Agriculture and Land Use Research Proceedings of the International Conference sponsored by: The Rockefeller Foundation The German Agency for Technical Cooperation, Ltd, GTZ The Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, CtAT North Carolina State University, NCSU The International Center for Research in Agroforestry, ICRAF CIAT is a nonprofit organization devoted to the agricultural and economic development of the lowland tropics. The government of Colombia provides support as host country for CIAT and furnishes a 522-hectare site near Cali for ClAT's headquarters. In addition, the Fundación para la Educación Superior (FES) makes available to CIAT a 1 84-hectare substation in Quilichao and a 73-hectare substation near Popayan. CIAT also co- manages with the InstitutoColombiano Agropecuario(ICA)the 22,000-hectare Canmagua Research Center in the Eastern Plains of Colombia, and carries out collaborative work on several of ICA's experimental stations in Colombia. Similar work is done with national agricultural agencies in other Latin American countries. CIAT is financed by a number of donors represented in the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). During 1 981 these CIAT donors are: The Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) through the International Development Association (IDA), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the European Economic Community (EEC), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the International Develop- ment Research Center (IDRC), and the foreign assistance agencies of the governments of Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kindgdom, and the United States. In addition, special project funds are supplied by various of the aforementioned donors, plus the Kellogg Foundation, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Information and conclusions reported herein do not necessarily reflect the position of any of the aforementioned agencies, foundations or governments. :anned from original by ISRIC - World Soil Information, as ICSU orld Data Centre for Soils. The purpose is to make a safe ;pository for endangered documents and to make the accrued formation available for consultation, following Fair Use uidelines. Every effort is taken to respect Copyright of the aterials within the archives where the identification of the CIAT Series 03E-3(82) Dpyright holder is clear and, where feasible, to contact the ISBN 84-89206-13-9 iginators. For questions please contact [email protected] dicating the item reference number concerned. AMAZONIA Agriculture and Land Use Research Editor: Susanna B. Hecht Editorial Committee: Gustavo A. Nores, Chairman Susanna B. Hecht Pedro A. Sanchez James M. Spain Gary Toenniessen Proceedings of the International Conference sponsored by: The Rockefeller Foundation The German Agency for Technical Cooperation, Ltd., GTZ The Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, CIAT North Carolina State University, NCSU The International Center for Research in Agroforestry, 1CRAF. The Conference and the publication of Proceedings received financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation Ltd, GTZ. 4512- Ceniro International de Agricultura Tropical, CIA T Apanado Aéreo 6713 Cali, Colombia ISBN 84-89206-13-9 CIA T Series 03E-3(82) May. 1982 International Conference on Amazonian Agriculture and Land Use Research, 1st, Ceniro International de Agricultura Tropical, 1980. Amazonia: Agriculture and land use reseach; proceedings. Edited by Susanna Hecht. Cali, Colombia, Centra International de Agricultura Tropical. 1982 428 p. [Serie CI AT 03E-3(82J} 1. Natural resources — Amazon Basin — Congresses. 2. Agriculture — Research — Amazon Basin — Congresses. 3. Land utilization — Amazon Basin — Congresses. 4. Amazon Basin. I. Hecht, Susanna. II. Ceniro International de Agricultura Tropical. III. Title. (Series). Press run: 2000 copies Printed by University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., U.S.A. Contents Page Preface 7 Welcome Address 9 Opening Address 11 Country Reports 15 General Evaluation of the Agricultural Potential of the Bolivian Amazon, Francisco Pereira, José G. Salinas 17 General Evaluation of Development Policies and Research in the Brazilian/ Amazon, Herminio Maia Rocha 33 Considerations on the Colombian Amazon Region, Jaime Navas Alvarado 41 Development Policies and Plans for Ecuador's Amazon Region, Raul de la Torre F. 61 Development Policies and Plans for Peru's Amazon Region, Javier Gazzo 85 A Peruvian Experience for the Development of Amazonia: The Regional Development Organization of Loreto (Ordeloreto) and the Jenaro Herrera Settlement Project, José Lopez Parodi 107 Agricultural Development in Venezuela's Amazon Region, Sergio Benacchio 115 Technical Reports 135 Ecosystem Research 135 Land Resources, Soils and their Management in the Amazon Region: A State of Knowledge Report, Thomas T. Cochrane, Pedro A. Sanchez 137 Natural Resources for Land Use in the Amazon Region: The Natural Systems, Herbert O. R. Schubart, Eneas Salati 211 Agricultural Research 241 Production of Annual Food Crops in the Amazon, Carlos Valverde S., Dale E. Bandy 243 Pasture and Animal Production in Amazonia, " José M. Toledo, E. Edilson Sousa Serrao 281 An Appraisal of Perennial Crops in the Amazon Basin, Paulo de T. Alviin . 