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Agroforestry: a decade of development
466
highlights the yield reducers in crops - weeds, insect pests and diseases - and discusses practices that minimize these constraints to increased yield and profit in soybean cropping. The fourth section discusses how soybean may be profitably intercropped with other cereals such as wheat, maize, sorghum or with sugar cane, cotton or cassava. The section on weeds, pests and diseases may not have given an exhaustive list of these problems in most areas of the tropics, but the underlying principles for their control would also apply on those not mentioned. The book is unique. By presenting the "whys" of the plant and its growth environment, the "hows" of the recommended practices immediately become obvious and acceptable. For instance, the "whys" for growing soybean in the first place - enriching the soil, breaking the pest and disease cycle, adding to income, and its being a nutritious food- are sound agricultural principles known to the humblest farmer. These "whys" make whatever follows worthy of consideration and trial by even the most conservative farmer. The book will also be useful to agricultural extension workers who can attempt to extrapolate from the presentation on soybean information for their work in other crops. Students of agriculture in schools and vocational institutions will find the book a rewarding presentation of basic agricultural principles in crop production. S.K. HAHN and O.0. OKOLI
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture P.M.B. 5320 Ibadan Oyo State Nigeria
AGROFORESTRY
Agroforestry: a Decade of Development, by H.A. Steppler and P.K.R. Nair (Editors). International Council for Research in Agroforestry, Nairobi, Kenya, 1987, xii + 335pp., illustrations, tables, hardcover, US$ 30.00, ISBN: 92-9059036 X. One of the many competent contributors to this book wrote "Agroforestry systems have existed since the very beginnings of plant domestication" whereas another states that "The history of agroforestry as a science and as a focus for systematic development efforts is very short - fifteen years at the most". What at first sight may appear to be a contradiction is, in reality, an expression of the unwilful arrogance of many of us who have been concerned with the management of land resources. We have given too little attention to the ways in
467 which groundvegetation, shrubs and trees function and complement each other in natural multi-layered assemblages of plants. Further, while attempting to 'improve' the quantity, also quality, of crop yields, too little thought has been given to the merits, as against the drawbacks, of traditional systems of cropping. But what is agroforestry? Fortunately the book provides a definition "Agroforestry is a collective name for all land-use systems and practices in which woody perennials are deliberately grown on the same land management unit as crops a n d / o r animals. This can be either in some form of spatial arrangement or in a time sequence. To qualify as agroforestry, a given land-use system or practice must permit significant economicinteractions between the woody and non-woody components". To me this definition is deficient in at least two respects. It omits specific reference to the need to identify systems of management that sustain and secondly more overt acknowledgement should be made to interactions with the environment, for example the minimisation of surface run-off and soil erosion. I was encouraged to start my review by quibbling, primarily because it wasn't until late in the book that I was excited, genuinely, by analysis and innovation. However it should be recognised that this book was written as part of the tenth anniversary celebrations of the International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF, an acronym which has gained international recognition and acclaim). For this reason it would be appropriate to establish an historical perspective, but I was beginning to be worried by the obvious satisfaction felt by some authors by the very act of institutionalising agroforestry. I very well understand the need to establish a focus but, at its simplest, it could now be claimed that there are three institutions agriculture, forestry and agroforestry. However, for the future, rational judgements suggest that these and other 'institutions' concerned with conservation (water and wildlife) and the fabric of rural communities, need to be unified by the concept of stewardship. But, hopefully, the establishment of agroforestry might prove to be a stepping stone. It may highlight the futility of considering forestry and agriculture as subjects apart. If it does, agroforestry will have made a major contribution. In essence the book, which has been edited meticulously, is of four parts: introduction and perspectives on agroforestry; prominence and importance of agroforestry in selected regions; impact measurement and technology transfer; research findings and proposals. The 17 chapters have been written by an articulate international group of authors. While it is probably invidious to single out individuals I would not wish to disguise the pleasure that I gained from the chapters in the section concerned with prominence and importance of agroforestry in selected areas. Having just visited Nepal, I have come to realize the difficulties likely to be encountered by narrow (forestry and agriculture) specialists in the face of finite land resources on the one hand and burgeoning human populations on the other. They must recognize the near over-riding importance of issues such as land tenure, organization, conservation, landless-
468 ness, distance, enterprises and marketing, availability of labour and the changing and distinctive roles of men and women both in practical management and the decision-making processess - these, and not technical considerations, are, in most instances, the first determinants of what will and won't happen. Having dealt with the importance of agroforestry, and the measurement of impact, the narrative turns to the furtherance of technology - alley cropping, biological nitrogen fixation, multipurpose trees and shrubs and a consideration of L e u c a e n a as a specific illustration of a genus of multipurpose trees. But why should we be concerned with these technicalities? What advantages are they likely to bestow? Are they likely to provide other opportunities and at what cost? Throughout, the text of this necessarily wide-ranging book is critical, always attempting to identify 'benefits' and 'costs'. The content of the different sections differs greatly but all have the stamp of authority. I have been educated by it and am sure that others will find that this reasonably priced book will be both illuminating and an excellent source of authoritative case-studies and references - it is to be strongly commended. PROFESSOR F.T. LAST Furuly Seton Mains Longniddry East Lothian EH32 OPG Scotland U.K.
