Uso de sistemas agroforestales para la rehabilitación ecológica de áreas degradadas en la Orinoquía colombiana

Abstract

The Orinoco region of Colombia is currently facing serious problems such as deforestation, associated with activities such as agricultural expansion and monocultures, which have reduced forest cover and deteriorated the ecosystem services that ecosystems such as tropical forests can provide. Based on this, Agroforestry Systems (AFS) emerge as a promising strategy for the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems. These systems are characterized by combining trees, shrubs and agricultural crops, offering significant benefits such as improved soil fertility, increased biodiversity and climate change mitigation. Studies have shown that the implementation of FFS can increase farmers' incomes by 2-80% by employing commercial and local species. For example, in the department of Casanare, where cocoa and bananas represent a large part of the income of these communities, the use of these species will not only generate additional income, but will also promote long-term sustainable practices. Despite their advantages, the implementation of FFS faces several challenges such as lack of technical knowledge and economic incentives, as well as the initial costs in their establishment and the time needed to obtain economic returns are barriers to take into account. Also, the effectiveness of PFS can vary according to local conditions, ranging from 41-80%. For this reason, adaptive planning and appropriate selection of native species are required to ensure the success of these strategies. Based on this, it is recommended that training and technical assistance programs be established at the local level. These programs should include training on species selection and PES management. Previous studies on soil conditions, climate and biodiversity should also be carried out to adjust agroforestry practices to the specific conditions of the region. In addition, it is necessary to implement public policies and provide economic incentives to cover initial costs and support during the adaptation period. Finally, research on the effectiveness of PFS should be expanded and crop diversification should be encouraged to improve the resilience of the ecological system.