An exhibition about the power of agroforestry, trees on farms and in the landscape

An exhibition about the power of agroforestry, trees on farms and in the landscape Prepared by the World Agroforestry Centre to celebrate the United Nations 2011 International Year of Forests Working trees that keep on giving 1

International Year of Fores Agroforestry farmers farmers agriculture Agroforestry landscape landscape agriculture onal Year of Forests Outline Why the International Year of Forests? 1 What has agroforestry got to do with forests? 2 What is agroforestry? 3 What do these agroforestrees do? 4 Why is agroforesty important? 5 Restoring barren land 9 Repairing soils 6 Tripling yields 7 Boosting harvests 8 Evergreening agriculture 9 Relieving poverty 10 Growing prosperity 11 Bridging the hungry gaps 12 Reducing hunger 13 Increasing health 15 Making money 16 Generating profits 17 Growing fuelwood 18 Renewing fuel 19 Cultivating timber 20 Feeding animals 21 Protecting running water 22 Conserving biodiversity 23 Protecting wildlife 24 Accumulating carbon 25 Adapting to climate change 26 Reducing effects of climate change 37 Keeping on giving 28 Holding back the sand 29 Cover photo Gates Foundation

Why the UN International Year of Forests? Forests are vital to the survival and well-being of people everywhere, all 7 billion of us. Forests provide shelter to people and habitat for animals and plants. Forests are a source of food, medicine and clean water. Forests are vitally important to keeping our climate and environment stable. To raise our awareness of the value of all forests, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2011 the International Year of Forests. Gates Foundation Forest facts Forests cover 31% of the surface of the Earth, about 4 billion hectares 36% of forests have not been disturbed; these are called primary forests Forests are home to 300 million people around the world Over a billion people depend on forests for their living 30% of forests are used for production of wood and nonwood products Trade in wood and wood products is worth at least US$150 billion a year 80% of the biodiversity on land is found in forests We are losing over 7 million hectares of forest every year, that is, about 19 000 hectares a day That equals about 30 000 football fields a day or 20 a minute 1

What has agroforestry got to do with forests? United Nations Environment Programme Gathering gum arabic from trees in Senegal During the International Year of Forests we are highlighting the global importance of agroforestry. Trees play an important role in farming all over the world, covering large areas and involving millions of people. Planting useful trees makes existing land more productive, restores degraded land, produces fruit, provides firewood and animal feed. Agroforestry helps deal with many of the challenges facing the world today, like poverty, hunger, poor health, declining livelihoods, land degradation and loss of biodiversity. 2

What is agroforestry? Everyone knows what a forest is, but what exactly is agroforestry? Agroforestry makes trees part of the way we farm. Agroforestry means growing and using useful, working trees and shrubs on farms and in rural landscapes, combined with crops and livestock. Agroforestry combines agriculture and forestry to create a profitable, productive, healthy and sustainable land-use system. Agroforestry benefits humans, animals, plants and the entire environment. 3

What do these agroforestrees do? Farmers have been using trees on their farms for thousands of years as: Fertiliser trees for land regeneration, healthy soil and secure food supplies. Fruit trees for nutrition. Fodder trees that provide food for livestock. Timber trees for wood to build. Fuelwood trees for cooking fires. Medicinal trees to cure health problems and fight disease. 4

Why is agroforesty important? Over one billion hectares of agricultural land, almost half of the world s farmland, have more than 10% of their area covered by trees; 160 million hectares have more than 50% tree cover. As the amount of global forests shrinks, growing trees on farms for all kinds of purposes becomes more important. A crucial role Over the next 20 years, the world s population is expected to grow by more than 75 million people a year. More than 95% of that increase will be in developing countries where pressure on land and water is already intense. A key challenge we face is to feed ourselves while protecting the natural resources on which we all depend. Trees on farms meet that challenge now and in the future. 5

Restoring barren land Agroforestry can help restore barren land. Some fertilizer trees take nitrogen from the air and fix it in their roots, which nourishes the soil. Planting these trees is a low-cost, ecologically sound way of making infertile ground useful again. It is also much quicker than leaving the land unplanted and unproductive for a long time. Fertilizer trees Fertilizer trees help improve degraded ground because nodules on their roots fix nitrogen in the soil. Farmers plant these trees among their field crops. They prune them regularly and put the leaves into the soil. This improves the health of the soil. Crops such as maize can then be grown between the trees on the restored land. 6

Repairing soils In the mid-1990s, soils in the Western Highlands of Cameroon in Africa were so degraded that farmers were abandoning their land. This began to change when fertilizer trees were introduced. The trees boosted soil fertility and doubled or tripled harvests of wheat, potatoes and beans. Farmers then planted local varieties of fruit trees. Today, the land has patches of forest, dense hedges, tree nurseries and fertile fields of crops dotted with fruit and medicine trees. In Asia, large areas of forest margins, grasslands and hilly farmland, uffer from degradation and are unproductive. One agroforestry scheme in rural India reclaimed 85 000 hectare of degraded land. In North Korea, agroforests are repairing thousands of hectares of hilly land that was once almost useless. 7