311 Forestry and Agroforestry 329 Agroforestry in the Amazon Basin: Practice, Theory and Limits of a Promising Land Use, Susanna B. Hecht 331 Forest Research 'Activities and the Importance of Multi-strata Production Systems in the Amazon Basin (Humid Nco-tropics), Robert B. Peck 373 Forestry and Agroforestry Research in Colombia, Juan E. Valencia 387 Agroforestry Systems for the Humid Tropics East of the Andes, John P. Bishop 403 Conclusions and Recommendations 417 Acronyms 425 The participants in this conference recommended the creation of a mechanism for strengthening agricultural and ecological research in the Amazon region. A small committee was appointed to implement the recommendation and this led to the establish- ment of an informal cooperative research network known as the Red de Investigación Agraria para la Amazonia (REDINAA). Scientists associated with REDINAA are presently in the process of preparing cooperative research proposals that will be submitted to appropriate national and inter- national agencies. The conference sponsors are pleased with this development and encourage others interested in contributing to the strengthening of agricultural and ecological research in the Amazon region to participate in the REDINAA programs. Preface Agricultural and forestry development in the Amazonian Basin have significant potential for contributing to economic growth and improved human welfare in this vast region of South America. Although national policies concerning colonization and the bringing of new lands into production vary greatly, the predominant trend in the Basin is toward accelerated development of frontier regions. Realization of the Amazonian agricultural potential will not, however, be an easy task, for experience has demonstrated numerous technical, social, and economic constraints. It is now well recognized that there is an urgent need to expand and strengthen research programs which will generate the much greater knowledge base necessary to ensure that agricultural development in the Amazonia is both technically and economically sustainable. In response to this need, national governments hope to establish new, as well as strengthen, their existing research stations in Amazonia. Several international technical assistance and funding agencies have also demonstrated an increased interest in cooperating with research programs in the region. The latter group includes the five agencies that sponsored the International Conference on Amazonian Agricultural and Land Use Research which was held at CI AT in Cali, Colombia, April 16-18, 1980. The Conference brought together about twenty distinguished scientists and government officials from the six major Amazonian countries and an approximately equal number of international agency representatives. The objective was to identify and promote the most promising research opportunities that could lead to improved agricultural technologies appropriate for the ecological and economic conditions unique to Amazonia. 8 AMAZONIA Agriculture and Land Use Research The presentations made and discussions held provided an overview of national policies concerning agricultural development in Amazonia, reviewed the current state of knowledge on alternative agricultural and land use options, identified priority research topics, suggested a strategy for improved cooperation amongst concerned agencies, and led to the establishment of a steering committee charged with formulating a mechanism for implementation ofthat strategy. A subsequent meeting of the steering committee held in Manaus, Brazil, resulted in the first steps being taken to form an Amazonian Agricultural Research Network (Red de Investigación Agraria para la Amazonia). This publication is intended to make the results of the CIA T Conference available to all individuals and agencies interested in the Amazonian region and in agricultural development in the humid tropics in general. Hopefully it will also serve as a useful state-of-the- art document providing a base for and facilitating future research in the region. We wish to