Sustainability of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) and tangerine (Citrus spp.) agroecosystems in Cañete, Lima – Peru

Abstract

The main objective of the present research was to evaluate the sustainability of avocado and tangerine agroecosystems in Cañete (Lima – Peru). Five farmlands from different clusters, dedicated to avocado and tangerine crops, were analyzed. After consulting experts and local farmers, sustainability indicators and subindicators proposed by Sarandón et al. [1], Márquez & Julca [2], were adapted, standardized and weighted, assigning valued ranks in a scale from 0 – 4, being 2 the threshold value of general, social, economic and environmental sustainability. The inclusion of the biodiversity of benecial arthropods (predators and parasitoids) was proposed for the environmental dimension analysis. Tendencies of general sustainability and its components were observed, detecting interdependence between them. Self-consumption production was reduced, with an intermediate to high dependence of external inputs, which was concordant with farmers' consciousness and partially completed their diet. These agroecosystems could accomplish social objectives, but partially the economic and environmental objectives. Only farm 23 (cluster 3), fulled all the requirements to be sustainable. We conclude that the adaptation and use of sustainability indicators are proper to detect critical points of agroecosystems sustainability, to determine possible causes and to propose medium term solutions.