More trees are needed on farms and in agricul – tural landscapes to produce firewood, timber, fodder, food, and to alleviate erosion and other environmental problems. Trees will also contri – bute to sequester carbon, build soil fertility and restore other ecosystem services, as well as contri – bute to climate change adaptation. This project has investigated whether the integration of trees in crop and livestock production can contribute to enhance agricultural productivity and resource utilization, and thereby contribute to improved living conditions for smallholders. We have evalu – ated the productivity and multi-functionality of agroforestry systems at different scales (field, farm, landscape) by empirical studies (measurements, sampling, interviews), and have surveyed farmers’ strategies to adapt to climate change. We have also studied which soil properties are required for Allanblackia , an African tree with oil-rich fruits that are now being domesticated to be grown by smallholder farmers, to thrive. The results show that in the study areas, farmers are integrating trees into their production systems in order to get products and services including increased adap – tion capacity to climate change. They use a variety of tree species that have different functions in order to obtain synergies and reduce trade-offs with other farm components. This has been a collabo – rative project between SLU and partners in Kenya ( Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, the Vi Agroforestry and the World Agroforestry Centre-ICRAF). Two PhD students have participated in this work and several student and educational projects have been implemented. We have also participated in conferences and orga – nized courses for advisors, farmers’ organizations and farmers
Tag: agricultural productivity
Fostering collective action amongst smallholder farmers in East Africa: Are women members adequately participating?
Farmer groups in Sub-Saharan Africa are considered important vehicles for rural development, promotion of agricultural productivity and improved economic growth of communities especially women. However, weak institutional mechanisms put in place during formation and subsequent evolution processes has potential of exposing women members to the danger of alienation. This study addressed constraining factors and opportunities for women in groups, as well as their contribution to effectiveness and proper functioning of groups. The survey engaged a total of 40 groups and 305 members from two East African countries (Kenya and Uganda). The study revealed there were twice as many women, in Kenya and Uganda, as there were men in farmer groups. However, women were inadvertently excluded in decision making roles. Despite their small numbers men, were found to hold key leadership positions in farmer groups than women members in Uganda. In spite of limited representation in decision making, group members perceived women to be more trustworthy, more cohesive, better leaders in the group than men in Uganda (p<0.05) as compared to Kenya where both gender was perceived equally on attributes. The limited role played by women suggests that beyond numerical equity, there is still a long road to functional equity in farmer groups. The gender inequalities experienced in the management of farmer groups negates their fundamental function as an avenue for women empowerment.
Realizing the potential of Trees on Farms for biodiversity and livelihoods
For the success of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, it will no longer be sufficient to seek to limit biodiversity loss through agriculture. Instead, agriculture must become an integral element of sustainable landscapes a force for conserving biodiversity and providing vital ecosystem services to local populations and securing livelihoods.
Trees on Farms (TonF) play a critical role in contributing to biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes through in-situ conservation, by connecting fragmented wild habitats and providing stepping-stones between protected area networks and conserving soil biodiversity and agrobiodiversity. TonF are one of the key nature-based solutions to the conservation and food production challenges we face as they also play a critical role in achieving sustainable, biodiversity friendly agricultural landscapes.
Generating capacity, commitment, and consensus to support Trees on Farms for Biodiversity
For the success of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, it will no longer be sufficient to seek to limit biodiversity loss through agriculture. Instead, agriculture must become an integral element of sustainable landscapes a force for conserving biodiversity and providing vital ecosystem services to local populations and securing livelihoods.
Trees on Farms (TonF) play a critical role in contributing to biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes through in-situ conservation, by connecting fragmented wild habitats and providing stepping-stones between protected area networks and conserving soil biodiversity and agrobiodiversity. TonF are one of the key nature-based solutions to the conservation and food production challenges we face as they also play a critical role in achieving sustainable, biodiversity friendly agricultural landscapes.
Mainstreaming biodiversity and livelihood through Trees on Farms and agroforestry in Indonesia
For the success of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, it will no longer be sufficient to seek to limit biodiversity loss through agriculture. Instead, agriculture must become an integral element of sustainable landscapes a force for conserving biodiversity and providing vital ecosystem services to local populations and securing livelihoods.
