Issue 62 - Trees And Farming

A magazine on drylands development and sustainable agriculture / Issue 62, June 2011

Trees

and

Farming BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 1

Editorial

Dear Reader,

W

elcome to Issue 62 of the Baobab. In this issue, we focus on the importance of planting trees together with crops and also keeping livestock - a practice known as Agroforestry. Trees are an important contributor to climate change adaptation and have multiple benefits to humankind.

This issue follows the declaration of the year 2011 by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Year of Forests and aims at raising awareness on sustainable management, conservation and development of all types of forests. Baobab joins this noble cause in emphasizing the importance of tree planting as a way of improving forest cover and boosting agriculture.

Over the years, forests and natural vegetation have been cleared as the demand for land for agriculture and development increases. To cope with this situation, farmers are now increasingly being encouraged to plant more trees to meet the ever increasing demands and enjoy other benefits such as; food, fodder, medicine, water conservation and soil fertility.

Agroforestry enhances a climate-smart agriculture, increasing food security, alleviating rural poverty, and therefore facilitating achievement of truly sustainable development. According to the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF, 2011), investments in agroforestry over the next 50 years could remove 50 billion tonnes of additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. For more on this read the ‘Theme Overview’ as well as other informative articles in this edition. The ‘Technical Note’ will guide you on how to plant and manage trees.

ALIN’s work continues to gain wide recognition. In April 2011 the international board of the Ashoka Foundation selected me to be an Ashoka Fellow. This was in recognition of the work we have done in running a wellmanaged and sustainable network of Maarifa (Knowledge) centers that continue to improve the quality of life of rural small-scale farmers in East Africa. I thank the entire ALIN team, partners, network members and our readers for making this possible.

We welcome your feedback on this issue and encourage you to share your best practices. The September issue of Baobab will be on regional food systems. See page 33 of this issue for guidelines on how you can contribute.

o u g N s e Jam Regional Director

2 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

Contents

4 8 12 20

THEME OVERVIEW:

Cropping under a canopy

PROJECT FOCUS:

PROSOPIS: A despised tree that is a key resource for communities in Baringo

OPEN COLUMN:

Leguminous Fodder Trees

on the subject of: Agroforestry practices in Uganda

Other Pages...

Stork Story ........................................................................................................................... Pg 18 TECHNICAL NOTE: Tree Care ................................................................. Pg 26 GUEST COLUMN: Geospatial Technologies ................................. Pg 28

ISSN: 0966-9035 Baobab is published four times a year to create a forum for ALIN members to network, share their experiences and learn from experiences of other people working in similar areas.

Editorial Board James Nguo Anthony Mugo Noah Lusaka Esther Lung’ahi Susan Mwangi – Chief Editor Illustrations Shadrack Melly Layout and Design Lisa Waweru (Noel Creative Media) Important Notices Copyright Articles, pictures and illustrations from Baobab may be adapted for use in materials that are development oriented, provided the materials are distributed free of charge and ALIN and the author(s) are credited.

Copies of the samples should be sent to ALIN. Disclaimer Opinions and views expressed in the letters and articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or ALIN. Technical information supplied should be cross-checked as thoroughly as possible as ALIN cannot accept responsibility should any problems occur.

Regional Editions 1. Farming Matters global edition by ileia 2. LEISA revista de agroecologia, Latin America edition by Asociacion ETC andes.

3. LEISA India, by AME foundation 4. Majalah Petani by VECO Indonesia 5. AGRIDAPE, French West African edition by IED Afrique 6. Agriculture, Experiences em Agroecologia, the Brazilian edition

by AS-PTA 7. Chinese edition by CBIK Talk to us The Baobab magazine Arid Lands Information Network, ALIN P. O. Box 10098, 00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya AAYMCA Building, Ground floor, Along State House Crescent, Off State House Avenue, Nairobi Tel. +254 20 2731557 • Telefax. +254 20 2737813 Cell: +254 722 561006 E-mail: Baobab@alin.net • Or visit us at www.alin.net About ALIN Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) is an NGO that facilitates information and knowledge exchange to and between extension workers or infomediaries and arid lands communities in the East Africa region. The information exchange activities focus on smallscale sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, natural resources management and other livelihood issues.

OPEN COLUMN: Degradation of Mau Forests .......................... Pg 30

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 3

themeoverview

The global community is crying out for innovative approaches that can reduce poverty and improve agricultural productivity while making sure the environment is managed sustainably. Agroforestry - incorporating working trees that provide continuous benefits throughout their life cycle into farming systems - is gaining momentum as a global land use and practice which can balance environment and development needs.

By Kate Langford

4 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

Cropping under a canopy

the future of farming?

A

groforestry

is becoming increasingly important throughout the world. Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations confirms that while the number of trees in forests is still declining every year, the number of trees on farms is steadily increasing.

Agroforestry is not a new practice. It has been used by subsistence farmers throughout most of the world for many generations. The 2009 Trees on Farm study conducted by the World Agroforestry Centre found that 48 per cent of all agricultural land – which is home to almost a third of the 1.8 billion people – has at least 10 per cent tree cover. And six million square kilometers – or 27 per cent of agricultural land globally - has more than 20 per cent tree cover.

In the last 40 years, agroforestry has become a subject for systematic study and improvement, and a livelihood option promoted by land use managers and international development efforts. Agroforestry systems range from home gardens to subsistence livestock and pastoral systems, on-farm timber production, tree crops of all types integrated with other crops, and biomass plantations.

Benefits of trees in farms There are multiple livelihood benefits of trees to farmers, in particular smallholders in the developing world, who are the focus of the World Agroforestry Centre’s work. Trees provide farmers with a range of goods and services; from fruits and nuts to livestock fodder, fuel for heating and timber for housing, medicines and green fertilizers. In numerous countries, including India and Kenya, the majority of the nation’s wood is derived from farm-grown timber.

