Tropical deforestation and land use change is often perceived as the major cause of soil loss by water erosion and of sediment load in rivers that has a negative impact on the functioning of hydropower storage reservoirs. The Sumberjaya area in Sumatra, Indonesia is representative for conflicts and evictions arising from this perception. The purpose of this study as part of a Negotiation Support System approach was to assess sediment yield both at plot and catchment scale and to relate it to a variety of possible clarifying factors i.e. land use, geology, soil and topography. Sediment yield at catchment scale per unit area, was found to be 3–10 times higher than soil loss measured in erosion plots. A stepwise regression showed that the dominant factors explaining sediment yield differences at catchment scale in this volcanic landscape were a particular lithology (Old Andesites) and slope angle followed by the silt fraction of the top soil. In lithologically sensitive areas soil loss at the plot scale under monoculture coffee gardens decreases over time from on average 7–11 Mg ha 1 yr 1 to 4–6 Mg ha 1 yr 1, mainly because of the development of surface litter layers as filters and top soil compaction in the areas without litter, but remains higher than under shade coffee systems or forest. The runoff coefficient under monoculture coffee remains on average significantly higher (10–15%) than under forest (4%) or under shade coffee systems (4–7%). In lithologically stable areas soil loss remained below 1.8 Mg ha 1 yr 1 and the runoff coefficient below 2.5% under all land use types, even bare soil plots or monoculture coffee gardens. Less than 20% of the catchment area produces almost 60% of the sediment yield. The reduction of negative off-site effects on e.g. the life time of a storage reservoir would benefit greatly from an improved assessment of the lithologies in volcanic landscapes and the consideration of potential sediment source and sink areas. In lithologically sensitive areas, a shift from sun to shade coffee systems may result in reducing surface runoff and soil loss, although water erosion at the plot scale is not the main contributor to sediment yield at the catchment scale. The quantification of land use effects on dominant erosive processes such as river bank and river bed erosion, landslides and the concentrated flow erosion on footpaths and roads can contribute to more targeted efforts and relevant incentives to reduce (or live with) sediment load of the rivers.
Tag: coffee
Below ground microbial diversity as influenced by coffee agroforestry systems in the Western Ghats, India
Soil microorganisms viz. bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi present in different typologies of coffee production systems were compared. In this study, two types of coffee plants, namely Arabica and Robusta, were grown under different agroforestry management such as coffee under one specialized shade species, multi-story coffee systems with 2 shade tree species, and coffee with 3 or more tree species under moist deciduous and evergreen ecological conditions. Samples were collected from 36 points to include different coffee ecosystems. The highest number of infective propagules of AM fungi was encountered in Arabica coffee under evergreen conditions. Population of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were higher under evergreen ecosystem compared to that of deciduous conditions. The population of nitrogen fixing bacteria was more than double in evergreen conditions compared to deciduous ecosystem. Number of lignin decomposing bacteria was higher in evergreen compared to deciduous conditions, but starch hydrolyzing bacteria and pectin-utilizing bacteria were more in deciduous ecosystem. Actinomycetes DAT2-1 isolated from deciduous ecosystem showed antagonistic activity against the root pathogen Fusarium chlamydosporum. It can be concluded that evergreen coffee system supports higher population of microorganisms. Of the two species of coffee, Arabica harboured more AM fungi, bacterial population, N fixers, P solubilizers and cellulose decomposing organisms while Robusta harboured higher number of fungi and actinomycetes. Of the three typologies, coffee grown under two shade tree species supported higher population of all microorganisms.
Supporting tree crops development on the East coast of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD)
Crops such as cocoa, potatoes, soybean, dairy and coffee are economically important commodities in the tsunami-affected districts in Aceh. Targeting the major crops, CIRAD and local partners organised a training on “Local Economic Resources Development” (LERD) funded through the French public funds. During the training, potential of different products and commodities in the region as need for action to improve quality and productivity of these priority commodities for promoting at national or international markets. The participants came from the representatives of farmers, traders and technical ministries. During the training cacao was identified as the most potential for improving farmer income. Aceh Development Agency in consultation with the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), and Syiah Kuala University (Banda Aceh) has selected Pidie District, in East coast of Aceh, for developing sustainable cocoa production in Aceh.
Supporting tree crops development on the East coast of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD)
Crops such as cocoa potatoes soybean dairy and coffee are economically important commodities in the tsunami-affected districts in Aceh. Targeting the major crops CIRAD and local partners organised a training on “Local Economic Resources Development” (LERD) funded through the French public funds. During the training potential of different products and commodities in the region as need for action to improve quality and productivity of these priority commodities for promoting at national or international markets. The participants came from the representatives of farmers traders and technical ministries. During the training cacao was identified as the most potential for improving farmer income. Aceh Development Agency in consultation with the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) and Syiah Kuala University (Banda Aceh) has selected Pidie District in East coast of Aceh for developing sustainable cocoa production in Aceh.
Multiple certification uptake by coffee businesses: Evidence of functions and benefits from Central America
This article examines why and how nine coffee businesses in Central America engaged with multiple certification systems and the related functions and benefits. The businesses implemented, on average, four systems. Certification, in general, strengthened their negotiation position vis-à-vis exporters and international buyers, whereas multiple certification reduced the risks inherent in their reliance on any one certification, allowing businesses to sell as much coffee as possible at a relatively higher price. However, commitments to the certification’s underlying goals were tenuous: Businesses engaged a subgroup of their supplier base in any one label, and coffee buyers purchased relatively small volumes of certified coffees, at times, conditioned on access to larger volumes of noncertified coffees. Although certification facilitated capacity upgrading, in many cases, the changes were minor and might have taken place without certification. Results suggest that multiple certification helps sustain small-scale coffee exporters but dampen expectations that certification will drive long-term systemic change in the sector. We conclude with recommendations for certification agencies and others that seek to support coffee businesses to expand their engagement in certified coffee markets.
