As we saw at the beginning of this chapter, farmers in Haiti are being encouraged to plant mango trees to help reduce runoff and increase the uptake of water by the soil and the trees. Consider a group of Haitian farmers that decides to plant mango trees. Mango saplings cost $10 each. Once the trees become mature, each tree will produce $75 worth of fruit per year. A village of 225 people decides to pool its resources and set up a community mango plantation. Their goal is to generate a per capita income of $300 per year for everyone in the village.
How many mature trees will the village need to meet the goal?
Total annual income desired:
$300/person × 225 persons = $67,500
Number of trees needed to produce $67,500 in annual income:
$67,500 ÷ $75/tree = 900 trees
Each tree requires 25 m2 of space. How many hectares must the village set aside for the plantation?
900 trees × 25 m2 = 22,500 m2 = 2.25 ha
Your Turn
Each tree requires 20 L of water per day during the 6 hot months of the year (180 days). The water must be pumped to the plantation from a nearby stream. How many liters of water are needed each year to water the plantation of 900 trees?