Tripling yields Agroforestry can increase harvests from agricultural crops. In Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Niger, Burkina Faso and other countries in sub-saharan Africa, fertiliser trees are doubling and tripling average maize yields. Majoni, a farmer in southern Malawi, used to get 30-40 bags of maize from his land when he could afford to buy fertilizer. When his money ran out, he harvested just 6-9 bags. In 2006, after planting fertilizer trees, he harvested 70 bags of maize. 8

Boosting harvests One particularly useful tree is Faidherbia. This tree sheds its leaves at the beginning of the rains when crops are planted and remains dormant while crops are growing. This means it does not compete with crops for water, nutrients or light. During the growing season the branches are bare, which lets crops such as maize, sorghum and millet grow and mature below. Zambian farmers who have planted Faidherbia have increased their harvests by four times. A healthy crop of maize growing under a stand of Faidherbia trees 9

Evergreening agriculture Evergreen agriculture is environmentally sound farming where food crops and trees grow harmoniously together. Modern, intensive agriculture exploits the environment. Evergreen agriculture combines agroforestry and farming to sustain the environment. Evergreen agriculture combines agroforestry and farming to sustain the environment. Evergreen agricultural systems are already restoring exhausted soils and increasing yields, helping to feed us while protecting the natural resources on which we all depend. 10 Trees and conservation agriculture Conservation agriculture with trees means tilling the soil as little as possible, rotating the crops, putting the leftover plant material after the harvest back into the soil and planting nitrogen-fixing trees. Trees hold soil in place. The canopy, roots and leaf litter all have a role in controlling soil erosion, capturing water runoff and protecting watersheds. In Niger, there are millions of hectares of evergreen agriculture, where maize, millet and sorghum produce high yields with up to 200 fertilizer trees on each hectare.

Relieving poverty Few poor households have any capital except their land. Planting trees can build up their capital and be a first step on the pathway out of poverty. Trees are an investment because they become more valuable as they mature. Growing trees works well with growing crops and raising livestock in poor, rural households. Trees improve soils, boost harvests and provide feed for their animals. Many of the tree products can also be sold locally and internationally. Growing coffee in Nicaragua 11

Growing prosperity Christophe Missé has a small farm 40 km north of Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. Christophe s life has changed dramatically. Ten years ago he lived in hardship and poverty. Then he learnt how to cultivate native fruit trees. Now he is a fruit grower and partner in a tree nursery. With the money he s made he s built a new house and sends his two children to private school. He set up a nursery with his neighbours and sells over 7000 trees a year. He has also planted hundreds of bush mango, African plum and African nut trees among his main crop, cocoa. The African plums are particularly profitable, with some of the best trees earning five times as much as a cocoa bush. 12

Bridging the hungry gaps United Nations Environment Programme Hunger in rural areas is often a result of poor soils and small harvests. Hungry gaps, when there is no food between harvests, are another problem. In some African countries, up to 80% of rural households go hungry for three months of the year because they cannot grow enough from their poor soils. Native trees have always been an important fallback for the rural poor when food is scarce. By including trees in their farms, farmers can break the cycle of hunger. 13

Reducing hunger Back in 1997, Nelson Mkwaila, a farmer in Chiradzulu district in Malawi, was having trouble feeding his family. His soil was poor and he couldn t afford to buy fertilizers. Nelson began to use fertilizer trees in his maize fields. His yields increased. That was just the start. Today almost every corner of the farm that isn t devoted to annual crops is planted with fruit trees. He has guava, peach, banana, apple, paw paw and several other species. He has plenty of food for his family throughout the year and a surplus to sell. 14

Increasing health Domesticating and growing valuable tree species on farms means that rural people can continue to use their traditional remedies and also capitalize on the demand for natural tree products from drug and nutrition industries. For example, the African plum is used to make a drug to treat prostate problems. Extracts of leaves, bark, berries and roots are vitally important for the health of poor people throughout the developing world. The developed world also relies on natural products from trees for many drugs. 15

Making money Trees can help poor people earn additional income through sale of nuts, timber, leaves and bark. Tree products can be processed by farmers and sold for higher prices. Processed products last longer, too, so incomes are more stable throughout the year. 16

Generating profits Many rural people are now selling fruit, nuts such as macadamia and other fresh produce from newly domesticated species in local and urban markets. Small enterprises processing fruits into juice, jam, sweets and wine are springing up and showing good profits in Africa, Asia and South America, especially near cities. Right: Processing tree products, such as the Allanblackia nuts shown here, means they sell for higher prices. Processing products can also open up new markets and create jobs. 17

Growing firewood In developing countries, much of the wood for cooking and heating is grown on farms. For example, half the firewood burned in Thailand, more than three-quarters of the firewood in Indonesia, Java, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, and four-fifths of the firewood burned in Kerala, India, is cut from farmland and other non-forest areas. Photo Chandra I. Wijaya, World Agroforestry Centre Collecting firewood in Nepal 18

