Agroforestry and Biodiversity Conservation in Tropical Landscapes

agricultural land. Particularly when the new technology is labor or capital

intensive, as often is the case, such constraints at the household or village level

might significantly limit the scope for converting forest. We elaborate this

point later.

Fourth, technological changes are unlikely to involve only one household.

If a large number of farmers adopt a new technology, this will have economic

repercussions in the output and labor markets. Large changes in output might

94 II. The Ecological Economics of Agroforestry

Table 5.2. Conditioning factors in the link from agroforestry (AF) to deforestation.

Variable Impact on Deforestation Relevance to AF

FARMERCHARACTERISTICS
Labor and capital Reduces the opportunity for expansion or Important because AF often is labor
constraints the chances for reduced deforestation if intensive but might also constrain
technology is labor or capital intensive. adoption in the first place.
Poverty (income) Can limit capacity but increases AF often more labor than capital
incentives for expansion. intensive and therefore suitable for
Might favor labor-intensive poor farmers.
rather than capital-intensive
technologies.
Farmer managing Offer higher flexibility and fewer labor Makes labor constraints in AF less
several subsystems constraints for particular systems. serious.
on the same farm

TYPE OFTECHNOLOGY
Labor intensity Labor-intensive technologies are likely to AF typically is labor intensive, thus
result in less deforestation as farmers hit more likely to reduce deforestation
labor constraints or local wages rise. than other types of technological
change.
Capital intensity Similar to above. AF is generally less capital intensive
and has a less decisive role than above.
Risk Risk-reducing practices reduce the need AF generally reduces both yield and
to cultivate excessive land as insurance. market risk, with favorable effects
on deforestation.

Sustainability High degree of sustainability reduces the AF more sustainable than most
need to abandon land and clear new forests. alternative systems.

MARKET ANDTENURECONDITIONS
Output market Inelastic demand (small local markets) Tree crops often sold in interna-
makes supply increases lower prices, which tional markets, making this price-
constrain expansion. dampening effect small and
deforestation more likely.
Labor market Small, isolated local labor markets make Highly relevant because AF tends to
labor shortage or higher wages constrain be labor intensive, limiting area
expansion. cultivated per farm.
Secure land tenure Contradictory effects; important to distin- Insecure tenure can prevent invest-
guish between how rights are obtained ments in trees, but trees also increase
and tenure security. tenure security.