Aaron Nahawa from Kulimbuka village in Malawi has significantly increased his maize yields through the use of fertilizer trees.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 5

Additionally, trees grown on farms have environmental benefits in the form of shelter, erosion control, watershed protection, water retention and increased biodiversity. Carbon storage both aboveground and below-ground is greatly enhanced compared to conventional agriculture, thus improving opportunities for rewards in the form of agricultural carbon offsets for farmers. Agroforestry can also enhance resilience to climate variability and climate change. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “Transformation of degraded agricultural lands to agroforestry has far greater potential to sequester carbon than any other managed land use change.�

The United Nations has designated 2011 as the International Year of Forests, which is an opportunity to more fully recognize the tremendous importance of agroforestry in a future world. Agroforestry is one of humankind’s best hopes to create a climate-smart agriculture, increase food security, alleviate rural poverty, and achieve truly sustainable development.

Future of Agroforestry The Director General of the World Agroforestry Centre, Dr Dennis Garrity, has a vision of a future where much of our annual food crop production occurs under a full canopy of trees. Garrity has spent his career developing small-scale farming systems and promoting innovative solutions to natural resource management. His vision is already being fulfilled in many countries in Africa with extremely encouraging results in terms of higher food crop yields and restoration of degraded soils. The challenge that lies ahead is to extend these practices to millions of other poor farmers who desperately need homegrown solutions to their food production problems.

Through what is termed Evergreen Agriculture, particular types of trees are intercropped in annual food crop and livestock systems. As with most forms of agroforestry, the trees offer multiple benefits to farmers. They can provide sources of green fertilizer to build healthier soils and enhance crop production, increase soil fertility by fixing nitrogen in their roots, or provide fruits, medicines, livestock fodder, timber and fuel wood.

In Africa, the most promising results of Evergreen Agriculture comes from the integration of fertilizer trees into cropping systems. These trees improve soil fertility by drawing nitrogen from the air and transferring it to the soil through their roots and 6 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

Maize growing under a canopy of Faidherbia trees in southern Tanzania.

leaf litter. Scientists have been evaluating various species of fertilizer trees for many years, including Sesbania, Gliricidia, Tephrosia and Faidherbia.

The indigenous African acacia, Faidherbia albida is perhaps the most remarkable of these fertilizer trees. Faidherbia sheds its nitrogen-rich leaves during the early rainy season and remains dormant throughout the crop-growing period. The leaves grow again when the dry season begins. This makes it highly compatible with food crops, because it does not compete with them for light, nutrients, or water during the growing season: only its bare branches spread overhead while the food crops grow to maturity.

In Niger, satellite imagery shows close to 5 million hectares of land covered by Faidherbia albida. Millet and sorghum production has been significantly enhanced on these fields where up to 160 trees are grown per hectare. In Malawi, maize yields have increased up to 280 per cent when they are grown under the canopy of Faidherbia trees. In Zambia,

Photos: Charlie Pye-Smith / World Agroforestry Centre

160,000 farmers have extended their conservation farming practices to include the cultivation of food crops within agroforests of Faidherbia trees. Extensive observations have indicated that growing maize in the vicinity of the trees dramatically increases production, and the health of the soils is improved.

Dr Garrity is quick to point out that farmers have recognized the values of these trees for generations. “I met women farmers in Malawi who had been growing maize under a full canopy of Faidherbia trees for 20 years,” Garrity recalls. “Their yields are three times higher than before they planted the trees.”

As scientists, development practitioners and farmers seek innovative solutions to global concerns, the spotlight is being turned towards practices such as Evergreen Agriculture. At a high-level meeting in November 2010 in The Hague, Netherlands, representatives from more than 115 countries developed a roadmap for agriculture to meet the challenges of climate change and food security.

These ministers of agriculture, government officials,

...We urgently need to refine, adapt and extend evergreen agriculture and other agroforestry technologies...

scientists and representatives from civil society organizations and the private sector called for ‘climate smart’ agriculture to address the one third of global greenhouse gas emissions generated by agriculture and deforestation.

Evergreen Agriculture is emerging as an affordable and accessible science-based practice which is both climate smart and able to increase smallholder food production.

“We urgently need to refine, adapt and extend evergreen agriculture and other agroforestry technologies,” says Garrity. “Not just in addressing climate change, but also to drastically improve the incomes and livelihoods of smallholder farmers and help meet the challenge of feeding the world’s projected population of 9 billion by 2050.”

About the author Kate Langford works at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in the Communications department. E-mail: k.langford@cgiar.org For general information, visit http://www. worldagroforestrycentre.org and to find out more about the suitability of individual agroforestry species, check out the Agroforestree database at http://www.worldagroforestrycentre. org/resources/databases/agroforestree

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 7

projectfocus

Prosopis

Prosopis is a tree native to Arid and SemiArid Lands (ASALs) of South and Central America namely Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru with only a few of the species being of major ecological and socio-economic importance. Missionaries, colonial administrators, travellers and researchers among others introduced the tree across the globe in the last 200 years.

In Africa, Prosopis is found in nearly all countries with marginal areas and deserts including Kenya.

By Martin Welimo and Simon Choge 8 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

Camels feeding on Prosopis pods.

Reasons for introduction ◆ Ensuring self-sufficiency in wood (firewood, poles, posts and charcoal) and non-wood products (fodder, honey, dye and fibre)

carried out near the coastal city of Mombasa for rehabilitation of quarries. Although several Prosopis species were introduced in Kenya, Prosopis juliflora is the dominant species associated with invasive tendencies.

