engleski

Determining most suitable areas for alley cropping systems by using GIS modelling

Growing demand for energy production from biomass can result with a substantial increase in price of food. To avoid such scenario careful planning of planting short rotation coppice (SRC) for biomass production is necessary. The great potential of SRC plantations is on poor soils that are not suitable for agricultural production. In order not to exclude food production from such areas completely, developing intercropping systems such as agroforestry systems is possible. One of such systems is alley cropping, where fast growing trees are intercropped with agricultural crops, in addition to food and energy production it can also mitigate negative environmental impact of agricultural land use in main agricultural region of Croatia. A modelling method by using GIS (Geographic Information System) is possible to determine which areas are most suitable for such systems that would produce food crops and biomass for energy from same plot/area. At the same time, on these sites, alley cropping systems will reduce potential risk of soil erosion, contribute to groundwater protection and increase landscape diversity. In these areas environmental benefits could justify the support by subsidies.

agroforestry ; alley cropping ; GIS

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