Renewing fuel In many countries, farmers and smallholders plant trees on homesteads, along boundaries and on communal land to provide firewood. In humid African countries Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, in particular trees grown in home gardens meet most household needs for fuel and timber. In many cash crop systems, trees grown for shade also provide wood, like, the silky oak grown in tea plantations in Kenya. Silky oak forest 19

Cultivating timber Growing trees in their fields provides farmers with timber. They don t need to cut down trees in the forest. Woodlots provide much more than fuel in Malawi and Tanzania In Mapanga, Malawi, new woodlots, and trees planted around the maize fields, are providing firewood and much more. 20

Feeding animals Many rural households feed their animals on the leaves and branches of trees. Trees also provide shade and shelter for livestock, especially in dry rangelands. Heat-stressed animals become sick more easily, put on weight more slowly and do not produce as much milk. In pastoral areas of sub-saharan Africa, three-quarters of the 10 000 tree and woody species are used as fodder, supplying up to 50% of livestock feed, particularly during the dry season when grass and crop leftovers are scarce. 21

Protecting running water Trees protect waterways from erosion and lessen the effect of floods and droughts. More water soaks into the soil around trees. This prevents runoff and soil erosion, and helps lessen the effect of droughts. In Southeast Asia, useful trees are planted on sloping land to halt landslides, protect waterways from silt and feed people and animals. Stevie Mann, World Agroforestry Centre 22 In Africa, many women and children have to carry water to their homes

Conserving biodiversity Agroforestry increases the variety of species, the biodiversity both on farms and around them. Trees add to the diversity and complexity of plant communities and provide shelter and corridors for wildlife. Trees also attract insects and birds that pollinate crops and destroy pests. Planting local trees that are adapted to local conditions lets birds, insects and small mammals nest, feed and shelter from predators in them. 23

Protecting wildlife In Sumatra, the old rubber agroforests act as buffer zones and corridors for the endangered orangutan, helping to keep apart humans and orangutan yet providing for the needs of both. The agroforests are also home to many species of bat, whose job it is to pollinate crops and other plants. In Nepal, the Worldwide Fund for Nature and the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation created a rosewood agroforest around the Royal Chitwan National Park, a valuable conservation area for native forest and wildlife, including the endangered tiger. The agroforest reduced pressure on the national park, helping to conserve biodiversity. 24

Accumulating carbon Trees on farms draw carbon dioxide from the air and store it. One tropical tree can store 22.6 kg of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year or up to 2.5-3.6 tonnes per hectare. If farmers grew trees and crops together, emissions of greenhouse gases could be slowed and carbon could be held in trees. Most smallholder agroforestry in Southeast Asia holds large stocks of carbon. Although individual holdings are small, collectively they accumulate as much carbon as is stored in secondary forests of similar age. 25

Adapting to climate change Trees on farms can reduce the impact of climate change and help farmers adapt. Agroforestry also helps to slow the clearing of natural forests that contributes to climate change. About 1.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere every year, mainly from cutting down and burning forests in the tropics. This represents about 20% of current global emissions, which is greater than the transport sector with its intensive use of fossil fuels. 26

Reducing effects of climate change Trees play a key role in maintaining soil fertility, controlling soil erosion and desertification, improving microclimates and reducing evapotranspiration as climates change. By shading crops from extreme heat, for example, trees protect crops from rising temperatures. Agroforestry also increases the ability of farms in tropical and subtropical regions to resist and recover from the effects of climate change, such as long droughts or cold weather. By growing trees and crops together, farmers can buffer themselves against climatic changes. Tree products such as timber, fodder, resins and fruits usually fetch good prices and provide a regular income when staple crops fail. 27

Keeping on giving Growing trees on farms is an investment that keeps paying dividends. Once a tree is established, it does not need much maintenance, but it continues to provide benefits for people and nourishment for the soil. 28

Holding back the sand United Nations Environment Programme Trees protect crops from the elements Spanning the entire continent of Africa, including 11 nations, the Great Green Wall is an ambitious plan to plant millions of trees to halt desertification at the Sahara s southern fringe. The Wall, with a planned width of around 15 km, would halt the march of the sand dunes, restore crop land, provide food products and protect water sources. In Senegal, planting strips of Casuarina spp. on the Niayes coast north of Dakar has stopped sand dunes moving, and provided shelter from the sea winds that made any type of agriculture impossible. Market gardening is now thriving and provides a source of livelihood to an increasing number of settlers. A camel IRD / Nathalie Diagne 29

Agroforestry: working trees that keep on giving United Nations Avenue, Gigiri PO Box 30677, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya Telephone: + (254) 20 722 4000 Fax: + (254) 20 722 4001 Via USA phone (1-650) 833-6645 Via USA fax (1-650) 833-6646. Email: worldagroforestry@cgiar.org 30