An improved fallow agroforestry practice, that involves planting Acacia auriculiformis trees to accelerate soil fertility recovery, was taught to 306 farmers in Mampu agroforestry zone on the Batéké Plateau in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 1995 to 2001. Our study (1) assessed the principal factors that determined the continued application of this practice by farmers; and (2) identified the benefits and constraints perceived by those farmers who adopted the practice two decades ago. We applied a mixed approach that combined quantitative as well as qualitative evaluation. First, a multiple linear regression model was constructed based on a survey of 121 farmers that adopted the new practice. We subsequently conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 adopters. The regression models identified that the availability of labour, based on the number of household members working in the fields, best explained the continued use of the improved fallow practice (P = 0.0898). In the interviews, revenue from the sale of charcoal and improvement in crop yields were cited as key benefits of improved fallow, while the lack of nurseries for tree production and the problems of access to water were the main drawbacks mentioned by adopters. The study results identify the principal factors influencing the adoption of this practice, as well as the perception of farmers; this information can be used to guide the dissemination of improved fallow practice to other communities on the Batéké Plateau landscape.

中文翻译：

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在刚果民主共和国的 Batéké 高原采用改良的 Acacia auriculiformis 休耕做法

1995 年至 2001 年，在刚果民主共和国 Batéké 高原的 Mampu 农林业区向 306 名农民传授了一种改进的休耕农林业实践，包括种植金合欢树以加速土壤肥力恢复。我们的研究 (1) 评估了决定农民继续采用这种做法的主要因素；(2) 确定了那些在 20 年前采用这种做法的农民所感受到的好处和限制。我们采用了一种结合定量和定性评估的混合方法。首先，基于对采用新做法的 121 名农民的调查，构建了多元线性回归模型。随后，我们对 12 位采用者进行了半结构化访谈。回归模型确定劳动力的可用性，根据在田间工作的家庭成员数量，最好地解释了继续使用改进的休耕做法 (P = 0.0898)。在采访中，来自木炭销售的收入和作物产量的提高被认为是改善休耕的主要好处，而缺乏用于树木生产的苗圃和供水问题是采用者提到的主要缺点。研究结果确定了影响采用这种做法的主要因素，以及农民的看法；该信息可用于指导向 Batéké 高原景观上的其他社区传播改进的休耕做法。木炭销售收入和作物产量提高被认为是改善休耕的主要好处，而缺乏用于树木生产的苗圃和供水问题是采用者提到的主要缺点。研究结果确定了影响采用这种做法的主要因素，以及农民的看法；该信息可用于指导向 Batéké 高原景观上的其他社区传播改进的休耕做法。木炭销售收入和作物产量提高被认为是改善休耕的主要好处，而缺乏用于树木生产的苗圃和供水问题是采用者提到的主要缺点。研究结果确定了影响采用这种做法的主要因素，以及农民的看法；该信息可用于指导向 Batéké 高原景观上的其他社区传播改进的休耕做法。