Benefits of Agroecological Agroforestry Systems (SAFAs) in Brazil: what do the scientific papers say about it?

Abstract

Many are the factors that still hinder a wider establishment of Agroecological Agroforestry
Systems (SAFAs) in Brazil, and it is important to better understand these factors in order to
overcome them. The aims of this study are: 1) Systemize and analyse evidence from scientific
papers about SAFAs in order to identify the main constraints and drivers of the development
and multifunctionality of these systems; 2) verify to what extent the evidence on these factors
can be generalized; and 3) identify knowledge gaps in the literature. It was possible to conclude
through a systematic review of 405 scientific papers that the majority didn’t analyse the constraints
to the establishment and development of SAFAs. Most of them focus mainly on environmental
benefits they provide. Furthermore, there is a great evidence gap of sociocultural and
economic factors affecting SAFAs. A better understanding of these factors might be important
to overcome prevailing barriers to a wider adoption of SAFAs.