Abstract
This chapter addresses how indigenous agroforestry systems relate to, and can be adapted for, integrative landscape management strategies and sustainable supply chain development. We begin by describing the role of indigenous agroforestry and human activities more generally in the history of Amazonian landscapes. We argue based on this discussion that indigenous land use practices, such as agroforestry, should be more strongly supported by governmental and non-governmental entities. Next, we explain why agroforestry has started to receive greater attention in recent years and describe the context of Napo, Ecuador, a region in the Upper Amazon that has been characterized in recent decades by in-migration, urbanization, and greater market integration. These processes have been both accompanied and facilitated by infrastructure development and the expansion of government services to rural communities . In the following section, we describe the Amazonian Kichwa agroforestry, or ‘chakra’ system, and its role in overall landscape management. Next, we discuss the potential of guayusa (Ilex guayusa) commercialization to serve as a promising example of integrating agroforestry with sustainable supply chains. Then, we analyze the possibilities of building new supply chains based on agroforestry and other forest products and describe some of the challenges associated with applying the guayusa commercialization model to other species. Finally, we discuss efforts to better integrate agroforestry management into a variety of other landscape management practices. We conclude with a series of policy suggestions for building sustainable supply chains for agroforestry and other forest products and integrating agroforestry with robust landscape management strategies.
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Notes
- 1.
Global land titles are the dominant form of land tenure for non-Kichwa indigenous groups who tend to manage land under a single ethnicity based title. In Napo, the only significant area managed under a global land title is the Pueblo Kichwa de Rukullakta, which encompasses over 43,000 ha and 17 different communities.
- 2.
Naranjilla is primarily consumed domestically and is processed into fruit pulp for juice and other products.
- 3.
Runa Foundation (Runafoundation.org) is a public, non-profit organization whose mission is to “create new value for tropical forests that benefit the people and the local ecosystem”.
- 4.
One exception to this is pigüe (Piptocoma discolor): a fast growing primary succession species which is frequently found in dense stands on abandoned pasture and fallows (Erazo et al. 2014). This species reaches merchantable volumes in 3–5 years and is milled locally for the production of boxes and pallets, primarily for shipping naranjilla.
- 5.
The Ecuadorian government still maintains significant control over community resource management by regulating and/or controlling legal access to markets for a variety of natural resources. Sub-surface resources including petroleum and mineral resources are the sole property of the state. The government also requires harvest permits to commercialize all forest products and NTFPs regardless of origin. The selling of wild game is banned under almost all circumstances.
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Jarrett, C., Cummins, I., Logan-Hines, E. (2017). Adapting Indigenous Agroforestry Systems for Integrative Landscape Management and Sustainable Supply Chain Development in Napo, Ecuador. In: Montagnini, F. (eds) Integrating Landscapes: Agroforestry for Biodiversity Conservation and Food Sovereignty. Advances in Agroforestry, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69371-2_12
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