Mango trees as components of agroforestry sytsems in Mangwende, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study investigates the role of mango (Manifera indica L.) within agroforestry systems in Mangwende, Zimbabwe. Eighty two percent of households had mango trees. Neither the degree of natural woodland depletion nor the wealth status of a household had an influence on mango planting. Most mango trees were planted in the homefields. Mango trees provide fruit, firewood, poles, organic matter for soil amendment, living fence post, shade, soil conservation and cattle feed (the rotting fruits). Wealthy and poor households managed mango trees in the same way. Trees were pruned primarily to increase fruit yields and to reduce competition with crops, although prunings were utilised for firewood and poles. The relative importance of different uses of mango trees did not differ among households with different numbers of mango trees or with different wealth status, with fruits universally acknowledged as the most important product. Ninety four percent of households sold mangoes from their farms, but mangoes earned farmers the least income, in comparison with the four most important crops grown in Mangwende. Two thirds of households intercropped mangoes with herbaceous crops. The mangocrop associations were managed to optimise the yields of both crops and mangoes. Mango trees on croplands were widely perceived as having a positive effect on soil fertility and soil moisture and a negative effect on crop yield. About one third of the households used mango litter for soil amelioration, while litter from indigenous woodland was used by most households, especially in gardens.