Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) is a low-cost, adaptable agroforestry practice that enhances land restoration by promoting systematic integration of naturally regenerating trees within farming systems through tree selection and management. Despite its increasing adoption in sub-Saharan Africa, comparative evidence across land uses remains limited. This study empirically compares tree and woody regeneration density, species richness, and composition between silvo-arable (maize cultivation) and silvo-pastoral (grazing) FMNR systems in semi-arid Kenya. Sixty-three plots were established across these two land uses, within which a total of 1409 trees and 505 woody regeneration individuals were recorded. Tree density was higher in silvo-pastoral FMNR systems (558/ha) than in silvo-arable systems (150/ha), though the difference was not statistically significant. In contrast, woody regeneration density was significantly greater in silvo-arable systems (2450/ha vs. 727/ha). Rarefied species richness of trees was the same in silvo-arable FMNR and silvo-pastoral FMNR systems, while richness of regeneration was either significantly higher than the tree community, like in silvo-arable systems, or significantly lower than the tree community, like in silvo-pastoral systems. Non-metric multidimensional scaling showed that silvo-pastoral FMNR systems exhibited similar species composition between trees and regeneration, whereas silvo-arable FMNR systems displayed greater variability in tree composition across fields, reflecting less variable preferences by farmers. Given that regeneration represents future tree communities, reduced regeneration diversity in silvo-pastoral systems may constrain long-term species richness. These findings suggest that silvo-arable and silvo-pastoral FMNR systems follow distinct restoration pathways, with implications for biodiversity conservation, livelihoods, and the scaling of FMNR as a restoration practice.
Tag: silvopastoral systems
Agroforestry Training Manual
This manual is a practical training resource developed to strengthen the capacity of extension agents and farmers in implementing agroforestry practices in Rwanda. Produced under the project Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture for Improved Rural Livelihoods and Climate Resiliency in the Climate-Vulnerable Eastern Province of Rwanda, the manual provides technical guidance on integrating trees, crops, and livestock to enhance productivity, resilience, and environmental sustainability. The publication covers four main areas: agroforestry principles, systems and suitable species; tree nurseries and seedbeds; tree planting and management; and agroforestry products and services. It presents common agroforestry systems practiced in Rwanda, including woodlots, alley cropping, contour tree planting, fruit orchards, silvopastoral systems, home gardens, apiculture, aquasilviculture, and sericulture. The manual also provides practical recommendations on nursery establishment, seed handling, seedling management, tree planting techniques, pruning, thinning, coppicing, and tree protection. Furthermore, it highlights the economic and environmental benefits of agroforestry, including fruit production, tree seed enterprises, fodder, timber, fuelwood, honey production, erosion control, soil fertility improvement, climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and restoration of degraded lands. Designed as a hands-on training tool, the manual aims to promote climate-smart agriculture, improve rural livelihoods, and support sustainable land management through increased adoption of agroforestry practices.
Local incentive-based policy for Vegetable-Agroforestry. A locally-appropriate adaptation and mitigation action (LAAMA) to climate change
As global attention turns to international negotiations to deal with climate change, an equally important task is turning to local communities whose decisions on the land impacts the environment. Scientists at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) are working to understand the linkages and interaction between LAAMA and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA), and between NAMA and Globally Appropriate Mitigation Action (GAMA), and in developing strategies to resolve scientifi c, institutional and economic challenges surrounding carbon mitigation at different levels. Articulation on these linkages includes recognition of efforts of international institutions in designing multi-national incentive system for carbon mitigation, with individual countries developing institutional frameworks required at the national level, and analyzes and development of various reward mechanisms at the implementation level. We argued that NAMA, as part of international agreements (GAMA), should be based on locally-accepted, endorsed, and supported actions on the ground (LAAMA).
Implementation of Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) in Makueni County
Makueni County, one of Kenya’s 29 Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), spans 8,176.7 km2.The Makueni Forest and Landscape Restoration Implementation Action Plan (FOLAREP 2024–2033) seeks to restore 200,000 hectares – representing 25% of the degraded landscape – through cost-effective, community-driven interventions such as agroforestry, silvo-pastoral systems, natural regeneration, and riparian rehabilitation. Implementation is projected to cost KES 30.128 billion, mobilized through county budgets, climate financing, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes.
