This study focuses on two villages in Central Java and examines the following: (a) What silvicultural practices do farmers apply in their teak plantations? (b) What is the performance (growth and quality) of farmers’ teak plantations? and (c) Do farmers’ socio-economic and perceptional characteristics influence their silvicultural management activity? A total of 66 farmers were interviewed and 121 inventory plots measured. Most of the usual silvicultural practices were implemented, although thinning was rarely conducted. In older plantations (>5 to 7 years old), low growth was most likely due to a lack of thinning. Farmers allocated minimum inputs for silvicultural management, mainly because teak was not one of the farmers’ main income sources. None of the farmers’ socio-economic and perceptional characteristics influenced their silvicultural management activity. In order to improve teak growth and quality, farmers need motivated and skilled extension officers to advise them in site selection and in thinning and pruning techniques.
Tag: farmers
Testing a multi-scale scenario approach for smallholder tree plantations in Indonesia and Vietnam
Smallholder tree plantations are seen as promising routes to alleviating poverty and increasing forest area among the countries in Southeast Asia. However, implementation has been disappointing, which led scientists at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) to consider a scenario exercise as a way to mitigate the risk of unwanted outcomes. The study had a characteristic that it shares with many other studies: close interaction of larger-scale processes and trends (global markets, national policy) with smaller-scale systems (regional and local policy, farmer livelihoods). The authors therefore felt than an explicitly multi-scale approach was called for. To keep close to the well-known practice, we made a modest extension to a conventional scenario logic approach, and introduced a nested, and multi-scale scenario logic. While modest, we believe that the modification is useful, and the method could be used in other studies, in particular climate adaptation studies. We applied the method during two scenario workshops held to explore the use of smallholder tree plantations in efforts to improve rural livelihoods; each workshop considered two different localities. While the scenario frameworks resulting from the workshops were similar between the localities, we believe that the nested scenario framework served to structure the process and revealed meaningful contextual differences. From these experiences, we discuss and critique the method
Oil palm plantations in Indonesia: the implications for migration, settlement/resettlement and local economic development
Determinants and constraints of integrating natural acacias into mechanised rain-fed agricultural schemes Sennar State, Sudan
Agroforestry practices in Sudan take on various forms across the country, depending on the arrangement, distribution and integration of trees with agricultural crops and/or livestock. The study aimed to describe and analyse the arrangement of acacia trees with crops on parklands in El Dali and El Mazmum areas in Sennar State, Sudan. Specifically, an attempt was made to identify the determinants of integration of natural acacia trees with crops in mechanised rain-fed agricultural schemes forming agroforestry parklands. Another specific aim was to determine farmers’ perceptions about the constraints of adopting such agroforestry practices were also determined. Data was collected using a social survey method, in which 50 % of the total numbers of villages was randomly selected after classification into small, medium and large villages. Moreover, 5 % of the heads of households in the selected villages were interviewed face to face. The number of respondents was 281. Logistic regression model results indicated that the number of household members, the administrative unit, the incentive received from agricultural union and the land size were the main determinants for integrating acacia trees with agricultural crops in mechanised rain-fed agricultural schemes forming the agroforestry parklands. Constraints related to the prevalence of agroforestry practices included the absence of extension services and planting materials, unfavourable tree tenure, the destruction of trees/crops by animals, and the practice of renting land for sole crop cultivation. Several suggestions are given increased adoption of sustainable agroforestry for more production farming. As a priority land tenure and tree tenure issues must be clarified.
Can community-based organisations deliver adequate agricultural information to farmers? Evidence from rural resources centres in Cameroon
Rural Resources Centres (RRCs) managed by community-based organisations, where farmers come together for training and demonstration, have been an innovative extension approach in Cameroon since 2006. This paper describes information flow in RRCs and farmers’ assessment of RRCs as information sources. All the RRCs in Cameroon were studied and 29 group interviews, involving 118 producers and 7 individual interviews with RRC managers, were performed. RRCs share information with several stakeholders including farmers, research institutions, and educational and religious institutions; and interpersonal channels are commonly used. Farmers and agricultural extension workers are the most important sources of information for RRCs. Farmers rank RRCs as their second best sources of information after fellow farmers. On average, each year, RRCs organise at least 40 training sessions for about 1777 participants. The themes are mainly agroforestry (29%), marketing (20%), group dynamics (20%) and post-harvest techniques (11%). The issue of funding the activities of the RRCs needs to be addressed, they need to be better structured, and their human resources increased and strengthened.
