Farmer strategies for tree crop diversification in the humid tropics. A review

• Published in: Agronomy for sustainable development Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 139 - 154
• Main Authors: Schroth, Götz, Ruf, François
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Springer-Verlag 01.01.2014; Springer Paris; EDP Sciences; Springer Verlag/EDP Sciences/INRA
• Subjects: Agricultural sciences; Agriculture; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Asia; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; capital; Central Africa; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; continuous cropping; crops; decision making; Ecology, environment; education; Environment and sustainable development; environmental degradation; family size; farm families; farmers; farms; food security; forests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; humid tropics; income; issues and policy; labor; Latin America; Life Sciences; markets; nongovernmental organizations; Pacific Ocean Islands; planting; Review Article; risk; Soil Science & Conservation; Sustainable Development; trees; Western Africa; Western Africa; Pacific Ocean Islands; Central Africa; Asia; Latin America; I, Central Pacific, Pacific Ocean Is; ASE, Africa; INW, Asia; Africa; Risk avoidance; Landscape; Forest rent; Environmental degradation; Global climate change; Livelihood security; Boom-and-bust cycles; Livelihood; Forestrent; Review; Diversification; Tropical climate; Sustainable development; Dynamical climatology; Climate change; Ecological damage; Agronomy; Global change; Tree; Humid climate; Farmer

Many tree crop farms in the tropics are in a process of crop diversification, even in regions that have traditionally been dominated by a single tree crop species. Here, we review the factors that drive diversification and that influence farmer choices. We analyze recent literature from tropical Lat...