◆ Making the environment habitable for human beings and animals

Its invasive nature

◆ Mitigating the impacts of drought and famine ◆ Safeguarding the existing natural vegetation from over-exploitation caused by the increasing human populations ◆ Reducing water and wind erosion Surveys have shown that Prosopis pallida species was first introduced in Kenya in 1948 at Taveta Township as a fodder tree. Several other introductions of Prosopis juliflora, Prosopis chilensis, Prosopis alba and others were done in 1960s and 1970s. However, 1973 stands out as the time when the first documented introduction of Prosopis pallida into the country was

The popularity of Prosopis spp in the ASALs of the world for the last two centuries revolves around its perceived benefits as a valuable resource (fodder, wood and fuel) and it’s resilience under conditions where few or virtually no other tree species can survive. Fodder production (mainly through fruit/pod production) starts at an age of 3-4 years. Its pods are very nutritious and palatable to livestock. With the ability of producing a lot of pods at an early age (10 year old tree producing about 90 kgs of pods per annum), with each pod producing averagely 10-30 seeds, the rate of its spread becomes very rapid. This is facilitated by the fact that the seeds are largely indigestible and

A despised tree that is a key resource for communities in Baringo

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 9

hence dispersed through the animal droppings. The seeds remain dormant in the soil for many years until conditions for germination are favorable. The species grows aggressively in high densities thus making it invasive. If left unmanaged, it colonizes pastureland, waterways, farmlands, roadsides and even settlement areas. Its negative impact is made worse by the lack of knowledge and technologies for its management as well as for the processing and utilizing of its products by communities affected by the invasions.

Uses of Prosopis juliflora In ASAL areas such as the Baringo County in Kenya, the tree comes in handy since it has many uses, some of which have not been fully exploited by the local populations. It is a hard wood and therefore produces very high quality timber for construction or fencing poles. It produces good quality firewood and charcoal of high calorific value (quantity of heat or energy produced).

Flowers of Prosopis juliflora are good for bee foraging, hence an important resource to the large number of bee farmers within Baringo. Prosopis juliflora pods are high in carbohydrates, proteins and sugar. They are good for livestock and human consumption. Goats and cattle that feed on these pods grow and fatten within a short time.

Cutting of Prosopis juliflora for charcoal burning.

10 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

Benefits to the Baringo Community Charcoal production The Kenyan energy sector has continued to suffer a great deal after the government imposed a ban on charcoal production and transportation from its forests and woodlands. This has created a big shortage of charcoal in Kenya resulting in prices going to as high as Kshs 1,200 (US$ 15) per bag in urban areas. The sanctioning of Prosopis juliflora harvesting in Baringo County through clearing, thinning and pruning has provided an opportunity for processing of biomass and subsequent production of massive quantities of charcoal. An important source of income to the community since the Prosopis management programme began four years ago.

Reports from Mr. Justus Kyambo, of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Marigat District’s Office indicate that communities earn in excess of Ksh 20 million (US$ 250,000) each month from the sale of Prosopis based charcoal alone. The KFS is charged with the responsibility of coordinating issuance of forest produce movement permits. Most community members operate as individuals but in Salabani, the Salabani Farmers Field School (FFS) undertakes their operations as a group. They link up with lorry operators at various collection centres.

A farmer preparing to burn charcoal from prosopis

Prosopis- pods collection Prosopis pods are now an important commodity for commerce among Baringo communities.

They harvest and sell the pods to neighboring communities where this species is not available.

30 kg of pods (1 bag) is sold on average at Kshs 200 (US$2.5) in the local market. With an estimated Prosopis coverage of over 2,000 Ha in Baringo County alone, between 500 to 1000 tons per year are available for harvesting if an organized system of collection is made, thereby earning a significant levels of income to collectors, between Ksh 400,000 to 800,000 per year (US$ 5,000 to 10,000). This could be several times higher if value addition through milling and local livestock feed formulations were done. Milling the pods and mixing with ground maize cobs and stock produces a good animal feed for livestock. Milling of 1 tonne of pods destroys more than two million potential seeds that would have otherwise been spread by livestock.

Strategy for Prosopis juliflora control and management Prosopis has successfully performed the functions for which it was introduced: ensuring selfsufficiency in wood fuel, fodder for livestock and making the fragile arid and semi-arid

environments more habitable. It has helped mitigate the impacts of drought and famine as well as safeguarding the existing natural vegetation from decimation. On the other hand, it is a weed that spreads sporadically invading land on which other trees and crops grow.

For the last ten years, the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife has been involved in a comprehensive and intensive plan to understand the nature and scope of the Prosopis problem in Kenya through piloted participatory approach to its management, control and utilization.

Experience gained so far by the sub-sector, from local and international studies has shown that the uncontrolled spread of Prosopis is purely a management problem. There is no know-how on technologies to manage and control it. It is against this background that a sectoral strategic plan is now in the process of being jointly produced between KFS and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) to address the management gaps.

About the writers Martin Welimo works at the Baringo Forestry Research Subcentre as a Forester. E-mail:mwelimo@yahoo.com.

Simon Choge works at the Drylands Programme (KEFRI) as the Principal Research Officer. E-mail: skchoge2002@yahoo.com.

Cattle feeding on Prosopis juliflora pods.

Photos: KEFRI

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 11

opencolumn

Leguminous Fodder

Trees

Rising demand for land in Kenya’s high potential areas has forced the more than 800,000 smallholder dairy farmers to seek viable fodder alternatives for their herds.

By Mwangi Mumero

T

raditionally,

smallholder dairy farmers have relied solely on Napier grass as their livestock feed. Diminishing land has over the years led to decline in acreage under Napier.

Increasingly, leguminous fodder – promoted by research bodies and the Ministry of Livestock has proved to be cheap and viable supplements to Napier and Rhodes grass.

