The Camëntsá and Inga indigenous communities of the Sibundoy Valley, in the Colombian province of Putumayo, employ agroforestry systems for their livelihoods. The objectives of this enquiry are (1) to understand the importance of the biodiversity within agroforestry systems, as providers of provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services to indigenous households and (2) to assess the importance of protecting biodiversity through agroforestry systems to ensure food security. The study employed a qualitative research strategy involving participant observation and semi-structured interviews. It describes the ecosystem services delivered within the agroforestry systems and the uses given by the communities to their related biodiversity. A total of 21 uses were identified for 128 species. The provision of food, natural medicine and biochemicals, fuel, and fibres was the most important final services derived from that biodiversity. Additionally regulating and cultural ecosystem services accounted for almost one-third of the total uses of the species. Based on its findings, the study highlights the need to maintain both the agroforestry systems and their biodiversity to ensure the delivery of all three ecosystem services and the communities' food security and livelihoods.
The Camëntsá and Inga indigenous communities still rely on agroforestry systems for their livelihood attainment, although globalization effects have also reached their settlements. Agroforestry systems, especially home gardens, are experiencing reduced size and species diversity and therefore gradually disappearing. This research aims to determine the indigenous family labor contribution to agroforestry systems as a strategy to secure their livelihoods. The methods include a census, household survey, interviews with key informants, and direct observation. Family labor contributes to reducing production costs in agroforestry systems. Three groups of households were identified from the cluster analysis to determine the family labor contribution: smaller, medium-sized, and larger farms. The smaller farms register better economic indicators compared to the other two groups. In addition, they show a positive cost–benefit ratio and profitability, which is explained by lower production costs compared to the gross income generated. Although larger farms have higher gross revenues, these households also assume higher production costs and incur higher input costs. Medium-sized farms face the worst scenario. There is a relationship between the use of family labor and the achievement of livelihoods related to economic indicators and biodiversity and the variety of species harvested on farms and used for self-consumption. Family labor helps to ensure local food security and generate income.
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