Farming systems in a changing environment: Dynamics of homegarden agro-biodiversity and fuction in southern Honduras

Bc. Ayleen Eugenia Torres Rosales

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Agrobiodiversity as a subset of natural biodiversity includes the plant genetic resources used for food and agriculture. Maintaining this agrobiodiversity in home gardens results in a functioning, productive, resilient ecosystem that provides farmers with the means to generate income and satisfy dietary needs. However, diversification of plant species in home gardens is shaped by external and internal factors. This thesis aims to identify whether changes in the socioeconomic profile and demographic characteristics of households would influence the agrobiodiversity of local home gardens in Honduras and how.This study was conducted in fifty home gardens identified to be suitable for our analysis across the peri-urban communities of Los Planes, Namasigue, and Pespire in department of Choluteca, and Playa Blanca, Puerto Sierrra, and Ojochal in the department of Valle. The survey was based on data collected during August and September, 2015, gathering socioeconomic background information such as number of household members, household income, size of a garden, as well as ethnobotanical knowledge of home gardeners.Two biodiversity indices, Shannon-Wiener and Margalef, were calculated. Linear regression models identified home garden age, total cash, home garden size and number of female household members as variables having potential influence on agrobiodiversity. Based on the results, we can conclude that the agrobiodiversity of home gardens in south-central Honduras was significantly influenced by the socio-economic and demographic indicators. Home garden age was strongly connected to diversity; older gardens were found to be more diverse, as farmers added plant species to the home gardens with time. Greater income resulted in a decrease in agrobiodiversity; farmers lacked interest in diversifying plots with crops that were not cash crops, as they had the possibility to rely on external products. Conversely, there was a slight trend in increasing agrobiodiversity with home garden size, but no significant pattern can be established. Nevertheless, for a more accurate result, more data should be analysed.

Keywords

Diversity indices, Demography, Ethnobotany, Commercialization, Food security, Honduras

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 29. 4. 2017

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Vladimír Verner, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / International Development and Agricultural Economics