On his two-acre plot, Simon Githambo grows various types of crops such as beans, capsicum, maize and a variety of horticulture crops. A number of tree species are also found on the farm and include avocado, guava, Eucalyptus, Grevillea and the pepper tree. The farm also has an orchard comprising mainly of citrus fruits.

But the tree species that have transformed and influenced most of the farming activities are the leguminous shrubs like Leucaena leucocephala, Sesbania sesbans and Calliandra carothyrsus.

Alternative fodder

Leucaena pods.

12 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

Research in Kenya by World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) has shown that Calliandra calothyrsus can be fed to lactating cows in either addition or as a replacement for commercial concentrates such as dairy meal. Three kilograms (kgs) of fresh leaves and edible stems of Calliandra could replace about one kg dairy meal and still give the same milk yield with a crude protein content of 16 per cent.

With the cost of commercial feed always on the rise, smallholder dairy farmers have been making huge savings with the inclusion of the leguminous fodder in their daily livestock rations.

“Use of the fodder shrubs to feed my cow has saved me at least Kshs 1000 (about US$ 12) monthly since I do not have to buy commercial feed any more to supplement the grass fodder like Napier”, says Githambo, a dairy farmer in Uruku area of Ndaragwa Division in Nyandarua District.

Increased milk volumes A new study by ICRAF shows how the adoption of fodder trees by more than 200,000 smallholder dairy farmers in East Africa has improved milk production and livelihoods.

The study found that the overall impact of the trees in terms of additional net income from milk is high, at US$19.7 million to US$29.6 million in Kenya alone over the past 15 years.

On average, the estimated 800,000 smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya with an average two to three acres of land would gain a lot if they adapted the use of fodder shrubs as supplements and alternatives to commercial feed.

“Fodder from Calliandra is good for cattle and goats. It has really reduced over-reliance on Napier as one can easily cut the leaves and feed the livestock directly”, say Timothy Gichuru, a farmer in Othaya, Nyeri. On his two-acre farm, Gichuru has a Calliandra hedge that also serves as a source of his fodder.

For the feeding program to be sustainable, a farmer needs 500 shrubs per cow annually while a goat will require 100 shrubs.

Soil benefits

Mr. Githambo explained that during the wet season, cows are given six or more kilos but the amount drops to just three to four kilos once the dry season sets in.

The benefits of the leguminous fodder go beyond feeding livestock. They fix nitrogen in the soil revitalizing soil nutrients and are considered good for crop rotation. High rates of nitrogen fixation and rapid decomposition of its foliage make Leucaena an excellent mulch or green manure crop.

A young girl feeds leguminous fodder to a cow.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 13

Photos: Mwangi Mumero

A Calliandra tree nursery.

Foliage and shoots collected by coppicing (cutting the stem above the ground to stimulate sprouting of new shoots) can supply some or all of the nitrogen and other nutrients required by an intercrop such as maize.

At the same time, farmers report that in areas with a dense canopy of the fodder, frost - a common problem in the dry season - does not destroy crops.

western Kenya have grown the shrub as live fences or on plot boundaries.

It seems the shrubs create some form of micro-climate around the crops which reduces the effect of frost.

Wood from Sesbania tree can also be used for fencing, construction of houses and as firewood.

Maize yields were even higher with incorporation of Tithonia biomass than with commercial mineral fertilizer at equivalent rates of N, P and K. Use of the shrub has also increased beneficial bacteria populations in the soil such as those that fix nitrogen.

Intercropping In western Kenya, the shrubs have been intermixed with maize and other crops such as sorghum with remarkable increase in cereal yields.

ICRAF has in the past demonstrated that the leaves and stems of a local shrub - Tithonia diversifolia when incorporated with a rock phosphate -common in western Kenya - can improve food production and reduce over-reliance on commercial fertilizers.

Green leaf biomass of Tithonia is high in nutrients, averaging about 3.5 per cent nitrogen (N), 0.37 per cent phosphorus (P) and 4.1 per cent potassium (K) on a dry matter basis.

Boundary hedges of sole Tithonia can produce about one kilo of biomass - tender stems and leaves - yearly.

Most farmers using this soil enriching method in 14 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

The materials decompose rapidly after application to soil, and the incorporated biomass can be an effective source of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) for crops.

The use of Tithonia has been recommended for farmers growing profitable-fast growing crops like cabbages and kales.

Green biomass of Tithonia has been recognized as an effective source of nutrients for lowland rice (Oryza sativa) in Asia and more recently for maize (Zea mays) and vegetables in eastern and southern Africa.

Researchers believe that this agroforestry system will not only increase maize yields and provide greater food security, the increased growth of trees will improve drought resilience and build carbon sequestration- thereby contributing to climate change adaptation.

About the Writer Mwangi Mumero is a freelance journalist based in Kitengela, Kenya. E-mail: mwangimumero@gmail.com

Implementing

REDD in

Tanzania

Energy saving cooking stoves.

Growing concerns about the impacts of climate change have generated interest in developing mechanisms to slow down deforestation and forest degradation rates. Tanzania is one of nine countries serving as a pilot for the United Nations’ Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) programme.

By Pastory Mwesiga

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 15

Stakeholders at the launch of the REDD pilot project in Shinyanga, Tanzania.

W

ith financial support

from the Norwegian Government, Tanzania is implementing REDD projects in several parts of the country, among them the Shinyanga region.

the project, and it is projected that 108,285 tones of carbon dioxide emissions will have been kept out of the atmosphere.

Key project outputs include: ◆ An institutional framework for REDD implementation at community level;

Shinyanga region is prone to deforestation as a result of the heavy pressure from agricultural expansion, overgrazing, wild fires, the unsustainable use of wood resources, and other human activities. The pilot project is being implemented in two districts (Shinyanga rural and Kahama).

