Silvopastoral research and adoption in Central America: recent findings and recommendations for future directions

Human population growth in Central America during the last thirty years has lead to encroachment of forests for food production and resulted in the replacement of forests with pastureland. Deforestation and degradation of productive soils have prompted researchers to investigate agroforestry as an alternative approach to land management. Silvopastoral systems in particular have been studied and their capacity to augment nutrient cycling, enhance soil processes, supply forage for livestock, and provide habitat for flora and fauna have been documented. Despite conclusive research findings, Central American producers are reluctant to integrate well-researched silvopastoral systems into their farming systems. Thus, it is imperative that researchers investigate the reasons for scant adoption, and that adoption is given precedence. We suggest that adoption research be made a priority on local, national, and regional silvopastoral research agendas. To explore incidence of low adoption, research should identify specific barriers, assess the technology generation process, examine the risks that silvopastoral adoption presents, and evaluate the potential for the integration of silvopastoral technologies on-farm. In addition, we recommend that the future Central American silvopastoral research agenda include the development of a clear understanding of the process of adoption specific to potential silvopastoral adopters in the region.