Slash-and-burn remains one of the most common land preparation methods in tropical agriculture, used by both smallholders and large-scale farmers for annual and perennial cropping. However, this practice causes rapid soil fertility decline, biodiversity loss, erosion, and vulnerability to weeds, pests, and diseases. Dynamic Agroforestry (DAF), provides a fire-free and input-free alternative that combines productivity...Read More

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) production systems in West Africa face increasing climate risks, declining soil fertility, and market pressures that undermine both productivity and sustainability. In response, the “Sustainable Mangos and Cashews – Made in Africa” project—co-funded by the Swiss Coop Sustainability Fund, HALBA, and gebana— introduced and scaled Dynamic Agroforestry (DAF) as a regenerative,...Read More

Light access is the primary factor affecting yields in cacao-based agroforestry systems (CAFS). While CAFS ecosystem services provision is extensively documented, research on improving light access in CAFS remains scarce. Shade canopy pruning, a developing technique in Latin America, is part of the long-term SysCom Bolivia trial. It is undertaken twice a year, at the...Read More