Agroforestry Systems Based on Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae): Socio-Economic Yield and Environmental Insights from the Peripheries of Benoué National Park, Cameroon

Abstract

Biodiversity, a natural biological capital of the earth that presents important opportunities for all societies, provides goods and services essential for human livelihoods and aspirations. Thus, this study aims to investigate agroforestry models of western Anacardium parks in the southern and western zones of the Bénoué National Park (North Cameroon), in order to determine the most appropriate system for the study area. More specifically, the aim is to: characterize the diversity of crops associated with Anacardium occidentale; estimate crop yields obtained in Anacardium occidentale parks; assess the socio-economic and environmental impact of the Anacardium occidentale parks established. The Ishikawa tool enabled us to analyze and visualize the socio-economic and environmental impact of the agroforestry parks established, and using the KoboCollect tool, the survey form was drawn up and administered to the producers. Crops associated with Anacardium occidentale include maize, soya, cowpeas, groundnuts, cotton, yams, cassava, millet and sesame. The most common are cashew-peanut (27 %), cashew-maize (24 %), cashew-cassava (21 %) and cashew-millet (17 %). The results showed that the cashew-rachis system produced 42,800 kg, the cashew-maize system 36,700 kg and the cashew-manioc system recorded the highest production of 46,100 kg. The study also highlighted the potential socio-economic benefits of collaboration between trees and crops associated with the preservation of soil biological activity by cashew trees. In the environmental level, the equipment used by growers is traditional and has no impact on soil quality. Western Anacardium plantations offer growers numerous partnership opportunities, with cashew by-products widely consumed, sold and recycled. This integration can have mutual benefits for both partners (trees and crops). This research topic provides added value in the environmental field, in that it provides a solution to the problem of soil degradation from which many farmers suffer, and increases production while maintaining the soil in a healthy state. It also contributes to achieving the goals of sustainable development, which are to protect biological diversity (ODD15), ensure food security (ODD2) and the living conditions of human populations (ODD3).