The Tropical Agriculturalist is a series of practical field guides and textbooks for: producers, farmers and farm managers, agricultural extension officers agricultural diploma, degree and vocational students, teachers and lecturers, senior secondary students, as reference books, adult education, rural and community development programmes. Alley farming is one of a wide range of different farming and land-use systems which have evolved in the humid and sub-humid tropics, each adapted to local ecological and socio-economic conditions and cultures. This book should help readers both understand the concept of alley farming and its potential as sustainable farming technique. It covers the historical development of alley farming, practical guidelines for establishing and managing it, including soil management, the benefits to crop and livestock production as well as auxiliary benefits, and its problems of social acceptance and adoption.
Part 1 Introduction: sustainable production systems; agroforestry systems; agroecological zones and soil types. Part 2 Soil management: soil characteristics; soil management; soil erosion. Part 3 The practice of alley farming: the concept; traditional alley farming and its historical development. Part 4 Field establishment and management: choice of species; hedgerow establishment; hedgerow management. Part 5 Benefits for crop production: biomass production and effects on soil properties; soil conversion; weed control; nutrient contribution; crop production. Part 6 alley farming with livestock: animal needs; forage production on alley farms; conservation of forage; forage utilization and animal performance. Part 7 Auxiliary benefits: staking material; firewood; timber; other products. Part 8 Economic aspects of alley farming: for crop production; for livestock production. Part 9 Social acceptance and adoption: research and development; adoption by farmers; farmers' objectives; special characteristics of alley farming; farmer involvement in research and development.