The challenge of HIV/AIDS: Where does agroforestry fit in? - World ...

50World Agroforestry into the Futuredevelopment – and this is perhaps the mostexacting scientific challenge of all. Theobvious danger in any broad approach,however, is that of working on absolutelyeverything and losing all useful focus. Ecosystemecology is helpful in this regard, forit has become clear that, whatever the levelof complexity, there are always some featuresof the system that are more influentialin its regulation than others. This existenceof keystone organisms and processes isparticularly good news for agroforesters,because asking the question ‘what is therole of the tree(s)?’ in any given ecosystem isunlikely to be distant from asking ‘how doesthis system work?’ Likewise, the disciplinesof anthropology and sociology draw uponknowledge of repeated patterns in socialbehaviour and actions that can be linked tobio-political processes. The key for the resourcemanagement scientist in agriculturalresearch is thus to identify key features ofthe system during the diagnostic phase ofa research programme, and to derive appropriateentry points to the research thatwill enable manipulation of these keystoneorganisms, processes or properties.In seeking to wade in the ‘bathwater’ ofholistic science we should not, however,cast out the ‘baby’ of reductionism. Asmentioned above, Stephen Jay Gouldargued forcefully throughout his career fora wider and less mechanistic concept ofwhat constitutes the scientific method thanmere reductionist experimentation. Yet, inso doing, he also said: “Only a fool or anenemy of science could possibly deny theextraordinary power and achievements ofreductionism…” (Gould 2004). It is thussurely not a question of either reductionismor holism, but the challenge of when andin what manner to employ the power ofthe former within a framework of the latter.As outlined above, the tools to assist suchchoices are already part of the World AgroforestryCentre’s armoury – what remains ishow we choose to use them.AcknowledgementsOur grateful thanks go to Antonia Okonofor her assistance beyond the call of dutyin the preparation of this chapter.ReferencesAlbrecht, A. and S.T. Kandji 2003. Carbonsequestration in tropical agroforestrysystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems andEnvironment 99: 15–27.Amman, R. and M. Kuhl 1998. In situ methodsfor assessment of microorganisms andtheir activities. Current Opinion in Microbiology1: 352–358.Amman, R. and W. Ludwig 2000. RibosomalRNA-targeted nucleic acid probes forstudies in microbial ecology. FEMS MicrobiologyReviews 24: 555–565.Bationo, A. (ed) 2004. Managing Nutrient Cyclesto Sustain Soil Fertility in Sub-SaharanAfrica. African Academy of Science Publishers,Nairobi, Kenya.Bationo, A., S.P. Wani, C.L. Bielders, P.L.G. Vlekand A.U. Mokwunye 1999. Crop residueand fertilizer management to improvesoil organic carbon content, soil qualityand productivity in the desert margins ofWest Africa. In: Lal, R., J.M. Kimble andB.A.Stewart (eds) Global Climate Changeand Tropical Ecosystems. Advances in SoilScience. CRC Press, Florida, USA.Baidu-Forson, J. and A. Bationo 1992. Aneconomic evaluation of a long-termexperiment on phosphorus and manureamendments to sandy Sahelian soils usinga stochastic dominance model. FertilizerResearch 33: 193–202.Bergstrom, L. and H. Kirchman (eds) 1998.Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Naturaland Agricultural Tropical Ecosystems. CABInternational, Wallingford, UK.Bossio, D., M.S. Girvan, L. Verchot, J. Bullimore,T. Borelli, A. Albrecht, K.M. Scow, A.S.Ball, J.N. Pretty and A.M. Osborn 2005.Soil microbial community responseto land use change in an agriculturallandscape of western Kenya. MicrobialEcology 49: 50–62Buresh, R.J., P.A. Sanchez and F. Calhoun 1997.Replenishing Soil Fertility in Africa. SoilScience Society of America, Madison, WI,USA.Campbell, B.M. and J.A. Sayer (eds) 2003. IntegratedNatural Resource Management:Linking Productivity, the Environment andDevelopment. CAB International, Wallingford,UK.Crowley, E.L. and S.E. Carter 2000. Agrarianchange and the changing relationshipsbetween toil and soil in Maragoli, westernKenya (1900–1994). Human Ecology 28:383–414.FARA 2003. Securing the Future for Africa’sChildren: Building sustainable livelihoodsthrough research for integrated agriculturalresearch for development. Forum for AgriculturalResearch in Africa, Accra, Ghana.Feller, C., A. Albrecht, E. Balnchart, Y.M. Cabidoche,T. Chevallier, C. Hartmann, V.Eschenbrenner, M.C. Larre-Larrouy andJ.F. Ndandou 2001. Soil organic carbonsequestration in tropical areas. Generalconsiderations and analysis of someedaphic determinants for Lesser Antillessoils. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems61: 19–31.German, L. 2003. Beyond the Farm: A new lookat livelihood constraints in the highlandsof eastern Africa. African Highlands InitiativeBrief A2. World Agroforestry Centre,Nairobi, Kenya.Gichuru, M.P., A. Bationo, M.A. Bekunda, H.C.Goma, P.L. Mafongoya, D.N. Mugendi,H.K. Murwira, S.M. Nandwa, P. Nyathiand M.J. Swift (eds) 2003. Soil Fertility