Trees E E R H T T N R E FC or O F Y R T T R S O E P R E O RLF ife O L R A G U A 2013-2014 N D N L A R O N W A Our vision Our vision is a rural transformation in the developing world as smallholder households increase their use of trees in agricultural landscapes to improve food security, nutrition, income, health, shelter, social cohesion, energy resources and environmental sustainability. Our mission The Centre’s mission is to generate science-based knowledge about the diverse roles that trees play in agricultural landscapes, and to use its research to advance policies and practices, and their implementation that benefit the poor and the environment. Our core values • Professionalism • Mutual respect • Creativity • Inclusiveness Our strategic goals Cover photo: Ibrahim Mohamedou, a local farmer, waters his plants at an • Building livelihoods by generating knowledge, choice and opportunities IFAD-supported nursery, part of an anti-desertification programme near • Improving landscapes and their sustainability by better managing their complexity the village of Zabon Mousso in Niger • Transforming agroforestry impacts to large-scale through policy, innovation and partnerships Photo credit: David Rose/Panos. Our partners The World Agroforestry Centre has always implemented much of its work in partnership with a range of public, private and international bodies. Our partnerships are based on a clear recognition of the value that is added through working jointly with partners and sharing strengths to achieve specific outcomes. We partner with universities, advanced research institutions, national agricultural research organizations, private sector organizations, and government and non-government agencies in the fields of agriculture, forestry, environment, conservation and climate change. © World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya, 2014 ISSN 1995-6851 World Agroforestry Centre. 2014. Annual Report 2013-2014: Trees for Life. Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre Articles appearing in this publication may be quoted or reproduced without charge, provided the source is acknowledged. No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purposes. The geographic designation employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Agroforestry Centre concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. All images remain the sole property of their source and may not be used for any purpose without ii written permission of the source. Annual Report 2013-2014 Contents Milestones 6 Trees, food security and health 21 Trees and the changing climate 34 The right tree for the right place 44 The way we work 58 Annexes 68 os n a P d / ar a g er Ost el k k Mi © o ot h P Tuma Galmuka Uka with the seedling of a moringa cabbage tree (Moringa stenopetala). The trees produce high yields even during droughts, and they are an important source of food, medicine, fodder and fuel. 2 Annual Report 2013-2014 CONGRESS MAPS OUT AGROFORESTRY’S FUTURE "Once every five years we celebrate the role of tree- up a National Agroforestry Mission with an investment based systems in human prosperity with an international of 2000 million rupees (US$33 million). It is envisaged congress," blogged Director General Tony Simons during that funds made available to the mission will help to the 3rd World Congress on Agroforestry. Jointly organized leverage a further 80,000 million rupees (US$1.3 billion) by the World Agroforestry Centre, the Indian Council of of investment. This will be used to promote sustainable Agricultural Research, the Indian Society of Agroforestry agricultural practices and increase food production. and Global Initiatives, the Congress took place in Delhi, As Secretary of the National Advisory Council, World India, in February 2014. Its theme was 'Trees for Life: Agroforestry Centre Board member Rita Sharma played Accelerating the Impact of Agroforestry.' a key role in promoting the agroforestry policy initiative. Attended by over 1000 people from 80 countries, the Pal Singh, until recently the World Agroforestry Centre's Congress broke new ground, according to Ravi Prabhu, Regional Coordinator for South Asia, was also an influential Deputy Director General of the World Agroforestry presence during discussions. Centre: "It attracted a very high-level policy audience for The second day of the Congress was devoted to science, the first time, and we have never had a congress when with a plenary session and 12 parallel sessions. Scientists the host country announced that it was putting in place a from across the globe also presented over 350 posters national agroforestry policy. This was a huge event." showcasing their research. "There was plenty of new thinking and innovative science on show," reflects Ravi "There are 6 million scientists in the world but less than 0.1% of them would likely describe themselves as an agroforestry scientist... Prabhu, "with many presentations and posters focusing on All scientists, and indeed all 7.2 billion humans alive today, rely in subjects such as biofuels and gender, which hadn't received one way or another on tree products and services – and therefore in such prominent coverage at previous congresses." a way rely on agroforestry scientists. Yes, give yourself a clap." During the seven weeks around the event, the Tony Simons DIrector General WCA2014.org website received over 60,000 visits from 188 countries. Almost 200 blogposts were published and there were over 4000 tweets related to the Congress, in The president of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, officially theory reaching some 2.6 million people. Facebook posts opened the Congress, telling delegates: "The cylinders about the conference were read by over 17,000 people, can no longer remain idle; it is time to fire." He publicly and just under 2000 people watched live streaming of launched the National Agroforestry Policy, which had been the Congress. The blog competition offered scientists a agreed by Cabinet the previous week. The policy will enable platform to showcase their projects, and proved a major farmers to reap the benefits of agroforestry and adopt success, with seven of the 10 most viewed pages being climate-smart agricultural practices. "2014 should be a competition blogs. defining moment for tree-based systems to address climate change," he said. Everyone who attended the Congress received a copy of Trees for Life: Creating a More Prosperous Future through The National Agroforestry Policy is in line with Agroforestry, a lavishly illustrated book which draws heavily recommendations made by the National Advisory Council of the Government of India, which had suggested setting on the 'Trees for Change' series. 