Tropical Homegardens

by Kumar, B. M.; Nair, P. K. R.

• ISBN13: 9781402049477
• ISBN10: 1402049471
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-09-14
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

'Homegardens' are integrated tree - crop - animal production systems, often in small parcels of land surrounding homesteads, and primarily found in tropical environments. These agroforestry systems, developed and nurtured by farmers through generations of innovation and experiment, are often cited as the epitome of sustainability, yet have been long neglected by the scientific community. Today, however, these age-old systems are receiving increasing attention owing to their perceived potential to mitigate environmental problems such as loss of biodiversity and rising levels of atmospheric CO2, while providing significant economic gains, as well as food and nutritional security to their owners. This multi-authored volume contains peer-reviewed chapters from the world's leading researchers and professionals in this topic. It summarizes the current state of knowledge on homegarden systems, with a view to using this knowledge as a basis for improving both homegardens and other similar multistrata agroforestry systems. The book is unique in its exclusive and global coverage of the subject, and constitutes a valuable reference material for students and researchers in the field of agroforestry.

Table of Contents

List of Contributors	vii
Chapter Reviewers	xi
Preface	xiii
Introduction	1	(12)
P.K.R. Nair and B.M. Kumar
Section 1: Historical and Regional Perspectives
Diversity and change in homegarden cultivation in Indonesia	13	(12)
K.F. Wiersum
Urban and homegarden agroforestry in the Pacific islands: Current status and future prospects	25	(18)
R.R. Thaman, C.R. Elevitch, and J. Kennedy
Amazonian homegardens: Their ethnohistory and potential contribution to agroforestry development	43	(18)
R.P. Miller, J.W. Penn, Jr., and J. van Leeuwen
Homegardens of Mesoamerica: Biodiversity, food security, and nutrient management	61	(26)
F. Montagnini
Section 2: Structure, Function, and Dynamics of Homegardens
Homegarden dynamics in Kerala, India	87	(18)
A. Peyre, A. Guidal, K.F. Wiersum, and F. Bongers
Structure and dynamics of coconut-based agroforestry systems in Melanesia: A case study from the Vanuatu archipelago	105	(18)
N. Lamanda, E. Malézieux, and P. Martin
Diversity and dynamics in homegardens of southern Ethiopia	123	(20)
Tesfaye Abebe, K.F. Wiersum, F. Bongers, and F. Sterck
Homegarden plant diversity in relation to remoteness from urban centers: A case study from the Peruvian Amazon region	143	(16)
A. Wezel and J. Ohl
Gender and social dynamics in swidden and homegardens in Latin America	159	(26)
P.L. Howard
Section 3: Some New Thrust Areas
Carbon sequestration potential of tropical homegardens	185	(20)
B.M. Kumar
Medicinal plants in tropical homegardens	205	(28)
M.R. Rao and B.R. Rajeswara Rao
Commercialization of homegardens in an Indonesian village: Vegetation composition and functional changes	233	(18)
O.S. Abdoellah, H.Y. Hadikusumah, K. Takeuchi, S. Okubo, and Parikesit
Transpiration characteristics of some homegarden tree species in Central Sri Lanka	251	(18)
W.A.J.M. de Costa, K.S.P. Amaratunga, and R.S. Udumullage
Ecology versus economics in tropical multistrata agroforests	269	(14)
E. Torquebiau and E. Penot
Financial analysis of homegardens: A case study from Kerala state, India	283	(16)
S. Mohan, J.R.R. Alavalapati, and P.K.R. Nair
Section 4: Future of Homegardens
The role of homegardens in agroforestry development: Lessons from Tomé-Açu, a Japanese-Brazilian settlement in the Amazon	299	(18)
M. Yamada and H.M.L. Osaqui
Urban homegardens and allotment gardens for sustainable livelihoods: Management strategies and institutional environments	317	(22)
A.W. Drescher, R.J. Holmer, and D.L. Iaquinta
Are tropical homegardens sustainable? Some evidence from Central Sulawesi, Indonesia	339	(16)
K. Kehlenbeck and B.L. Maass
Whither Homegardens?	355	(16)
P.K.R. Nair
Subject Index	371