Conclusions

Live fencing is one form of agroforestry that can provide a range of products and services on farmlands.

Problems of competition between hedgerows or fencerows with nearby crops and pasture grasses have been documented by Fernandes et al., (1993) and Ong et. al., (1996) and more information is required on the most appropriate species and management strategies to optimize the functions of live fences. The many land tenure laws in developing countries are as diverse and complex as the many farming systems. These laws need to be well understood before looking at how trees, live fences and agroforestry can be incorporated into local farming systems. The development of agroforestry, and live fences, must take account of existing patterns of land distribution and control (Vabi, 1994).

Although live fencing systems are very old and traditional, the extent of the many potential benefits and the number of different farmer-developed systems are currently not well understood or even well documented. We can learn a lot from farmers who have been using live fences in their various farming systems and assist in farmer-to-farmer transfer of these technologies.

Introduction | Live Fence Posts | Examples of Live Fences I
Products and Services | Conclusions | Literature Cited

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Funded by a grant from the Cornell Agroforestry Working Group (CAWG) and the Distance Learning Program of the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development (CIIFAD).