The Agroforestry Heritage System of Sabana De Morro in El Salvador
Traditional agroforestry systems are recognized as having great importance for providing multiple benefits for local communities all over the world, especially in tropical countries. Thanks to their multifunctional role, they can support small farmers, contribute to hydrogeological risk reduction, w...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/7/747 |
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| author | Antonio Santoro Ever Alexis Martinez Aguilar Martina Venturi Francesco Piras Federica Corrieri Juan Rosa Quintanilla Mauro Agnoletti |
| author_facet | Antonio Santoro Ever Alexis Martinez Aguilar Martina Venturi Francesco Piras Federica Corrieri Juan Rosa Quintanilla Mauro Agnoletti |
| author_sort | Antonio Santoro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Traditional agroforestry systems are recognized as having great importance for providing multiple benefits for local communities all over the world, especially in tropical countries. Thanks to their multifunctional role, they can support small farmers, contribute to hydrogeological risk reduction, water regulation, preservation of soil, agrobiodiversity and landscape, as well as being examples of mitigation and adaptation towards climate change. The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) aims to identify agricultural systems of global importance, preserving landscape, agrobiodiversity and traditional knowledge, through dynamic conservation principles. The Sabana de Morro is a traditional agroforestry system located in El Salvador based on cattle grazing in pastures with the presence of <i>Crescentia alata</i> and <i>Crescentia cujete</i> trees, locally called Morro or Jícaro. We documented the main characteristics of this system, that has never been deeply studied, in the Municipality of Dolores, in accordance with the five GIAHS criteria, and through detailed land use mapping, to assess the relations between landscape structure, agrobiodiversity and traditional silvopastoral practices. Sabana de Morro proved to be based on strong interactions between trees, cattle and farmers. The pulp of the Morro fruits is eaten by grazing cattle, completing their feeding and giving a peculiar taste to the locally produced cheese. Morro trees provide shade for the animals while cattle contribute by spreading their seeds that also take advantage of the manure. Results show that this agroforestry system contributes to the preservation of a rich agrobiodiversity and of the traditional landscape. At the same time, it supports local farmers’ livelihood and is consistent with the aim of the GIAHS programme, even if further surveys and research are needed to assess the real possibility of the inclusion in this FAO programme. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:35:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be1b41e4059f44cc87b372498c4bbd38 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:35:55Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-be1b41e4059f44cc87b372498c4bbd382023-11-20T06:18:21ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072020-07-0111774710.3390/f11070747The Agroforestry Heritage System of Sabana De Morro in El SalvadorAntonio Santoro0Ever Alexis Martinez Aguilar1Martina Venturi2Francesco Piras3Federica Corrieri4Juan Rosa Quintanilla5Mauro Agnoletti6Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, ItalyFacultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de El Salvador, 1101 San Salvador, El SalvadorDepartment of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, ItalyDepartment of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, ItalyDepartment of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, ItalyFacultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de El Salvador, 1101 San Salvador, El SalvadorDepartment of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, ItalyTraditional agroforestry systems are recognized as having great importance for providing multiple benefits for local communities all over the world, especially in tropical countries. Thanks to their multifunctional role, they can support small farmers, contribute to hydrogeological risk reduction, water regulation, preservation of soil, agrobiodiversity and landscape, as well as being examples of mitigation and adaptation towards climate change. The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) aims to identify agricultural systems of global importance, preserving landscape, agrobiodiversity and traditional knowledge, through dynamic conservation principles. The Sabana de Morro is a traditional agroforestry system located in El Salvador based on cattle grazing in pastures with the presence of <i>Crescentia alata</i> and <i>Crescentia cujete</i> trees, locally called Morro or Jícaro. We documented the main characteristics of this system, that has never been deeply studied, in the Municipality of Dolores, in accordance with the five GIAHS criteria, and through detailed land use mapping, to assess the relations between landscape structure, agrobiodiversity and traditional silvopastoral practices. Sabana de Morro proved to be based on strong interactions between trees, cattle and farmers. The pulp of the Morro fruits is eaten by grazing cattle, completing their feeding and giving a peculiar taste to the locally produced cheese. Morro trees provide shade for the animals while cattle contribute by spreading their seeds that also take advantage of the manure. Results show that this agroforestry system contributes to the preservation of a rich agrobiodiversity and of the traditional landscape. At the same time, it supports local farmers’ livelihood and is consistent with the aim of the GIAHS programme, even if further surveys and research are needed to assess the real possibility of the inclusion in this FAO programme.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/7/747agricultural heritage<i>Crescentia alata</i><i>morro</i>GIAHSEl Salvadortraditional agroforestry |
| spellingShingle | Antonio Santoro Ever Alexis Martinez Aguilar Martina Venturi Francesco Piras Federica Corrieri Juan Rosa Quintanilla Mauro Agnoletti The Agroforestry Heritage System of Sabana De Morro in El Salvador Forests agricultural heritage <i>Crescentia alata</i> <i>morro</i> GIAHS El Salvador traditional agroforestry |
| title | The Agroforestry Heritage System of Sabana De Morro in El Salvador |
| title_full | The Agroforestry Heritage System of Sabana De Morro in El Salvador |
| title_fullStr | The Agroforestry Heritage System of Sabana De Morro in El Salvador |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Agroforestry Heritage System of Sabana De Morro in El Salvador |
| title_short | The Agroforestry Heritage System of Sabana De Morro in El Salvador |
| title_sort | agroforestry heritage system of sabana de morro in el salvador |
| topic | agricultural heritage <i>Crescentia alata</i> <i>morro</i> GIAHS El Salvador traditional agroforestry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/7/747 |
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