A Qualitative Evaluation of CSA Options in Mixed Crop-Livestock Systems in Developing Countries
Quantification of climate change mitigation benefits from expansion of silvopastoral systems: An analytical proof of concept for Colombia
Change and constancy: an analysis of publications in Agroforestry Systems vol. 1-10
These 10 volumes, covering 8 years (1982–90) contain 201 articles (plus 12 review articles in a Special Issue). The main changes over the period have been declines in the number of methodological discussions and agroforestry system descriptions, and an increase in experimental results. Rotational, spatial mixed and spatial zoned systems are all well-represented, and silvopastoral systems have been of continuing interest. Africa, Asia and Central/South America are almost equally represented.
The effect of cattle grazing on soil physical and chemical properties in a silvopastoral system in the Peruvian Amazon
In a six-year-old peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) plantation, centrosema (Centrosema macrocarpum), a leguminous forage plant, was established as a cover crop which was eventually grazed. This experiment was designed to monitor probable changes in soil physical and chemical properties and measure peach palm fruit production and live-weight gain of cattle grazing this silvopastoral system. The experiment was installed on land that was previously cleared by a D7 bulldozer having a straight blade that mixed the thin layer of topsoil with the acid subsoil (20–40 cm) and severely compacted the soil. The results demonstrated that the centrosema cover crop reduced soil bulk density, increased water infiltration rates and reduced mechanical resistance. In general soil physical properties were improved with the use of Centrosema as forage and cover crop. Soil acidity and aluminum saturation decreased considerably, while potassium concentrations increased. Calcium and magnesium concentrations decreased over time as these minerals were stored in the pasture biomass, translocated to fresh peach palm fruits and/or exported to animals. A strong competition for nutrients was observed between the peach palm plants and Centrosema. The low production of peach palm fruits was in response to mechanized land clearing during initial establishment of the plantation, and also probably due to deficits of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the soil instead of being a consequence to the presence of cattle. The average increase in live-weight gains of the cattle was at a rate of 445 g/animal/day during the four-years of the study. Such an increase is substantially greater than those registered in the area under traditional grazing systems used in the region.
Trees matter: Accounting for silvopastoral systems’ contributions to national GHG inventories
The integration of trees in pasture lands have significant mitigation potential. However, this potential is currently constrained by logistical and political obstacles. In LAC in particular, SPS remain largely undefined. This has inhibited the generation of consistent, coherent, transparent, and accurate activity data. Consequently, the sequestration potential and specialization of SPS are poorly represented in national GHG inventories, and national AFOLU contributions toward NDC targets are underestimated or omitted entirely. Data on ground-truthing activities would improve the completeness, accuracy, and comparability of reporting systems, thus enabling more accurate documentation of national progress toward commitments to the Paris Agreement. Low-cost, high-quality tools for information generation, such as Collect Earth Online, are readily available. Countries such as Colombia, Panama, and Peru, have already acknowledged this excellent opportunity for SPS activity data generation. A regional alignment to tackle the production of SPS activity data is possible, and a joint work committee among these three countries has been proposed for the development of technical guidelines to defining SPS and designing and accrediting Collect Earth surveys.
Carbon Storage Potential of Silvopastoral Systems of Colombia
Nine Latin American countries plan to use silvopastoral practices—incorporating trees into grazing lands—to mitigate climate change. However, the cumulative potential of scaling up silvopastoral systems at national levels is not well quantified. Here, we combined previously published tree cover data based on 250 m resolution MODIS satellite remote sensing imagery for 2000–2017 with ecofloristic zone carbon stock estimates to calculate historical and potential future tree biomass carbon storage in Colombian grasslands. Between 2000 and 2017, tree cover across all Colombian grasslands increased from 15% to 18%, with total biomass carbon (TBC) stocks increasing from 0.41 to 0.48 Pg. The range in 2017 carbon stock values in grasslands based on ecofloristic zones (5 to 122 Mg ha−1) suggests a potential for further increase. Increasing all carbon stocks to the current median and 75th percentile levels for the respective eco-floristic zone would increase TBC stocks by about 0.06 and 0.15 Pg, respectively. Incorporated into national C accounting, such Tier 2 estimates can set realistic targets for silvopastoral systems in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) implementation plans in Colombia and other Latin American countries with similar contexts.