Comparison of the perceived and "unseen" value of trees : focusing on BGBD and crop performance under their canopies :

Abstract

It is essential to be aware of farmers' knowledge in order to comprehend the possible barriers and opportunities ta carrying out sustainable practices in tree-crop management Kiplot et al., 2006. Garbeva et al. 2006 explains that trees can influence the composition of underlying soil microbial communities. However, Faye et al., 2010 explains that this biodiversity is vulnerable to the socioeconomic and climatic determinants. The study brings to note the farmer's perception of agrarian trees in Namasagali parish basing on their influence on BGBD and crop performance under their canopies. Purposive sampling was considered in determining the sampling population where only farmers with trees incorporated in their gardens were investigated; interviews and questionnaires were used to capture their perception using the WTA valuation method. Crop performance was studied in terms of estimated, yield to which the market price was attached. The crops that were dominating the individual cropping systems included coffee, banana and others (combining yams, cassava, kulekula). For studying the BGBD, sample plots of (20cm*20cm) stretch, 15cm deep were established and organisms within them counted. Focus was on macro fauna and the organisms which were dominant unto which emphasis was put were Earthworms, Black ants, Crickets, Termites, Beetles, Centipedes, Millipedes, Ants, Beetle larvae, Earwig and Red ants. Studied trees with their dominance percentage were Ficus nalalensis (72%"), Ficus sycomorus (6%), Persea Americana (4%), Ficus ovata (60/0), Markhamia lutea (2%), Mangifèra indica (2%), Artocarpus heterophyllus (2%), Albizia corioria (40/0) and Milicia excelsa (2%). Questions whether there is any influence; of trees towards the presence of BGBD, soil organisms towards crop performance, trees to crop performance were answered. It was observed that the composition of soil organisms was greater under the trees than outside the tree canopy. The farmer's perceived value was averagely lesser than the calculated and “unseen” value. Using regression analysis, soil organisms had p-value less than 0.05 (P<0.05, 0.000<0.05) and were found significant explaining 99% of the variations in the crop amount. I therefore recommend an involvement of several stakeholders at local and national level as suggested by (Isaac, 2012) to boost the farmer's willingness to adopt scientific based options for sustainable management of their cropping Systems. Key words: Agrarian trees, Perceived value; BGBD, Tree canopy