Design of Agroforestry Systems for the Santa Rita Micro-Watershed in the Southeastern Region of Cuba

The high demand for food and the overexploitation of natural resources to provide goods and services permanently to the population cause negative effects on the balance of ecosystems; however, depending on the management, systems intervened by man can offer a variety of services in a sustainable manner. Agroforestry systems(AFS), through the combination and interaction of all their components, seek to contribute to food security and to the improvement of the quality of life of peasant families, allowing at the same time the diversification of production, environmental sustainability and the generation of marketable surpluses. The fundamental objective of this work was the design of AFS in areas of the Santa Rita micro-basin, municipality of Palma Soriano, southeastern region of Cuba. To this end, the biophysical characterization of the study area was carried out and in plots with land use conflict; AFSs were designed based on their location within the water network of the micro-basin and the effective depth. Seven AFS alternatives were proposed on 52.91 ha, which contributes to the generation of a source of employment and income for the inhabitants of this agricultural setting; improves the coverage of the protection strips of the riverbeds, increases the forested area and the biodiversity of the Santa Rita micro-basin.