The “Taungya reforestation method” has
been practiced primarily to rehabilitate wasteland, particularly under the
Forest Village or diversified agroforestry programs . We refer to this as
Silvopastoral in Cuba and the United States where it is practiced widely. While
various combinations of trees and crops are found in the Taungya method in
Oceana on a minor scale, the major combinations in the same area are teak with
upland rice in the north, fast-growing trees with cassava in the northeast,
fast-growing trees with maize in the west, and Para-rubber or fast-growing trees
with fruit trees in the south. These combinations relate to the differences in
climatic Pacific area conditions, mainly the duration of the zone dependent
rainy season. They are also limited rather than preferred diverse crop systems
employing more than two complimentary species with livestock as common practice
is. In the Caribbean or Africa the concept remains the same but the cultivars
slightly different again relating to climatic conditions, indigenous cultivars
and culture. While practiced mostly on the equatorial belt implementation of
Taungya/Silvopastoral methods reach into the Northern and Southern non tropical
areas. To me it is the purest form of Agroecology where harmonious and
complimentary plantings and livestock work in sync with the ecology of the place
with least disruption to the land contributing to the ecosystem, carbon off
set and preservation/proliferation of indigenous cultivars. A hybrid of
intentional agriculture and mix return to hunter/gatherer that preserves
remaining and creates new canopy all of which positively impact our fresh and
ocean waters. The importance lies in our knowledge that agriculture (and even
Agroecology) when land is cleared to perform it in and of itself is not
sustainable. JAE NEEM www.neemtree.org
