Factores que influenciam a adopção de sistemas agroflorestais pelos agricultores do distrito de Marracuene, Maputo- Moçambique

Abstract

Agroforestry systems (AFS) are land-use and natural resource management systems that integrate, either simultaneously or sequentially, tree species with agricultural crops and/or livestock within the same area, based on ecological and socioeconomic principles. The integration of tree species into agricultural land improves soil structure and water retention capacity, enhancing the resilience of agricultural ecosystems to extreme climatic events such as droughts and heavy rains. This study aimed to assess the level of adoption of AFS by farmers in Marracuene District. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews and direct field observations on farmers’ plots. A total of 200 farmers participated, distributed across two communities: Bobole (78) and Massinga (122). The results show that the main drivers of AFS adoption are income diversification (64%), soil fertility improvement (30%), and increased productivity (6%). The rejection of AFS is associated with limiting factors such as lack of knowledge (42%), lack of technical assistance (34%), lack of financial resources (16%), and preference for traditional practices (8%). Major barriers to implementation include complex management requirements (52%), lack of markets for products (25%), conflicts with traditional practices (12%), and the need for additional labor (11%). In Marracuene district, two main types of AFS were identified: agrosilvicultural systems (90.77%), which combine agricultural crops with tree and/or shrub species, and agrosilvopastoral systems (9.23%), which integrate crops, woody species, and livestock rearing