El Sistema Agroforestal de Tarata - Bolivia: una adopción dependiente de los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de los agricultores en relación con la implementación de un nuevo sistema
Abstract
Bolivia se encuentra como el país de América del Sur que tiene el porcentaje más alto de subnutrición a pesar de que una gran parte de la población esté relacionada con la agricultura. Además, hay que saber que la mayor parte de los agricultores y ganaderos viven en regiones con suelos de potencial agrícola bajo a nulo que engendra condiciones de vida de pobreza extrema. La región de Tarata, estudiada en este artículo, tiene que enfrentar problemas ambientales y de cambios de sociedad que ponen las familias en situaciones más vulnerables todavía. La implementación de un sistema agroforestal que está empezando recién en los terrenos de algunos agricultores, trata de responder a estos problemas. Sin embargo, la agroforesteria no es un sistema practicado en la región y los agricultores no entienden bien su funcionamiento al principio. Este artículo trata de analizar el sistema agroforestal desde el punto de vista de los agricultores, parte del proyecto, pero también de algunos vecinos que no han tenido ninguna sensibilización en relación con el sistema. A partir del estudio de los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas (CAP) de los agricultores, se puede entender problemas específicos encontrados en relación con el nuevo sistema así como la evolución en la comprensión de la agroforestería. Esto permite entender por qué el sistema puede ser más o menos adaptado a los agricultores, y cuáles son los obstáculos en relación con los CAP en cuanto a la implementación del sistema.
Bolivia is the country of South America with the highest percentage of subnutrition in spite of the fact that a great part of the population is related to agriculture. Furthermore, it is necessary to underline that most of the farmers and ranchers live in regions with soils of weak (and even no) potential which lead to cases of extreme poverty conditions. The region of Tarata studied in this article has to face environmental problems and society changes that put the families in even more vulnerable situations. The implementation of an agroforestry system that is being developed in the some farmers'fields, tries to respond to these problems. Nevertheless, agroforestry is not a system normally practiced in the region and the farmers do not initially understand well its functioning. This article tries to analyze the agroforestal system from the farmers' point of view. From the ones who are part of the project but also from some neighbors who did not have any sensitization to the system. With the study of the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of the farmers it is possible to understand specific problems found in relation with the new system but also the evolution in their comprehension of the agroforestry. This allows understanding why the system can be more or less adapted to the farmers and which are the obstacles in relation with the KAP as for the implementation of the system.
Bolivia is the country of South America with the highest percentage of subnutrition in spite of the fact that a great part of the population is related to agriculture. Furthermore, it is necessary to underline that most of the farmers and ranchers live in regions with soils of weak (and even no) potential which lead to cases of extreme poverty conditions. The region of Tarata studied in this article has to face environmental problems and society changes that put the families in even more vulnerable situations. The implementation of an agroforestry system that is being developed in the some farmers'fields, tries to respond to these problems. Nevertheless, agroforestry is not a system normally practiced in the region and the farmers do not initially understand well its functioning. This article tries to analyze the agroforestal system from the farmers' point of view. From the ones who are part of the project but also from some neighbors who did not have any sensitization to the system. With the study of the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of the farmers it is possible to understand specific problems found in relation with the new system but also the evolution in their comprehension of the agroforestry. This allows understanding why the system can be more or less adapted to the farmers and which are the obstacles in relation with the KAP as for the implementation of the system.
Description
Vol. 6, No. 3