From integrated fruit production to ecological orchard management in the West Indies

The high level of human impact in the French West Indies, the pressure from banana and sugarcane monocultures, and the excessive use of pesticides have led to the persistent pollution of a significant proportion of the land under cultivation, as well as of river waters and groundwater. Whilst the search for biological methods of insect control has been a priority over the last ten years, weed control remains a key problem for fruit growers, who cannot afford to replace the frequent use of herbicides entirely with mechanical mowing. CIRAD is now focusing its efforts on introducing cover crops – grasses and legumes – into innovative farming systems where fruit trees, herbaceous cover and livestock can be combined effectively to ensure the ecological management of the plot. Each of these three components is selected to enhance the system’s sustainability.