https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/49378 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:00:31 GMT 2026-04-15T07:00:31Z https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50691 Long-term research on hedgerow pruning management for alley cropping in Haiti: implications for soil fertility maintenance and sustainability in low resource farming in the tropics One of the basic concepts of alley cropping as practiced in the tropics is that the leaves and stems are used to add nitrogen and organic matter to the soil and recycle other plant nutrients. As I discussed the system with project leaders, I was made aware that the leaves and small stems of the trees were being removed to feed livestock or the hedgerows were heavily grazed by livestock. One of the purposes of designing this trial was to demonstrate the benefits to the crop of applying the hedgerow prunings to the alleys rather than removing them to feed livestock. Because of previous experience carrying out an alley cropping experiment in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I had become aware of the importance of managing the competition between the tree hedgerows and the associated crop through the timing of pruning operations. Therefore, I also felt it important to focus on identifying the proper timing and frequency of pruning operations during a growing season. Although this research was carried out in Haiti, the results relating to hedgerow management will be beneficial to those practicing alley cropping in other areas of the tropical world. In 1990, this study was designed to carry out agroforestry research in Haiti in support of extension activities of two development agencies, CARE International and the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), as part of the Agroforestry II project, funded by USAID. The primary focus of the project was tree planting on agricultural lands, but the project also promoted planting of leguminous trees as hedgerows for soil conservation on sloping land. Food crops were planted between the hedgerows. My assignment was to design trials that would address the needs of CARE and PADF with respect to tree hedgerows. Success of the hedgerow planting effort in the project was reported in terms of “soil saved,” with the assumption that by preventing soil loss and planting leguminous trees, they were also improving soil fertility. That was a questionable assumption given the way in which the hedgerows were managed. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50691 https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/49613 Adoption and management of alley cropping in Haiti Haiti, a hilly densely populated country, has experienced soil erosion problems for decades. The major impact is a reduction of soil fertility leading to decreasing agricultural productivity. Agriculture, a major sector of the economy, is practiced by limited resource farmers on hillside plots. Early soil and water conservation efforts focused on techniques such as terraces, rock walls, and tree planting. Given the limited success of such practices, alley cropping was introduced as a technique with the capacity of not only limiting soil erosion, but also improving soil fertility. This report assesses the adoption of alley cropping in Gaita and Bannate, two Southern villages within the Camp-Perrin area in Haiti, and is based on a survey conducted on 120 farms. This research evaluates the pattern of adoption and management of alley cropping and examines factors influencing farmers' decision to adopt or not to adopt this technique. Compared to other soil conservation techniques, alley cropping is easy to implement and does not require important financial investment. Results of this study show that farmers with different socioeconomic backgrounds have implemented alley cropping structures on their plots. However, information collected suggests that farmers fail to manage the conservation structures as recommended. Several factors were found to stimulate farmers' decisions to adopt alley cropping in Gaita and Bannate. Group membership, training in soil conservation practices, and per capita income play a significant and positive role. Organized and trained farmers are more likely to develop a positive attitude toward adoption of alley cropping. Those results suggest that efforts to increase adoption should include the participation of local organizations in the development of the programs. Training of farmers should also be an integral part of the program. In terms of training, farmers need to be informed of the environmental benefits associated with adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Per capita farm household income positively affects adoption of alley cropping. Adoption of alley cropping may be a way for farmers to increase their income. Hedgerow prunings are often used to feed animals instead of being applied to the soil as green manure. A solution to this problem may be to use other tree species with soil regeneration capabilities but unpalatable to animals. However, since animal production plays an important role in the Haitian peasant economy, it is uncertain that farmers will use such species if the system does not also allow them to shift to high value crops. It is also important to consider women's participation in the adoption of alley cropping in Gaita and Bannate. Cultural, social and economic barriers imposed on women by the society did not prevent them from adopting alley cropping. Hence, there is a need for development projects to work particularly with this category of farm operators. Alley cropping has shown much promise as a technology suitable for small farmers in the third world and especially for use on steeplands, where it can serve the purposes of sustaining crop production, while also doubling as a soil and water conservation barrier. