Servicios ecosistémicos y desempeño económico de la agricultura: una revisión sistemática

Abstract

Context: Agriculture depends on ecosystem services (ES), but their economic valuation remains limited in Latin America. Understanding this relationship is crucial for designing policies that reconcile productivity and sustainability in agricultural systems in the Andean region. Objective: This study aimed to synthesize the available empirical evidence on the relationship between ES and the economic performance of agriculture, identifying methodological trends, recurring findings, and knowledge gaps in the Latin American scientific literature. Materials and methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Publications indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were consulted, applying predefined eligibility criteria that yielded 24 studies for qualitative synthesis. Thematic analysis was used to integrate the findings. Results: The review shows a consistent positive association between ecosystem services (ES) and economic performance, with profitability increases of 18-60% in diversified and agroforestry systems. Payment schemes for ES showed variable effects depending on the context. Methodological and geographical gaps were identified in high-altitude ecosystems. Conclusion: Integrating ES into agricultural planning represents a viable strategy to enhance synergies between production and conservation, particularly in agroforestry systems and small-scale family farming