CHARACTERIZATION OF AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE WELL-BEING OF THE POPULATION OF THE SUDANO-SAHELIAN ZONE OF CAMEROON

Abstract

The demographic explosion in developing countries leads to a loss of biodiversity and insufficient of arable land. One of the challenges facing these countries is to produce enough goods and services to meet the needs of their population. This study aims to: (i) characterize the structure and practices of agroforestry systems based on mango and cashew trees in the Sudano-Sahelian zone; (ii) study the floristic composition of agroforestry systems and (iii) assess their impact on agricultural production and the well-being of the population of the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. To do this, a participatory and reiterative analysis using a semi-structured questionnaire conducted among 90 farmers spread across five villages and combined with an ecological study was conducted. The results showed that agroforestry systems have a small area and are more than 20 years old in the majority. A total of 37 species grouped in 35 genera and 22 families were identified. Individuals had a “J”-shaped vertical distribution with a strong dominance of individuals of the past. The annual production of agroforestry systems is estimated at 71.3 tons. The main products were fruits (27.5 tons), onions (19.4 tons) and cereals (12.5 tons). Food, construction and medicine were the main uses of these systems while microclimate moderation (95.2%), conservation and restoration of fertility (75.2%), biodiversity conservation (95.4%) were the most important services encountered. Agroforestry systems offered enormous potential to