6 Annual Report 2013-2014 S E N O T S E L MI Milestones from the regions 2013 was a big year for the World Agroforestry Centre's document, research and development activities in the field of Southeast Asia programme, which celebrated 20 years of agroforestry have a clear direction," said Dr Santoso. research and development with events in Indonesia and the The World Agroforestry Centre was one of the sponsors Philippines. of Philippine's First International Agroforestry Congress, At a meeting in Jakarta in November, scientists were able which was held in Bohol in March 2014 under the banner of to share their experiences with a distinguished audience "Agroforestry: Greening and feeding the nations in the 21st which included representatives of development organizations, century." research centres and government ministries. Regional Jointly organized by the Philippine Agroforestry Education and Coordinator Ujjwal Pradhan listed recent achievements Research Network (PAFERN), University of the Philippines of the Centre's Indonesian programme. These included Los Baños Institute of Agroforestry and Bohol Island State a memorandum of understanding to support a new University, the meeting explored how agroforestry can help to agroforestry research centre in West Java; the inauguration of increase farmers' productivity and incomes, and at the same a regional early-career scientist programme; and the launch of time create healthier soils and capture carbon. three important projects which will enable the government of Indonesia to achieve its emission reduction targets. The The keynote speech was delivered by Ravi Prabhu of the projects are being led by Sonya Dewi. In December 2013, World Agroforestry Centre. "What we need is a green she was appointed as the first coordinator of the Centre's economy, which is low in environmental impacts, efficient in Indonesia country programme. use of natural resources, resilient in managing risks through natural capital and socially inclusive," he said, before setting Other speakers included Bambang Hartano, Director of out a vision of how agroforestry can green and feed the Research and Development of Forest Productivity, who world. spoke on behalf of the Minister of Forestry; Dennis Garrity, founding Regional Coordinator of the Centre's Southeast Rodel Lasco, Coordinator of the Centre's Philippine office and Asia programme, via video link from his home in Nairobi; a contributor to the latest report of the Intergovernmental and Wahjudi Wardojo and Iman Santosa, former and current Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), explored how farmers in Director Generals of Indonesia's Forestry Research and the Philippines can use agroforestry to help them adapt to Development Agency (FORDA). climate change and sequester greenhouse gases. The Congress also heard about a range of research projects which show The event concluded with the launch of three books: 20 years that agroforestry and conservation agriculture with trees have of working towards a sustainable Southeast Asia 1993–2013; a key role to play in improving food security and protecting Negotiation-support toolkit for learning landscapes; and the farmers against typhoons and other severe weather events English-language version of the Indonesian National Strategy of Agroforestry Research 2012–2030. The latter was launched at (see pages 27 and 56). this event in recognition of the strong partnership between FORDA, which was celebrating its 100th anniversary, and the World Agroforestry Centre. "With the publication of this 7 Annual Report 2013-2014 T A CI er / m al P eil N © o ot h P Researchers have been identifying areas in western Nepal that are likely to experience climate change in the future. 8 Annual Report 2013-2014 S E N O T S E L MI India’s National Agroforestry Policy Despite the numerous benefits which many farmers and Agroforestry policy and related issues were discussed at nine landowners gain from agroforestry, no specific scheme or national-level consultations, involving – in Pal’s words – a policy existed to promote the practice in India. All this is now wide range of stakeholders, stockholders and stickholders. set to change. The outcomes and recommendations from each consultation were fed into the one that followed, thus making the process “Since the mandate for agroforestry fell within the cracks of cumulative and inclusive. various ministries and departments and state governments, no serious institutional effort had been made to develop The consultations came up with 10 major policy a coherent agroforestry policy,” says Pal Singh, who until recommendations. These were circulated to various agencies recently was the World Agroforestry Centre’s Regional for comment, and posted on the Internet for a wider critique. Coordinator for South Asia. “What we needed, and what we Feedback was incorporated into the policy document at now have, is a national agroforestry policy.” another national-level consultation. The document was then submitted to the Government of India. After obtaining Much of the credit for its development must go to Rita approval at Cabinet level, the document was laid in front of Sharma, a member of the World Agroforestry Centre’s both Houses of Parliament. Plans are presently underway to Board of Trustees and Secretary to the Government of prepare a roadmap and guidelines for a separate Agroforestry India’s National Advisory Council (NAC). In 2013, the Mission/Board, which will facilitate the recommendations of Council established a working group to develop a national the policy at national level. agroforestry policy. The working group’s deliberations were attended by key ministries, research institutes and “India’s national agroforestry policy is a major event and representatives of NGOs and industry, including the Ministry historic achievement,” says Pal Singh. “It is the first national of Environment and Forests, the Ministry of Agriculture, the agroforestry policy in the world and other nations are Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Ministry expected to follow suit in the near future.” of Rural Development and the World Agroforestry Centre. 