Family farmers` local knowledge about native trees on pastures in Portal da Amazônia, MT – Brazil

Abstract

Extensive cattle ranching is a major cause of deforestation and biodiversity loss in agricultural frontier regions such as the Portal da Amazônia, northern region of Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The willingness of farmers to include trees in pastures depends on their positive perception of them, and could support the construction of new productive systems, which structurally and functionally improve the region`s landscape. We studied the perception of 39 family farmers, from four municipalities of the Portal da Amazônia region on the benefits of trees in pastures, evaluating their potential for silvopastoral systems. We carried out the characterization of shaded pastures, survey of native tree species and registration and evaluation of knowledge and perception of farmers about them. Community workshops were held to define tree species considered key, its dendrometric characterization and bibliographic survey on the potential in silvopastoral systems. The evaluation of pastures showed a predominance of brachiaria species (Urochloa spp.) and low adoption of management practices. We mapped 1875 trees (with a density between 0.29 and 45.8 individuals/hectare) and identified 129 species. The main motivations of farmers to maintain trees on pastures were the provision of shade for animals (94.8%), soil improvement (69.2%) and income generation with seeds (25.6%). The species of greatest interest were Samanea tubolosa, Handronthus serratifolius, Apeiba tibourbou, Maclura tinctoria and Platymiscium floribundum. The results point out to possibilities for the use of native tree species in pastures, contributing to the reintroduction of the tree component and native biodiversity in productive systems. They show the potential of silvopastoral systems with native tree species as alternatives to conventional production models in the region, contributing to a new way of understanding livestock systems, and to local and regional development in the Portal da Amazônia.