After 2 years of implementing Agroforestry Systems in an area of cleared brushland, we can observe significant development, with interactions occurring between annual and perennial species.
In a section where we cultivated Cassava (yuca), we applied a controlled, restricted fire in an area of half a hectare.
Banana and Lemongrass
Ingá, Sorvinha, Cupú (fruit tree) and Abogado
Abiuarana (tree)
Cupú and Coffee
Cassava (Yuca) and organic pinapple
Cupú, Ingá, Pinapple and Jabuticaba (fruit tree - Brazilian grapetree)
In this agroforestry cultivation, we do not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides. We use biomass from the initial clearing of the area as biochar, which we place in the planting holes. This stimulates microbial activity and root development in the soil that has been depleted by previous cultivation in the same area.
As the area is enclosed by native forest, our challenge is to prevent rodent attacks on the crops within the system. However, there are no pests or pathogens, which I attribute to the proximity of the surrounding forest.
