Zonificación socioecológica para el diseño de un sistema agroforestal en Armero Guayabal. Estudio de caso: finca El Paraíso

Abstract

This thesis presents a proposal for agroforestry designs for the Finca El Paraíso, located in the municipality of Armero Guayabal, with the aim of diversifying income, optimizing land use, and restoring ecosystem services. The research was carried out through a socio-environmental diagnosis that included an interviews with local producers, and a technical-productive evaluation of the property and its surroundings. Armero Guayabal is a municipality in the department of Tolima, located in the Andean region of Colombia. Its average altitude is 1,300 meters above sea level, which contributes to the fertility of its soils. This characteristic makes agriculture and livestock the main economic activities in the area. Among the most prominent temporary crops are rice, corn, and plantains (Universidad de Ibagué,2024). However, the degradation of natural resources associated with production systems has become a priority issue in Latin America since the 1980s (Jiménez & Muschler, 2001). In this context, agroforestry systems represent an alternative that brings together two important actors in the dynamics of society: sustainable production and the protection of biodiversity (Saborío, 2016), generating economic benefits for producers and contributing to environmental sustainability. Based on the socio-environmental assessment carried out, the predominant production dynamics in the area were identified, characterized by livestock farming in a context of limited technification. Based on this information, four agroforestry systems were designed: multipurpose living fences, fodder trees, a silvopastoral system with commercial fruit trees, and ecological restoration. The selection of these models took into account criteria such as the adaptability characteristics of the property, its technical feasibility, and projected profitability.