9 Annual Report 2013-2014 CHANGING THE WAY WE WORK To meet the needs of a rapidly expanding population, global "In the past, we tended to design research activities on the food production will have to increase by around 60% by assumption that what works with farmers in one site will 2050. The amount of new land that can be brought into work with lots of others," says Fergus Sinclair, a systems production is limited, hence the need for "sustainable scientist at the World Agroforestry Centre. "Efforts are intensification". This involves producing more crops then made to scale up adoption of options that worked in and livestock from the same area of land, while at the a few pilot sites across large areas and this doesn’t always same time reducing the negative environmental impacts work." associated with many current farming practices. One of the reasons why scaling up from pilot sites is often Trees can be a key component of sustainable intensification. patchy is because local conditions – soils, climate, farming However, there's a problem. Although there is plenty practices, livelihood systems, markets and policies – vary of evidence to show that agroforestry can enhance soil from one place to another. This means that solutions fertility, increase crop production and provide a range of to problems must vary too. However, it is common for other goods and services, it is much harder to identify development organizations to promote only what they which particular tree species and management options will think is best practice, without testing a range of different be suitable for a particular farmer. options across different situations. "So, we don't learn what the best-fit options are," says Fergus. To overcome these problems, the World Agroforestry Centre is championing a new way of doing research. This involves embedding research 'in' development, rather than conducting research 'for' development. The semantic difference may be slight, but the impact is far-reaching for research organizations and development agencies, as well as for the smallholder farmers they serve1. Richard Coe, a research methods guru at the World Agroforestry Centre, points out that a lot of development spending is based on flimsy evidence about the interventions required to generate the desired impact. "We can certainly improve on this if we can persuade development partners to use 'planned comparisons' in F A R the way they structure their activities, and then monitor C © I performance so that we can see what works in different o ot contexts," he says. h P Trees on farms can enhance soil fertility. 1 Coe R, Sinclair F, Barrios E. 2014. Scaling up agroforestry requires research ‘in’ rather than ‘for’ development. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 6:73–77 10 Annual Report 2013-2014 S E N O T S A new kind of cooperation E L MI Several of the projects described in the following pages – alley cropping. Plot-level trials with a few fast-growing including the Trees for Food Security project in Ethiopia shrub species led scientists to believe that growing crops and Rwanda (page 21), the Agroforestry and Forestry between rows of nitrogen-fixing trees could have a in Sulawesi project (page 50), and the Agroforestry for transformative impact across Africa. There were ambitious Livelihoods programme in Vietnam – are trialling the attempts to scale up alley cropping, but adoption was new research in development approach. This involves patchy. Eventually it became clear that the technology only characterizing variation in context and then testing worked under very specific conditions, in terms of soil and out a range of agroforestry practices, chosen through climate, and when land was scarce and labour abundant. participatory processes with farmers, under different The research in development approach, in contrast, conditions. Scaling up is then an iterative process, where recognizes the importance of ecological, social and feedback on performance of different options in different institutional complexity from the outset. It also emphasizes contexts refines our understanding of best-fit options. F A that researchers and development agencies will have the R C "There simply isn't enough research money to test the greatest impact when they collaborate closely with one © I o scaling up of different options over large areas," says another. ot h P Fergus. "That's why the development agencies are so important." The Centre' s development partners are being encouraged to test out the best-fit options in a systematic way. This requires not only careful design of which options to try out in different contexts, but rigorous monitoring and evaluation over time. This process enables researchers and their partners to match agroforestry practices to sites and farmer circumstances and adapt them to local conditions. However, selecting the most appropriate agroforestry technologies is just one side of the story. Researchers and their development partners also need to work with government agencies and the private sector to establish effective delivery mechanisms, efficient markets and appropriate policies necessary for their adoption. "Today, when we talk about agroforestry options we are referring to change in farming practices, supply of inputs and markets for outputs and the institutional arrangements, such as land and tree tenure, which condition them," says Fergus. Researchers and development partners need to work with government One lesson that's been learned the hard way is that agencies and the private sector to establish effective delivery mechanisms. there are no silver bullets. Take, for example, the case of 11 Annual Report 2013-2014