Characterization and evaluation of agroforestry systems: The case of Acosta-Puriscal, Costa Rica

The characterization and evaluation of agroforestry systems is exemplified for the Acosta-Puriscal region in Costa Rica.

After the physio-biological and socio-economic description of the study region, it was stratified into two homogenous areas, and the prevailing agroforestry systems classified into the principal groups:

1. coffee and trees,
2. pasture and trees and,
3. live fences.

The analysis of agroforestry production systems recognizes the following steps: Identification of farmers' production objectives, identification of the elements in the system, study of relationships between elements, analysis of the performance of the system, and, finally, the analysis of production incentives of agroforestry systems.

Whereas classification of agroforestry systems has to be carried out according to the specific site conditions, the methodological approach used to analyse them can be applied generally.

First results of the analysis on coffee in combination with trees indicates that the coffee variety caturra has a high production potential also in combination with trees. With an increasing number of shade and fruit trees, costs of external inputs can be slightly decreased. With an increased density of trees, however, coffee yields were decreased. Incremental yields of other crops and reduced costs of external inputs off-sets the loss in coffee-production.