Agroecology for small-holder family farmers in tropical mixed farming systems
Agroecology for small-holder family farmers in tropical mixed farming systems
The Guadeloupe Innovation Hub supports small-holder family farms to be able to adopt agroecological methods in their tropical mixed systems, based on what they learn through farmer-led trials and experiments on two ‘micro farms’.
At a wider level, the project explores other social indicators, and shares what they learn with other farmers and researchers from different types of farms in other regions and countries.
Two host micro farms in distinctly different locations act as demonstration or pilot sites.
The first farm, AgroEcoDiv, uses agroecological practices, integrating crops and livestock. Sugarcane grows alongside bananas, tomatoes and peas, with cattle, sheep and goats in nearby fields next to a pig facility. The by-products from this closed-loop system, along with unsold stock, are used as feed for the animals, whose manure fertilises the fields.
The second farm, KaruSmart, is a climate-resistant microfarm. Its name is a contraction of the Amerindian name for the island of Basse-Terre (Karukera, meaning the island of beautiful waters) and the concept of climate-smart agriculture. Using both traditional and innovative methods, the work explores which agrosystems will perform better as problems related to climate change increase.
Innovation Hub co facilitators: Jean-Luc Gourdine and Carla Barlagne
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