Exploring constraints and incentives for the adoption of agroforestry practices on degraded cropland in Uzbekistan

• Published in: Journal of environmental planning and management Vol. 59; no. 1; pp. 142 - 162
• Main Authors: Djalilov, Begzod M., Khamzina, Asia, Hornidge, Anna-Katharina, Lamers, John P. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02.01.2016; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Afforestation; Agricultural land; Agroforestry; arid lands; Arid zones; Clean Development Mechanism; Constraint modelling; cropland; Decision analysis; Decision making; decision support systems; Decision trees; decision-making process; Documents; ecological restoration; Economics; ethnographic decision tree; Ethnography; ex ante analysis; ex ante assessment; Farmers; Farming; Farms; Forestry; Incentives; irrigated farming; issues and policy; Land tenure; Land titles; Land use; Legal documents; Perception; Perceptions; Plantations; Policies; Reforestation; Rehabilitation; Risk; Risk perception; Studies; surveys; Training; Uzbekistan; Webs (structural); Uzbekistan
• ISSN: 1360-0559; 0964-0568; 1360-0559
• DOI: 10.1080/09640568.2014.996283

Agroforestry is often an economically viable land-use option for the environmental rehabilitation of salinized cropping areas in irrigated drylands, but afforestation initiative at the farm level is subject to various socio-political constraints. We analyzed the factors that affect farmer decisions with respect to the agroforestry adoption using an ex ante approach through Ethnographic Decision Tree Modeling (EDTM). Constraints on agroforestry adoption were identified via a review of legal documents, focus-group discussions, and a farm survey in northwest Uzbekistan. The findings highlighted the importance of farmer perceptions of risk with respect to decision making surrounding the adoption of alternative land uses. The EDTM analysis allowed determining those policy incentives for afforestation that could directly influence the decision-making process of potential participants. In particular, there is a need for increased land-use flexibility, improved land tenure and tree plantation proprietorship security, increased awareness raising and training in agroforestry practices, and greater institutional support.