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/49613 https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/49612 Adoption of rock walls as a soil conservation structure in Haiti Land degradation has been identified as one of the most serious ecological, environmental, and economic problems facing the Haitian society today. One particular problem is soil erosion. Throughout the 19th century, demographic, socioeconomic, and market pressures forced Haitian farmers to clear forest areas in order to grow annual crops on steep and fragile lands. Crop intensification and continuous cultivation of steep lands without supplementary use of conservation practices have accelerated the rate of soil loss in Haiti. Early efforts to restrict environmental damage emanating from soil erosion have focused on mechanical structures, such as rock walls and gully plugs. Since the early 1940s, government and non-governmental agencies have launched several watershed management projects using rock walls as the principal soil conservation practice. Despite the effectiveness of this technique in controlling erosion and the high return on investment, its diffusion throughout Haiti is limited. When the practice is adopted, the structures are not adequately maintained. Previous studies focused on land tenancy and investment costs. They indicated that high capital expenditures for installation of rock walls and the lack of land security discouraged farmers from investing in rock walls, even in areas where rocks are abundant. This investigation concentrates on the adoption and management of rock walls in Fort-Jacques, a hilly area located about 30 miles southeast of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The results presented in this publication are based on a survey conducted on 115 farm households in the Fort-Jacques area between December 1999 and January 2000. Fort-Jacques is considered one of the zones where farmers have historically invested in rock walls without government subsidy. Adoption of this practice, which requires significant cash and labor investments, is influenced by the value of the crops grown in this area and the slope of the land. Encouraging adoption and management of rock walls in Fort-Jacques and surrounding areas is important because of the negative impacts of soil erosion on the environment, and the threat soil erosion represents to downstream villages. Farmers' behavior toward adoption and management of rock walls in the study area is influenced by social and economic factors. Gender, training in soil conservation, and per capita income are found to be positively and significantly influential in the adoption of rock walls. The results imply that male farmers are more likely to adopt rock walls than females. Also, training in soil conservation practices raises farmers' awareness of the potential damage of soil erosion, and consequently positively affects the adoption of conservation measures. Nonetheless, implementation of rock walls is cash demanding. Farmers with higher per capita income seem to be more likely to invest in rock walls than low-income farmers. Larger farms and group membership inhibit the adoption of rock walls as evidenced by the negative sign of the coefficients. Limited resource farmers, whose survival depends on the piece of land they operate, are more likely to adopt rock walls because less cash is needed to protect a small farm than a larger one. It is obvious that rock walls are very important to small-scale farmers in Fort-Jacques. A number of farm operators have established rock wall structures on their plots to facilitate the production of vegetable crops. The study shows the importance of socioeconomic factors in farmers' decisions to adopt and manage rock wall structures. Improvement of the market channels for both inputs and outputs of the main vegetable crops produced in the area may be an important step toward encouraging the adoption of rock walls in Fort-Jacques. The Steeplands project (Soil Management Practices for Sustainable Production on Densely Populated Tropical Steeplands) studies the use of the agroforestry practice known as alley cropping as a means to sustain or improve soil productivity in hillside agriculture in Haiti. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/49612 https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/49393 Soil profile descriptions for steeplands research sites in Haiti Soils from different locations in Haiti intended as sites for alley cropping trial studies were examined and classified. Because limestone is the parent material associated with a majority of soils of the Steeplands, pH is frequently above neutral and most of the soils are calcareous throughout. Calsium was determined to dominate the soil exchange complex. High pH values lead to induced low soil fertility through nutrient imbalances. In particular, phosphorus and micronutrients are locked into insoluable forms and thus not available to plants, preventing adequate growth and affecting photosynthetic and physiological activity. In addition, the amount of available magnesium and potassium are in imbalance compared to the very large amounts of calcium. Organic matter content is high for all soils, especially considering these soils have been subjected to erosion. The major limitations for the soils described in this report are low inherent fertility, poor physical properties, and low available water. Also, the fact that most of them are on very steep slopes makes most land preparation, cultural practices, and mechanization difficult. Special attention needs to be given to the introduction of crop or tree species that are tolerant of high pH. Practices aimed at sustaining the relatively high percentages of organic matter in all soils should be given special emphasis in order to minimize nutrient imbalance and enhance moisture retention. The Steeplands project (Soil Management Practices for Sustainable Production on Densely Populated Tropical Steeplands) studies the use of the agroforestry practice known as alley cropping as a means to sustain or improve soil productivity in hillside agriculture in Haiti. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/49393