Abstract

SANCHEZ, V; DELREAL, G; PLAZAS, C  and  PEREZ, G. Economic feasibility of the corn-pasture association in the establishment of a silvopastoral system in the plain foothills of Colombia². Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2015, vol.38, n.1, pp.73-79. ISSN 0864-0394.

The objective of the study was to financially evaluate an alternative for the establishment of a shade silvopastoral system (SPS-S) with native tree legumes, along with the production of corn silage and the renovation of degraded grasslands. For such purpose, trees were planted in rows and corn was sown between them, which was harvested to be ensiled. Three native species adapted to the conditions of soil acidity (4,6) were selected for this work and a factorial arrangement was used in randomized blocks with four treatments, constituted by the three tree species to be evaluated and the control: T₁: Piptadenia flava, T₂: Cassia moschata, T₃: Mimosa trianae and T_O: control, with five repetitions per treatment, for a total of 20 experimental units. Afterwards, corn was sown again, in association with pasture, and the corn was harvested to be ensiled; therefore, the grassland was renovated and incomes were obtained for the silage. These incomes for the silage sale amortized the costs of the establishment stage and generated profits that made the project economically viable during such stage, by achieving a net profit per hectare of USD 714, a net present value (NPV) of USD 407 and an internal return rate (IRR) of 31,63 %. In another type of SPS the establishment cost can be more than USD 2 500 per hectare and the return of the investment can take more than four years.

Keywords : Agroforestry; financial analysis; trees; silage.

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