Agroforestry in Rio de Janeiro state: interaction of knowledges for environmental conservation and valorisation of peasantry

Abstract

The geographic and ecological characteristics, the dominant agrarian structure, together with the knowledge accumulated by public and civil society institutions, give the state of Rio de Janeiro a natural aptitude to the adoption and development of agroforestry practices. This report presents a mapping of the experiences developed in the last 25 years in Rio de Janeiro state, supported by the increase of knowledge on the potential benefits of agroforestry systems, the drafting of standards governing agroforestry, and the growing training of technicians and extensionists, resulting in a collective effort between public and non-governmental institutions. The diversity of experiences contributes to deepening the debate on the challenges and opportunities for the adoption of agroforestry practices, as well as the potential contribution of agroforestry systems to the recovery of the Atlantic Forest.