Déterminants socio-économiques des dynamiques des systèmes agroforestiers

This chapter compares the dynamics of nine agroforestry systems located in Benin, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Kenya and Nicaragua. It relies on the analysis of data collected at the plot, farm, landscape and country levels. It proposes an analytical grid based on seven categories of socioeconomic determinants grouped into four clusters: farmers' strategies, resource availability, market context, and current regulations and policy support in the study area. Results showed that spatial dynamics (reduction, stability or increase of the AFS area) were determined by land availability and competitions between the various strategies and opportunities for valuation of this resource by different stakeholders in relation to the market. The composition of the AFS (simple, moderately complex, complex) was essentially determined by the farmer category. In general, large farmers with high levels of capital developed simple AFS that maximized the income of the main crop. In general, small-scale farmers developed complex AFS that allowed diversification of food and cash crops and reduce food and commercial risks. The evolution of the composition of the SAF (simplification, stability or more complex) was determined either by a change in the opportunities offered by the market and the level of structuration of concerned value chains, or by regulatory or product labeling incentives, or by changes in the relative proportions of the different types of actors who own and manage these AFS (large / small farmers, man/women).