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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Booneville, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #95425
Title: UNITED STATES AGROFORESTRY ECONOMIC MODEL: CAN IT BE APPLIED TO PHILIPPINE AGROFORESTRY?

Author
item Blanche, Catalino
item KNOWLES, R - NZ FOREST RES INST
item TOLENTINO, ENRIQUE - UNIV OF PHILIPPINES

Submitted to: Science and Technology Congress 2000
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The United States Agroforestry Economic Model (USAEM) is a decision support system for evaluating agroforestry options such as: trees + understory livestock (silvopasture); trees + understory crops (alley cropping or forest farming), trees alone (forestry); trees + other products (e.g. pine straw) + crops, in any combination, time frame and scale. The model is an effective planning tool and has financial modules to evaluate the feasibility, financing, and profitability of an agroforestry project in relation to the whole farm or estate. Its graphic capability allows to show the effects of planting and felling on the physical and financial flows of the project. The model is implemented as a windows application and requires five input data: farm accounts, labor table, costs table, understory table and yield table. The output consists of graphical financial and physical flows, internal rate of return, net present value of the farm, and assessment of the project as a joint venture and a cutting right. Intensive literature search revealed that the input data required by this model to assess Philippine agroforestry options are not readily available although reasonable estimates and assumptions may be used to get some first approximations. Its use for evaluating forestry projects (trees alone) is feasible with available growth and yield data of Philippine fast growing trees in plantations. Thus, the application of this model to Philippine agroforestry situations is currently limited but may change dramatically once data for the different agroforestry systems are organized and reported systematically. The model is currently being enhanced to include risk analysis and environmental assessment.