ShadeMotion: tree shade patterns in coffee and cocoa agroforestry systems
Shade trees in coffee and cocoa agroforestry systems provide valuable livelihoods and other ecosystem services. Unfortunately, most shade canopies are sub-optimally designed and managed and the reasons behind this sub-optimality are poorly known. There is evidence, however, indicating that farmers and extension agents lack both the knowledge and access to user-friendly tools to optimally design their shade canopies. To fill this gap, we developed ShadeMotion, a simple to parameterize, yet powerful software, capable of calculating the spatial and temporal distribution of the shade cast by trees on a plot (horizontal or tilted) anywhere on Earth. Trees may be planted in any spatial arrangement, their population density can change according to planting, thinning, mortality or harvest, tree crowns may take any of eight possible, regular, geometric shapes, vary in density and monthly leaf fall patterns, and may be pollarded or not. Shade patterns may be calculated for one instant, 1 year or less, or for the entire life cycle of a plantation; in the latter case, tree growth data must be added as input. Shade can be measured at ground level or at any height above the ground. In this article, we: (1) describe the key features of the software, and (2) simulate the spatial and temporal shade patterns of a traditional agroforestry system of Coffea arabica cv. Caturra, Erythrina poeppigiana and Cordia alliodora in Costa Rica. ShadeMotion can realistically model farm scenarios and may be used in the participatory design of agroforestry systems in farmers field schools and in classrooms.
Does income imply food security in coffee growing communities? A case study in Yayu, Southwestern Ethiopia
The impacts on food security of a transition from agriculture focused on local consumption to the participation in global markets are uncertain, with both positive and negative effects reported in the literature. In Ethiopia, coffee production for global markets has attracted growers from across the country to the coffee-forest zones. From a national perspective, the area is not a priority for food security enhancement, as financial indicators suggest food sufficiency. In this setting, we collected food security and dietary intake data from a total of 420 (3X140) units of households, non-breast-feeding children under 5 years, and women of reproductive age. Sampling was done in two-stages, a random selection of 300 households (out of a total of 4,300) Yayu, followed by sub-sampling of households with a child and woman meeting the above-mentioned criteria. Samples were used to determine a number of food and nutrition security indicators. More than 83% of the households were found to be hunger-free in the shortage season, but dietary diversity was suboptimal. More than 50% of children under 5 years of age and women lacked foods containing heme iron in the surplus season and 88% in the shortage season. Household food security during the surplus season did not depend on income, but wealth was significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with all of the food insecurity indicators except the “Body Mass Index” of target women in the shortage season. The strongest and weakest correlation was with the “House Food Insecurity Access Scale” (−0.85), and “Weight-to-Age Z-Score” (0.25), respectively. Overall, Yayu is not fully food secure, though the situation is better than average for the country. While household income helps in achieving calorific sufficiency, greater awareness of the relevance of dietary diversity and the local means to achieve it is needed to further improve nutritional status, regardless of the participation in global markets.
Harvesting, Postharvesting, and Marketing of Robusta Coffee in Pagar Alam
The market availability for red or ripe coffee cherries, which is an incentive for high-quality coffee postharvesting practises, remains limited, causing farmers to infrequently do so.
Women’s involvement in coffee agroforestry value-chains: Financial training, Village Savings and Loans Associations, and Decision power in Northwest Vietnam
Globally, in the coffee sector and smallholder agriculture in developing countries, there is a distinct gender gap in key factors that enable women’s active participation in and contribution to the coffee value chain and in farm and domestic decisions, such as decisions over credit, agricultural inputs, and training opportunities and division of labor and time. This study assesses Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) impacts and related training on gender equality and women’s access to coffee markets in an ongoing coffee- project in northwest Vietnam. All 169 women in this survey received gender equality and finance training, with one group being members of a VSLA and taking out small loans. With Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI), women rated their perception of their decision-making power over a range of 18 tasks related to household and agricultural responsibilities and use of income and social activities over 18 months.
Local ecological knowledge of coffee agroforestry farmers on earthworms and their relation to soil quality in East Java (Indonesia)
Farmers manage their land-based on their understanding of biotic and abiotic factors, including soils, and how these factors affect crop growth and productivity. Their local ecological knowledge (LEK) is built upon intergenerational transfer and can use concepts that don’t directly match those of current science-based ecological knowledge. We explored farmer LEK related to soil organic matter management and earthworms in coffee-based agroforestry systems on volcanic slopes in East Java (Indonesia) by in-depth interviews with key informants and by surveying the concurrence of respondents, stratified by gender and age, with resulting statements. The term used in the local language for earthworms (‘cacing tanah’) included a range of species. According to 22% (n=48) of farmers, small earthworms (probably Pontoscolex corethrurus) are harmful to coffee trees because they eat the roots. Also, 54% (n=48) of farmers thought earthworms that eat soil cause a decrease in soil volume. However, according to the farmers, large earthworms (reddish-brown) can fertilize the soil by leaving their casts on the soil surface. Such worms are often found in coffee agroforestry systems. Farmers have little explicit knowledge of the activities of earthworms and their relation with litter as a source of food. Farmer knowledge of ecosystem services provided by earthworms can enrich current scientific literature and trigger a two-way dialogue.