Land-Use System Modeling and Analysis of Shaded Cacao Production in Belize
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Agroforestry Systems
Volume
64
Issue
2
Publisher
Springer Verlag
Publication Date
2005
First Page
117
Last Page
129
Abstract
Shaded cacao (Theobroma cacao) cultivation is a tropical land-use that has potential to reduce pressure on the forest and provide additional income to smallholder growers. A land-use system (LUS) model was formulated to represent the economic returns derived from shaded cacao production practiced by smallholders in the Toledo district of Belize. Sixty scenarios were tested to elicit response of net-present-value (NPV), returns to labor, and annual returns to land (ARTL) to individual changes in 10 system parameters. Further scenarios tested the combined interactions between hardwood shade tree type, planting density, time to harvest hardwoods, cacao cultivation practice, and expected output. As a modeling exercise, LUS analysis highlights system components that government agencies, donors, NGOs, extension agents, and smallholders should target with policies, agri-silvi- culture projects, and further research. Results identify more favorable credit, labor-saving technology, better shade-management practices, grafting, and incorporating non-hardwood shade trees and laurel (Cordia alliadora) as interventions that could improve cacao financial performance and encourage adoption. At present, the model cannot predict whether smallholders would respond to recommendations and invest in shaded cacao cultivation in lieu of alternative agricultural land-uses or off-farm employment.
Recommended Citation
David Rosenberg and Travis Marcotte (2005) “Land-use system modeling and analysis of shaded cacao production in Belize.” Agroforestry Systems 64 (2), pp. 117-129.
Comments
Originally published by Springer Verlag. Publisher's PDF avialable through remote link.
Note: David Rosenberg was affiliated with the University of California - Davis at time of publication.