The potential number of beneficiaries in the two districts is about 6000 households. Project partners include: Development Associates Ltd; the Natural Forest Resources Management; the World Agroforestry Centre, and; Kahama and Shinyanga Rural District Councils.

◆ Established baseline scenarios for potential carbon sources;

The four year REDD pilot project (January 2010 to December 2013) aims to promote sustainable natural resource management and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in the dry miombo (Swahili word for Brachystegia) and acacia ecosystems in the region.

Most of the ground work towards achieving the project outputs has been completed including; project site selection, institutional assessments, surveys and mappings of project villages and Ngitili areas, socioeconomic baseline surveys and group formation.

Project interventions focus on integrating REDD with the indigenous agro-pastoralist systems called Ngitili –traditional enclosures of acacia-miombo woodland. These provide local people with food for their cattle, firewood and other essential products.

Ngitili involves the conservation of fallow and range lands by encouraging vegetation regeneration, particularly for browse and fodder. The project therefore focuses on households (men and women) who own and manage Ngitilis ranging in size from 10 to 50 hectares. It is expected that 2,500 hectares of Ngitili will be sustainably managed by the end of 16 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

◆ The development and implementation of measures for addressing drivers of deforestation and forest degradation; ◆ Established mechanisms for benefit sharing and empowered Ngitili groups; ◆ The monitoring, evaluation and documentation of project performance and impacts.

Implementation status

The processes of creating awareness and sensitising communities, and conducting baseline assessments for Ngitili resources and carbon levels are in progress.

Challenges and lessons The project is in its early stages however, some early lessons have been learnt. ◆ Many people at the community level have very little knowledge about REDD. ◆ Awareness and sensitisation needs to be increased and intensified using various media and materials.

Photos: Pastory Mwesiga and Innocent Minja

Field visits during the project activities in 2010.

◆ Several institutions, including government and traditional institutions, are involved and have considerable interest in the management of Ngitilis. Traditional institutions such as the Sungusungu and the Kitongoji are key players in the management of Ngitilis for REDD. The village leaders need to be particularly well informed and sensitised about aspects of the project, as governance issues seem to be critical in the implementation and success of the project. ◆ Incentives for people to manage Ngitilis include the provision of space for balancing immediate household needs. Deliberate efforts need to be taken to incorporate sustainable development concerns in REDD initiatives, including opportunities for economic and social development for local communities. ◆ REDD is targeted to benefit the poorest, in order to achieve this aspects of gender and poverty should not be left out of implementation processes.

REDD preparedness To implement a national REDD programme efficiently, several issues must be addressed. These include: ◆ A favourable policy environment to support the implementation of REDD ◆ Programmes incentives to encourage poor people and disadvantaged groups to participate effectively in the implementation process ◆ A conducive institutional setup for decision making uninterrupted information flows and adequate physical and human capacity at all levels to effectively assess carbon in all pools and measure changes ◆ Transparent incentive sharing mechanisms ◆ And established financial management system for funds to flow to beneficiaries and stakeholders flawlessly.

REDD projects To be effective as a mitigation strategy, REDD projects and programmes must meet several stringent criteria. ◆ They must avoid ‘leakage’ – where conservation in one area simply shifts deforestation to another. ◆ They need to be ‘additional’ – leading directly to reductions in deforestation and degradation that would not have happened simply because of wider changes in the economy. ◆ There must be a project baseline against which to measure progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Before REDD projects can cut carbon emissions and benefit livelihoods, many developing countries will require substantial investments in capacity building, science and institutions. For example, countries will need technical support to develop carbon inventory systems and their remote sensing capacity. In addition, they will need support to set up the institutional infrastructure required to distribute REDD benefits and implement the various incentive schemes.

Land tenure and forest governance are key factors determining the success or failure of REDD initiatives.

About the writer Pastory Mwesiga is a project field team leader with Tanzania Traditional Energy Development and Environment Organisation (TaTEDO), Centre for Sustainable Modern Energy. E-mail: pastory@ nafrac.go.tz or mwesiga@yahoo.com. Mobile +255 786843925

For more information contact: Robert Otysina, Director, Development Associates Limited (DASS).

E-mail: rotsyina@gmail.com.

Mary Swai, Project Manager, Tanzania Traditional Energy Development and Environment Organisation (TaTEDO), Centre for Sustainable Modern Energy. E-mail: energy@tatedo.org or mary. swai@tatedo.org.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 17

storkstory

18 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 19

onthesubjectof

Agroforestry

practices in

Uganda Declining food and wood security coupled with lowincome levels are major problems faced by small-scale farmers in Uganda.

By Noah Bamulabire

20 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

A

groforestry programs

in Uganda are trying to solve these problems by generating technologies that enhance integration of trees on farms for increased production and environmental sustainability.

Small-scale farmers can have multiple products and benefits such as timber, food, fuel, poles, fodder, medicine, spices, gums, soil fertility improvement and control of soil erosion among others.

Types of Agroforestry There are three principle types of agroforestry systems - agrisilviculture, silvopastoral and agrisilvopastoral. Agrisilviculture is a system that involves simultaneously growing of crops and trees on the same piece of land, providing the benefit of both crops and forest. In the same way, silvopastoral is a system that involves raising livestock on pastures grown in association with trees. The trees are grown for harvesting purpose and provide shade, shelter and food for the livestock. Agrisilviculture is a system that involves a three-way mixture based on a combination of crops, trees and livestock. Such a system requires skillful management, and can be sustainable even in harsh environments and fragile soils. All these are conservation methods are aimed at protecting natural ecosystems.