highlights the yield reducers in crops - weeds, insect pests and diseases - and discusses practices that minimize these constraints to increased yield and profit in soybean cropping. The fourth section discusses how soybean may be profitably intercropped with other cereals such as wheat, maize, sorghum or with sugar cane, cotton or cassava. The section on weeds, pests and diseases may not have given an exhaustive list of these problems in most areas of the tropics, but the underlying principles for their control would also apply on those not mentioned. The book is unique. By presenting the "whys" of the plant and its growth environment, the "hows" of the recommended practices immediately become obvious and acceptable. For instance, the "whys" for growing soybean in the first place - enriching the soil, breaking the pest and disease cycle, adding to income, and its being a nutritious food- are sound agricultural principles known to the humblest farmer. These "whys" make whatever follows worthy of consideration and trial by even the most conservative farmer. The book will also be useful to agricultural extension workers who can attempt to extrapolate from the presentation on soybean information for their work in other crops. Students of agriculture in schools and vocational institutions will find the book a rewarding presentation of basic agricultural principles in crop production. S.K. HAHN and O.0. OKOLI
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture P.M.B. 5320 Ibadan Oyo State Nigeria
AGROFORESTRY
Agroforestry: a Decade of Development, by H.A. Steppler and P.K.R. Nair (Editors). International Council for Research in Agroforestry, Nairobi, Kenya, 1987, xii + 335pp., illustrations, tables, hardcover, US$ 30.00, ISBN: 92-9059036 X. One of the many competent contributors to this book wrote "Agroforestry systems have existed since the very beginnings of plant domestication" whereas another states that "The history of agroforestry as a science and as a focus for systematic development efforts is very short - fifteen years at the most". What at first sight may appear to be a contradiction is, in reality, an expression of the unwilful arrogance of many of us who have been concerned with the management of land resources. We have given too little attention to the ways in
467 which groundvegetation, shrubs and trees function and complement each other in natural multi-layered assemblages of plants. Further, while attempting to 'improve' the quantity, also quality, of crop yields, too little thought has been given to the merits, as against the drawbacks, of traditional systems of cropping. But what is agroforestry? Fortunately the book provides a definition "Agroforestry is a collective name for all land-use systems and practices in which woody perennials are deliberately grown on the same land management unit as crops a n d / o r animals. This can be either in some form of spatial arrangement or in a time sequence. To qualify as agroforestry, a given land-use system or practice must permit significant economicinteractions between the woody and non-woody components". To me this definition is deficient in at least two respects. It omits specific reference to the need to identify systems of management that sustain and secondly more overt acknowledgement should be made to interactions with the environment, for example the minimisation of surface run-off and soil erosion. I was encouraged to start my review by quibbling, primarily because it wasn't until late in the book that I was excited, genuinely, by analysis and innovation. However it should be recognised that this book was written as part of the tenth anniversary celebrations of the International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF, an acronym which has gained international recognition and acclaim). For this reason it would be appropriate to establish an historical perspective, but I was beginning to be worried by the obvious satisfaction felt by some authors by the very act of institutionalising agroforestry. I very well understand the need to establish a focus but, at its simplest, it could now be claimed that there are three institutions agriculture, forestry and agroforestry. However, for the future, rational judgements suggest that these and other 'institutions' concerned with conservation (water and wildlife) and the fabric of rural communities, need to be unified by the concept of stewardship. But, hopefully, the establishment of agroforestry might prove to be a stepping stone. It may highlight the futility of considering forestry and agriculture as subjects apart. If it does, agroforestry will have made a major contribution. In essence the book, which has been edited meticulously, is of four parts: introduction and perspectives on agroforestry; prominence and importance of agroforestry in selected regions; impact measurement and technology transfer; research findings and proposals. The 17 chapters have been written by an articulate international group of authors. While it is probably invidious to single out individuals I would not wish to disguise the pleasure that I gained from the chapters in the section concerned with prominence and importance of agroforestry in selected areas. Having just visited Nepal, I have come to realize the difficulties likely to be encountered by narrow (forestry and agriculture) specialists in the face of finite land resources on the one hand and burgeoning human populations on the other. They must recognize the near over-riding importance of issues such as land tenure, organization, conservation, landless-
468 ness, distance, enterprises and marketing, availability of labour and the changing and distinctive roles of men and women both in practical management and the decision-making processess - these, and not technical considerations, are, in most instances, the first determinants of what will and won't happen. Having dealt with the importance of agroforestry, and the measurement of impact, the narrative turns to the furtherance of technology - alley cropping, biological nitrogen fixation, multipurpose trees and shrubs and a consideration of L e u c a e n a as a specific illustration of a genus of multipurpose trees. But why should we be concerned with these technicalities? What advantages are they likely to bestow? Are they likely to provide other opportunities and at what cost? Throughout, the text of this necessarily wide-ranging book is critical, always attempting to identify 'benefits' and 'costs'. The content of the different sections differs greatly but all have the stamp of authority. I have been educated by it and am sure that others will find that this reasonably priced book will be both illuminating and an excellent source of authoritative case-studies and references - it is to be strongly commended. PROFESSOR F.T. LAST Furuly Seton Mains Longniddry East Lothian EH32 OPG Scotland U.K.