Introduction to the agro-ecological protection of the mango tree in Réunion

This book is primarily intended for practitioners, farmers and agricultural technicians. Its objective is to provide the first feedback from an agroecological experience, the Biophyto1 project set up in a network of mango orchards in Réunion from 2012 to 2014 (CASDAR project, Ministry of Agriculture, Agrifood and the forest).

The objective of the project was, by placing farmers at the center of the system and of concerns, to study the feasibility of producing mango without insecticide, by introducing agroecological practices into the orchards for the insertion of plant biodiversity, such as permanent plant cover, flower strips, trap plants, etc.

Without giving a miracle recipe, this book presents the first recommendations for the management of agroecological practices in mango orchards. It also highlights areas that require technical adjustments and further study. It is an illustration of the agro-ecological dynamic that has been created for a few years in Reunion and, consequently, of the development of Organic Agriculture. Indeed, the conditions of agro-ecological production are, in many situations, compatible with the specifications of Organic Farming.

Jean-Philippe Deguine (CIRAD), head of the Biophyto project