Tenney, Richard W. (author), Trail, Thomas F. (author), and Tenney: Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Occupational Education, Cornell University; Trail: staff Development Specialist, Cooperative Extensive, Washington State University
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1985
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 52 Document Number: C00628
13 pages, The sustainability of milpa agriculture, a traditional Mayan farming system in southern Belize, is uncertain. For centuries, the milpa has been a sustainable agriculture system. The slash-and-burn aspect of milpa farming, however, has become less reliable and less sustainable over the last 50 years due to several factors, including forest loss, climate change, population growth, and other factors. The traditional milpa practices of slash-and-mulch and soil nutrient enrichment (nutrient cycling) are agroecological practices that produce food in a more sustainable way. Agriculture extension, a government service in Belize, can promote additional agroecological practices to address food and livelihood insecurities in milpa communities. This study examines perceptions of these practices from milpa farmers and agricultural extension officers in Belize using a socio-ecological systems (SES) framework. SES considers multidisciplinary linkages, including social, economic, environmental, cultural, and other factors in the agroecological system. The study finds several of these SES linkages between agroecological practices--specifically slash-andmulch and soil nutrient enrichment--and the sustainability of the milpa farming system in southern Belize. Milpa communities are part of the broader SES and therefore are affected by changes to it. Milpa communities can also be enabled and participate in solution-finding. The findings imply that increasing the use of agroecology practices in milpa communities is needed and that government involvement and action, particularly from agriculture extension services, can facilitate a more sustainable milpa farming system and therefore more food and livelihood security in milpa communities in Belize.
International: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D00338
Notes:
Kerry Byrnes Collection, Pages 85-102 in Proceedings of the Farming Systems Research and Extension Symposium hosted by the University of Arkansas and Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development, Fayetteville, Arkansas, October 9-12, 1988. Farming Systems Research Paper Series, Paper No. 17. 395 pages.
