Participatory assessment of coconut-based agroforestry in San Isidro, Bohol

The advent of population pressure, less l and to cultivate and worsening marginal conditions of farmlands are common problem s encountered by farmers in Central Visayas. In response, people resort to either open more timberlands or practice farming systems that would optimize use of limited land resource. One example of the latter is the practice of intercropping or agroforestry in coconut dominated farmlands in San Isidro, Bohol. Using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques, coconut-based agroforestry systems in San Isidro, Bohol were assessed to (i) identify successful systems that could be extrapolated and adapted to other upland areas in the Philippines, and (ii) identify weak components and “links” that could be improved through innovative strategies. It was found that intercropping in coconut-based farms has been practiced for decades now because it increased family income and incurred mutual benefits for intercrops and main crops. The main intercrops include banana, buri, rootcrops and some timber trees. Main farm income was derived from copra sale s. Most work in this farming system is handled by men, while women are more involved in the marketing and sales of the products. Unstable market of the farm produce, infestation and diseases were the prominent problems. The study indicated that intercropping or agroforestry systems could be improved by using more strategic plant combinations, plant densities and planting patterns for the different life stages (and related growth patterns) of the coconut trees. Effective erosion control on sloping fields requires the planting of a combination of tree and field crops, the installation of NVS or other vegetative buffer strips, and the application of organic farming practices (mulching, crop residue recycling, composting) to sustain soil fertility. More in-depth studies are required before potentially best -bet coconut-based agroforestry systems can be identified and extrapolated to other areas.

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