Popular Agroforestry Practices The type of agroforestry techniques that is practiced depends on factors such as the region, type of crops, soil and climatic conditions. A wide selection of tree species and woody shrubs can be used for agroforestry systems. Some of these trees are suited for erosion control and some are more appropriate as forage trees. The choice of appropriate species is critical to the success of agroforestry system. In addition to the intended use, the choice of tree and associated crop species also depends on cultural and ethnic factors. Some of the most popular agroforestry practices adopted worldwide are outlined below.

Alley Cropping In this practice agricultural crops are grown along with long-term tree crops. It involves growing crops in-between trees planted in rows. The spacing between the rows is appropriately designed to accommodate a matured tree size while leaving plenty of space for agricultural crop to grow and receive sunlight. This requires skillful management and careful planning. The agricultural crop provides

the annual income while the tree crop matures.

Hardwoods like oak and walnut are generally preferred in alley cropping system.

Forest Farming This practice involves cultivation of exotic and high value forest products, along with high quality trees for wood products. Crops like mushrooms, fruit, nuts, berries, herbs and medicinal plants are just few of the many that forest farming can produce. These types of forest products can yield high value while the tree matures.

Riparian Buffer Strips This practice is popularly also known as “filter strips�. The purpose of riparian buffer strip is to catch soil, nutrients and pesticides from flowing into water bodies. The trees and shrubs are planted along the river or lake, which in turn also prevents streambank erosion. Buffer strips can be planned to provide habitation for wildlife and also production of exotic forest products as in the case of forest farming.

Windbreaks or Shelterbelts In this type of agroforestry practice multiple or a single layer of trees and shrubs are planted along edges of the fields. This shields the crops or the livestock from the effects of the wind, snow or extreme temperatures. They protect the fields from soil and water erosions as well, therefore creating a more favorable environment for the crops to grow.

This system can also be designed to specifically build natural shelter for livestock; this reduces feed costs, odour, animal stress and mortality while pleasing the eyes aesthetically.

Advantages of Agroforestry A farmer benefits in many ways from a well designed, planned and executed agroforestry system. The presence of trees and shrubs aid the crops in making better utilization of the soil nutrients and light, hence resulting in better production as compared to monocrop method. Enhancement in the nutrient cycling capabilities of the soil reduces the cost for weed and pest control.

Agroforestry systems provide an option of extra income to the farmers. Diversification between forest and agricultural crops reduces labour and resource costs along with the risks undertaken by farmers.

Mixing long-term forest crops with yearly agricultural income makes the overall system more profitable.

Lastly, forest provides food and shelter for the livestock that is beneficial in many ways.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 21

Photos: Noah Bamulabire

Intercropping

From an environmental point of view, the advantages of agroforestry are many, it is an improved version of traditional farming and ecologically, it is extremely compatible. The ability of trees to prevent soil erosion and conserve nutrients in the soil is well known. In case of legumes crops, trees fix nitrogen hence improving soil fertility. Hedges of trees and shrubs protect crops and livestock from harsh climatic conditions resulting from vicious winds, hot or cold extremes. Trees also function as “bio filters” of dusts, noise, odour, and prevent pesticide contamination of the water. Many birds, insects and wild life find a natural habitat in these forests boosting the ecological diversity of an area.

Policies supporting tree farming practices in Uganda In many districts of Uganda, structures that connect small forest enterprises and their associations to markets, service providers and policy processes are already in place. Agro ecological enterprises and forest based enterprises (FBE) such as bee keeping 22 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

projects by local farmers are set up to promote income activities while considering environmental sustainability. In the latest report of a study undertaken by the National Biomass Study (NBS) Unit of National Forest Authority (NFA) 2008, Uganda’s forest cover has reduced from 24 per cent to 17 per cent of total land area of the country between 1990 and 2005. Most of the degradation was on private forests. As a result, forest cover on private land has reduced from 70 to 64 percent of the total land area (NFA, 2008). Promotion of the FBEs is therefore seen as one of the clear ways to rejuvenate the deteriorating forest covers across the country.

About the writer Noah Bamulabire is a Field Officer with ALIN in Lukwanga, Uganda. E-mail: lukwangamaarifa@alin.net.

References UNDP/NEMA/UNEP Poverty Environment Initiative (2009), Enhancing Forests’ Contribution to Growth, Employment and Prosperity. Kampala, Uganda.

MEDICINALTREES

Community gains financially from

conserving the Kakamega

rainforest Kakamega forest is the only surviving rainforest in Kenya; a remnant of the GuineoCongolian rainforest, which once stretched from western Kenya across East and Central Africa to the coastline of West Africa. Communities around the forest now make income from the Ocimum kilimandscharicum (African blue basil) by selling medicine made from the plant.

By John Luseno

Top: Muliro Farmers Conservation Group cultivating and bottom: harvesting Ocimum kilimandscharicum plant.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 23

K

akamega Forest in

Kenya is the home to an extraordinary diversity of endemic birds, plants and insects not found anywhere else. In addition, it provides the surrounding communities with timber, medicinal products, and wood for fuel.

Over the years the forest has been under immense pressure due to high rates of exploitation.

To stem the tide of degradation at this forest, the Muliru Farmers Conservation Group (MFCG), with technical support and guidance from the International Center for Insect and Physiology (ICIPE) received a grant from the Global Environmental Facility Small Grant Program (GEF SGP) in 2000 with the aim of conserving the forest and sustainability of the group.

Ocimum cultivation on farms In total MFCG has 360 farmers that plant Ocimum kilimandscharicum, a medicinal plant whose leaves are used for processing aroma therapeutic balm and ointment. It is currently found in leading supermarkets nationwide under the brand name of NaturubÂŽ.