Trees on Farms (TonF) play a critical role in contributing to biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes through in-situ conservation, by connecting fragmented wild habitats and providing stepping-stones between protected area networks and conserving soil biodiversity and agrobiodiversity. TonF are one of the key nature-based solutions to the conservation and food production challenges we face as they also play a critical role in achieving sustainable, biodiversity friendly agricultural landscapes.
From the Woods to Action: TonF now at the forefront in Uganda’s restoration agenda
For the success of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, it will no longer be sufficient to seek to limit biodiversity loss through agriculture. Instead, agriculture must become an integral element of sustainable landscapes a force for conserving biodiversity and providing vital ecosystem services to local populations and securing livelihoods.
Trees on Farms (TonF) play a critical role in contributing to biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes through in-situ conservation, by connecting fragmented wild habitats and providing stepping-stones between protected area networks and conserving soil biodiversity and agrobiodiversity. TonF are one of the key nature-based solutions to the conservation and food production challenges we face as they also play a critical role in achieving sustainable, biodiversity friendly agricultural landscapes.
Rooting deeply Trees on Farms into Rwanda’s local, national, and global agenda
For the success of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, it will no longer be sufficient to seek to limit biodiversity loss through agriculture. Instead, agriculture must become an integral element of sustainable landscapes a force for conserving biodiversity and providing vital ecosystem services to local populations and securing livelihoods.
Trees on Farms (TonF) play a critical role in contributing to biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes through in-situ conservation, by connecting fragmented wild habitats and providing stepping-stones between protected area networks and conserving soil biodiversity and agrobiodiversity. TonF are one of the key nature-based solutions to the conservation and food production challenges we face as they also play a critical role in achieving sustainable, biodiversity friendly agricultural landscapes.
The impacts of agroforestry interventions on agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, and human well-being in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Agroforestry, the intentional integration of trees or other woody perennials with crops or livestock in production systems, is being widely promoted as a conservation and development tool to help meet the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Donors, governments, and nongovernmental organizations have invested significant time and resources into developing and promoting agroforestry policies and programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) worldwide. While a large body of literature on the impacts of agroforestry practices in LMICs is available, the social-ecological impacts of agroforestry interventions is less well-studied. This knowledge gap on the effectiveness of agroforestry interventions constrains possibilities for evidence-based policy and investment decisions to advance sustainable development objectives. The primary objective of this Campbell systematic review was to synthesize the available evidence on the impacts of agroforestry interventions in LMICs on agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, and human well-being. The secondary objectives were to identify key pathways through which agroforestry interventions lead to various outcomes and how the interventions affect different sub-groups of the population. This review is based on a previously created evidence and gap map (EGM) of studies evaluating the impacts of agroforestry practices and interventions on agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, and human well-being. We included published and unpublished literature in the English language covering the period between 2000 and October 20, 2017. We searched six academic databases and 19 organization websites to identify potentially relevant studies. The search was conducted for our EGM in mid-2017, and we did not conduct an additional search for this systematic review. We included randomized control trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies assessing the effect of an agroforestry intervention on at least one outcome measure of agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, or human well-being for farmers and their farmland in LMICs. Agroforestry interventions include any program or policy designed to promote and support the adoption or maintenance of agroforestry practices, which include trees on farms, silvopasture, shade-grown crops, and homegardens with trees, among others. Moreover, the studies needed to include a nonagroforestry comparator, such as conventional agriculture or forestry systems or a before-after comparison. We used a standardized data extraction spreadsheet to extract details about each included study. We also used a standardized form to assess risk of bias for each of the included studies in this SR. Meta-analysis techniques were used to combine and synthesize effect size estimates for the outcomes measures that had sufficient data. We used a random effects models for the meta-analyses and use Hedge’s g (difference in means divided by the pooled standard deviation) to report effect size estimates. The outcomes without enough evidence for meta-analysis were discussed narratively.
Biodiversity and Agriculture: Rapid Evidence Review
Agriculture is the largest single source of environmental degradation, responsible for over 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 70% of freshwater use and 80% of land conversion: it is the single largest driver of biodiversity loss (Foley et al. 2011, 2005; IPBES 2019; Willett et al. 2019). Agriculture also underpins poor human health, contributing to 11 million premature deaths annually. While too many still struggle from acute hunger, a growing number of individuals, including in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), struggle to access healthy foods. Greater consideration for, and integration of, biodiversity in agriculture is a key solution space for improving health, eliminating hunger and achieving nature-positive development objectives.