results. Despite research and extension efforts over the last 20-year period, agroforestry systems still involve a complex knowledge process among stakeholders that needs to be addressed. To understand the drivers of cattle farmers’ behavior with regard to adopting agroforestry practices, we apply a double hurdle regression for different social, economic and productive information to capture the decision to adopt and the intensity of the adoption as a joint decision of such practices. For this purpose, we use data from a survey (implemented as part of an international project) administered to 1605 cattle farmers located in five agro-ecological regions in Colombia. Our dependent variables are defined by the adoption of four agroforestry practices: scattered trees, trees and shrubs for forage production, forestry plantations, and management of native forest. The adoption decision of agroforestry practices was influenced by the access and use of credit, location, and the implemented livestock system. Herd size and participation in development projects that involved tree planting had a positive influence on the adoption and intensity of agroforestry practices, while the variable associated with presence of water springs tended to boost the intensity of adoption. The diffusion of these technologies might be increased among farmers who have adopted and who are potential adopters, and social capital and networking can play a crucial role in spreading agroforestry as sustainable practice.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/6/648agroforestry practiceslivestock systemsadoptionconservationhurdle model
spellingShingle Roberto Jara-Rojas
Soraya Russy
Lisandro Roco
David Fleming-Muñoz
Alejandra Engler
Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices: Insights from Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia
Forests
agroforestry practices
livestock systems
adoption
conservation
hurdle model
title Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices: Insights from Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia
title_full Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices: Insights from Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia
title_fullStr Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices: Insights from Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia
title_full_unstemmed Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices: Insights from Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia
title_short Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices: Insights from Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia
title_sort factors affecting the adoption of agroforestry practices insights from silvopastoral systems of colombia
topic agroforestry practices
livestock systems
adoption
conservation
hurdle model
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/6/648
work_keys_str_mv AT robertojararojas factorsaffectingtheadoptionofagroforestrypracticesinsightsfromsilvopastoralsystemsofcolombia
AT sorayarussy factorsaffectingtheadoptionofagroforestrypracticesinsightsfromsilvopastoralsystemsofcolombia
AT lisandroroco factorsaffectingtheadoptionofagroforestrypracticesinsightsfromsilvopastoralsystemsofcolombia
AT davidflemingmunoz factorsaffectingtheadoptionofagroforestrypracticesinsightsfromsilvopastoralsystemsofcolombia
AT alejandraengler factorsaffectingtheadoptionofagroforestrypracticesinsightsfromsilvopastoralsystemsofcolombia