Ocimum kilimandscharicum, is a wild indigenous medicinal plant. Traditionally, the local community used it to treat ailments such as flu, chest congestion, insect bites, and muscular pain. Key to note is that the plant is also used largely to treat opportunistic infections for people living with HIV/AIDS. Its leaves are immersed in boiling water, and the patient asked to inhale the vapour. The same plant is also used to repel mosquitoes and to ward off pests that destroy food stored in granaries.

Since MFCG inception in 2000, the number of farmers growing the medicinal plant has grown from 18 to 500 and the acreage under cultivation has multiplied from 2.5 Ha in 2005 to over 20 Ha in 2010. Subsequently, the farmers’ earnings from the sale of the processed medicinal product have risen up substantially. This translates to an average annual income per household of Ksh 3000 (US$ 37.5), which provides essential revenue.

The initiative combines the following: an indigenous medicinal and mosquito repellent plant; traditional knowledge and practices of the local community;

24 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

modern science and technology; and partnership between the rural community, advanced research, development institutions and the private sector.

Growing Ocimum Ocimum kilimandscharicum, is one of the local domesticated plants from Kakamega Forest. It is raised normally with propagation from seeds grown in a nursery for one month and then transplanted to a well-tilled farm. It is planted in a spacing of 30 cm by 15 cm. After six months it is ready for harvest.

The harvesting is done by cutting the top part of the stem and plucking of the leaves. The remains are used as firewood thus helping to reduce the pressure on the forest brought about by cutting of trees. The plant is handy and can be planted with trees on the farm. Thus the farmer is able to raise trees as well as have additional income for the family from the sale of Ocimum products.

The plant has an efficient rooting system and perennial habits that prevent soil erosion where it is grown.

The 2010 Equator award ceremony in New York.

The Harvest Leaves are packed in gunny bags and transported to the processing facility. Over 770 tons of on-farm cultivated Ocimum kilimandscharicum have been supplied by the community. Over 700 kilograms of essential oil has also been produced. Purified essential oil is used in the production of Naturub® medicinal products. 400,000 pieces of Naturub® packages have been produced and sold in urban and rural areas of Kenya.

Job opportunities have been created especially for women and the youth. Women comprise 55 per cent of the participating members. Fifty per cent of the leadership positions of the community enterprise are women.

Improving community livelihoods More than 2000 livelihoods have improved with the alternative income that is over 300 per cent.

The packaging of Naturub® products also bears a distinctive message on conservation of biodiversity.

With over 400,000 pieces of Naturub® sold, the new nature-based medicine has contributed to the improved health of thousands of urban and rural people in Kenya and beyond.

Global recognition 2010 was a great year for the group. In September 2010, the group was awarded the prestigious global “Equator Prize” to recognize and celebrate their outstanding community efforts towards biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.

In November 2010, the community group was awarded the prestigious “SEED award” for entrepreneurship in sustainable development for the most promising, innovative and locally led start-up social and environmental entrepreneurs in countries with developing and emerging economies.

Naturub® Ocimum products

About the writer Photos: Muliru Farmers Conservation Group

John Luseno is a Community Knowledge Facilitator in Kakamega. E-mail: jluseno2005@ yahoo.com

Additional information James Ligarre, Marketing and Organising Secretary Muliro Farmers Conservation Group (MFCG). E -mail: mulirufcg@gmail.com, Cell no:254 728 738631.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 25

technicalnote

All

trees need good care to

grow well

Many trees planted by farmers never grow to maturity due to lack of proper management.

By Peter Kamau

T

he rainy season is also the

time for planting trees. The first step in any tree planting exercise is to know the types of trees to be planted in every part of the farm. A wise farmer should have a variety of trees in their farm. These can include fodder trees, fruits trees and even trees to provide the farm with shade, firewood and timber in the future.

Choice of trees Trees such as eucalyptus and pines should be planted away from crops and water sources because they affect crop growth and take up a lot of water.

The best trees to plant with crops are Grevillea and leguminous trees that fix nitrogen into the soil. Trees such as Calliandra, Lucaena and Sesbania sesban bring up other nutrients from deep down the soil into the surface, to benefit crops.

• Fruit and nut trees such as mangoes and macadamia should be planted seven (7) metres apart.

• Avocadoes require a spacing of 10 metres from one tree to the next.

Digging holes Dig a hole 60 cm square and 60 cm deep about four weeks before you plant the tree. The holes must be square in shape so that the roots can grow towards the corners and then spread out into the soil. Dig about 30 cm of the top-soil and put it on one side.

Continue digging the hole for another 30 cm and put the bottom soil on the other side of the hole.

Water the hole a few days before you plant the tree.

Now mix the top-soil with half a wheelbarrow of well-prepared compost and put this into the bottom Top soil from another place can be used here.

Farmers can buy seedlings of these tree species from private nurseries near them or from the nearest forest station in their region.

Spacing Before you plant the seedlings, decide how far apart one tree should be from the next using the following guidelines: • Create adequate space between trees to enable them get enough sunlight and reduce shading.

• Pawpaw trees, guavas or peaches can be planted three (3) metres apart.

26 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

1/2 wheelbarrow of compost or manure mixed with top soil.

of the hole. Add more topsoil from elsewhere before filling up the hole with the soil you got from the bottom of the hole. While filling up the hole, make it in such a way that it forms a basin around the plant in order to hold water when it rains.

• Choose your planting sites carefully. Decide where each of the trees is to be planted.

Take care of your growing trees A large proportion of trees planted every year never reach maturity due to lack of regular attention and care in order to grow normally to maturity. To enable the tree to grow up straight, it is important to tie it to a strong stick pushed into the ground.

Do not tie the string too tight.