Understanding farmers’ choices in climate-smart agriculture: adoption of agroecology principles and impacts on rural livelihoods in semi-arid Tanzania
This study examines the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and the integration of agroecology (AE) principles among Tanzanian smallholder farmers through a survey of 315 households. Findings indicate that while CSA adopters often incorporate multiple AE principles, their application varies depending on specific CSA practices. Key socioeconomic factors—including household head characteristics, household size, land ownership, training access, CSA interventions, and local initiatives—significantly influence adoption patterns. The study highlights that integrating diverse CSA practices strengthens alignment with AE principles, leading to improved farm income and fostering ecological-economic synergies. Emphasizing CSA and AE’s role in enhancing smallholder livelihoods and mitigating climate change, the research underscores the importance of horizontal knowledge sharing to promote integrated approaches.
Lessons from using participatory action research to enhance farmer-led research and extension in Southwestern Uganda
The linear model of technology generation and transfer from researcher to extensionist to farmers has been the dominant approach to improve agrarian livelihoods, with rural development failing to result in the impacts envisioned. There are problems with both generation of inappropriate technologies that are not suited to farming conditions or social circumstances, as well as weak links between research and extension. Information flows are poor and skill bases weak, while extension contacts with farmers are relatively sparse. Ineffective participation of the end user or ‘client’ at various stages in the process has limited farmers’ ability to proactively seek information and step up innovation. In Uganda, the government has initiated a public-private “service delivery” system called the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) towards the end of 2001 which sought to reverse this supply- driven orientation by placing emphasis on farmer-demanded service delivery. Given its history of local involvement on a wide range of issues, AHI was chosen in late 2001 by the farmers to assist them in preparing proposals for service delivery for consideration by the NAADS program in Kabale District, southwestern Uganda. AHI used a articipatory action learning process to facilitate farmer groups in their institutional development process, encompassing community visioning and planning, strengthening group organizational dynamics, agroenterprise selection and skill-building for farmer forum members. Through farmer groups and farmer fora, communities are taking on new roles and expectations with enthusiasm, although competencies in group management, agroenterprise development and monitoring of the implementation processes are still needed. A coalition of research and development partners has been formed to strengthen local organization to enable farmers better ‘own’ the development process. The coalition has used participatory action research as a means of influencing and learning from the activities undertaken toward NAADS’ effective implementation in the District. This paper discusses preliminary outcomes from building farmers’ competencies and the use of participatory action research to learn from and further the NAADS program through action-based learning with various actors involved in ‘organizing the demand side’ of demand- driven development.
Agroforestry System Research: Identification of Land Use Change Drivers and Scaling Up of Trees on Farms for Transforming Livelihoods and Landscapes
Over the past decades, smallholder farming sectors in developing countries have experienced profound land use changes, driven by diverse socio-economic, political, and environmental factors. These shifts have led to deforestation, environmental degradation, and complex changes in agricultural landscapes, with the underlying drivers varying significantly across local, national, and regional contexts. Amid these challenges, agroforestry has emerged as a promising approach to promote sustainable agricultural intensification and landscape restoration. However, the heterogeneity of smallholder systems—shaped by agro-ecological conditions, institutional structures, and policy frameworks—means that no single agroforestry solution is universally effective. To design interventions suited to specific local contexts, it is essential to understand the factors behind deforestation and explore the motivations, constraints, and decision-making processes that influence farmers’ adoption of agroforestry technologies. The International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), known today as World Agroforestry, has played a pioneering role in this field, leading efforts to refine agroforestry’s contributions to both livelihoods and environmental sustainability over the past four decades. Research led by ICRAF has provided critical insights into deforestation’s causes, its socio-economic impacts, and the nuanced factors shaping farmers’ choices in different regions. Japanese scientists have been instrumental in this work, contributing to academic and policy discussions that have deepened the understanding of environmental change, particularly in Southeast Asia and East Africa. In Southeast Asia, studies have shed light on the socio-economic consequences of deforestation and its implications for local communities, informing strategies to mitigate its impact. Meanwhile, in East Africa, researchers have worked to unpack farmers’ decision-making processes regarding agroforestry adoption, revealing the complex interplay between economic incentives, environmental concerns, and institutional support. Moving forward, continued research in agroforestry must explore even more targeted approaches, refining interventions that align with the diverse realities of smallholder farmers worldwide. By combining scientific inquiry with contextual knowledge, researchers can develop innovative solutions that not only promote sustainable land management but also support local livelihoods and strengthen resilience in agricultural communities.
The M.S.U. Farming systems research group perspective: a summary and analysis
Abstract not found
Forest clearing in rural livelihoods: household-Level global-comparative evidence
This paper examines the factors that influence rural household decisions to clear forestland. We use a large dataset comprising 7172 households from 24 developing countries. Twenty-seven percent of sampled households had converted forest to agriculture during the previous 12 months, clearing on average 1.21 ha. Male-headed households with abundance of male labor, living in recently settled places with high forest cover, unsurprisingly tended to clear more, but regional peculiarities abounded. Households with medium to high asset holdings and higher market orientation were more likely to clear forest than the poorest and market-isolated households, questioning popular policy narratives about poverty-driven forest clearing.