Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
13
Management of trees in association with
crops in traditional agroforestry systems
John A. Poku
Introduction
Generally agroforestry refers to land-use systems in which trees or shrubs are
grown in association with agricultural crops, pastures, or livestock, and in which
there are both ecological and economic interactions between the trees and other
components (Young, 1989).
Historically, in most parts of West Africa and Ghana in particular, it is known
that farmers and other land users practise agroforestry in one form or another
(MOFA, 1989).
Shifting cultivation, bush fallowing, and trees on rangeland and pastures are
some of the agroforestry practices that have often been referred to as traditional
agroforestry systems. The trees in traditional agroforestry practices attracted
little or no resources by way of management compared to what obtains in
practices like alley cropping, fodder banks, and live fences. In recent times, how-
ever, farmers have developed minimum management practices aimed at enhanc-
ing the service or product roles such trees can offer.
Traditional agroforestry systems are found in all the major agro-ecological
zones in Ghana. They form part of the traditional cropping systems.
This chapter does the following:
•
describes the different traditional cropping and agroforestry systems in the vari-
ous agro-ecological zones
•
lists the tree species that are left
in situ
on farms
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