In Central Africa, the acacia-manioc agroforestry system is an effective means of combating the main causes of deforestation, namely slash-and-burn agriculture and collection of illegal woodfuel from natural forests.
Several studies have highlighted the profitability of the agroforestry system, which can provide improved manioc yields, possibilities for honey production, and charcoal income.
However, this profitability is impacted by several local variables, such as dependence on traditional methods, land insecurity, farmers’ level of education, and others.
To compare the economic profitability of the acacia-manioc agroforestry system with the traditional cultivation system, a socioeconomic analysis is needed for the specific context of the Batéké Plateau area of the Republic of Congo. The study site is located in the Ibina and Oka zones, located in the northern part of the Batéké Plateau.
Acacias auriculiformis is planted there to produce charcoal and Acacias mangium for timber production. The acacia-manioc and charcoal agroforestry system has been in place since 2018 on the ‘Ibina’ and ‘OKA2’ zones, where more than 600 hectares of trees under agroforestry are planted each year.
Three outcomes will be measured:
- The growth of Acacia auriculiformis trees, whether associated or not with manioc plants and manioc production (in the 1st rotation and then from the 2nd rotation after tree fallow), by measuring the number of tubers per plant, their size and their weight
- The economic performance of the manioc value chain, which will be established based on quantitative information gathered at each link in the chain (cost structure of production, processing, transport and marketing)
- The social and environmental impact of this new agroforestry approach
Each outcome will be evaluated based on the agroforestry system and will be compared to those from the traditional itinerant system of manioc cultivation.
Evaluating these outcomes will help increase knowledge on the performance of the agroforestry system, with a view to implementing it on a larger scale to fight the degradation/deforestation of the Batéké Plateau in the Republic of Congo and thereby improve the economic conditions of Congolese farmers.