Planting bare rooted seedlings For seedlings that are not potted (bare rooted seedlings) it is important to prepare them before planting, use the following guidelines:

Animals for example cause great destruction to young trees. Before planting trees, farmers should make sure the area under trees is properly fenced off to keep away goats, sheep, cows and donkeys.

Every three months, spread two or three spades full of compost or manure around the tree, as wide as the tree’s canopy.

• Water the nursery bed thoroughly the day before you remove them. This ensures the seedlings have plenty of water before planting.

• Remove the seedlings from the bed and separate their roots from the soil carefully, do not damage them.

• Cover the seedlings to protect them from direct sunlight. Keep them moist.

Put mulch around the base of the tree but not too close to the tree trunk; mulch conserves water and provides organic matter.

• Plant one seedling in each hole and fill with soil.

Watering

• Press the soil around the plant gently.

Potted seedlings For potted seedlings farmers should remember the following guidelines while planting the seedlings: •

Do not uproot the seedlings until you are ready to plant them.

•

Keep the seedlings in their pots and pack them in small boxes or crates for easy transport to the planting sites. Do not tie the seedlings.

•

Tear off the polythene cover or remove them from their pots before you plant.

•

Do not remove the soil around the seedlings while planting.

If the rains are inadequate, water the trees once every two weeks. Some trees such as citrus trees need a lot of water to grow well. Such trees can be watered every week, during the period of reduced rains.

Pruning The main aim of pruning is to cut off some branches so that others will grow better and get enough sun.

Prune the trees during dry days to avoid exposing them to diseases, which are more common when it is raining. Never break off branches; use a panga to cut them off or use a pruning saw.

About the writer Peter Kamau is a writer with The Organic Farmer, a magazine for sustainable agriculture in Kenya. E-mail: info@organickenya.org For more info visit: http://www.organicfarmermagazine.org BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 27

guestcolumn

GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES in The Role of

Livelihood and Natural Resources Management: PES Analysis

Forests provide us with a range of essential goods and services. From our most basic needs - shelter, food, clean water, oxygen and medicines - to cultural, spiritual and recreational joys. Vital environmental services that forests provide include preventing severe water runoff and regulating climate (Tripathi et al, 2004). Often, ecosystem goods and services are taken for granted. While the economic value of certain natural products such as timber is reflected through global trade, this often isn’t the case for other environmental goods and services provided by forests which are largely perceived to be free of charge, although their roles are often critical to productive and life-sustaining processes.

By Samuel Munyua Kimani

28 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

P

ayment for

Environmental Services (PES) ensures that those who benefit from environmental goods and services pay those who provide these services (McCall et al, 2005). This means, for example, that downstream users of water cleansed by an upstream forest, such as bottling companies or townsfolk who extract drinking water from the river, pay those who manage these upstream forests to ensure a sustainable flow of this service.

Charging for the benefits provided by forests and other natural ecosystems is a way to recognize their value and ensure that these benefits go well beyond present generations. In addition to benefiting biodiversity, such schemes also have the potential to benefit poor landowners who manage these environmental services.

PES schemes therefore require an assessment of the economic value of the forest benefits to the different stakeholders. Based on this value, a fair market fee is derived as payment by the beneficiaries to compensate those who help to protect the forests so the forests can continue providing their environmental services (Robbins, 2003).

The contribution of many of the environmental services arising from forest ecosystems to local and national economies are not well understood, leading to under valuation, inadequate attribution and lack of proper mechanisms. In order to prepare the preliminary analysis of the area, a rapid hydrological assessment was done.

Study Area The Preliminary project study was conducted in Moiben River ecosystem stretching from Cherangany Hills to Chebara dam and water destination, Eldoret town. The Cherangany Hills forests comprise a number of forest reserves covering the hills on the western ridge of the Great Rift Valley. The forest covers an area of 120,000 Ha and forms the upper catchments of Nzoia, Kerio and Turkwel rivers.

Despite the region having in place a wide range of policy and legal frameworks, there is no specific provision supporting valuation, attribution and compensation of environmental services which are mainly perceived as public goods (services).

The policy and institutional inadequacy in this respect has contributed to accelerated deterioration of riverine forest ecosystems and the environmental services they provide. The project therefore evaluated the existing or absence of policy and institutional mechanisms that support environmental services.

Major objectives of PES Analysis 1. To promote community driven environmental conservation to enhance suitable productivity, value added and competitiveness forest ecosystem related environmental services flow.

2. Promote equity in cost and benefits generated from conservation of forest.

Results Overview of past conservation methods Traditional knowledge Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are the data, techniques, and technologies designed to document and utilize local knowledge in communities around the world. It is information that encompasses the experiences of a particular culture or society. Traditional knowledge GIS are richer than ordinary cognitive maps because they express environmental and spiritual relationships among real and conceptual entities.

They comprise a formidable toolset for use in cultural preservation; land rights disputes, natural resource management, and economic development.

Technical aspects Traditional knowledge GIS employs cartographic and database management techniques such as participatory GIS, map biographies, and historical mapping. Participatory GIS aspires to a mutually beneficial relationship between the governing and the governed by fostering public involvement in all aspects of a GIS. It is widely accepted that this technique is necessary to sound environmental

and economic planning in developing areas especially the hot spot catchment surroundings.

Participatory GIS can be effective for local resource management and planning, but researchers doubt its efficacy as a tool in attaining land tenure or fighting legal battles because of lack of expertise and access to technology among local individuals.

GIS technologies are powerful in their ability to accommodate multimedia and multidimensional data sets that allows the recording and playing of oral histories and representations of abstract ecological knowledge.

Identification of Environmental Services In this context, services include: ◆ Rehabilitation and maintenance of riparian zones ◆ Grass strips ◆ Terracing along the steep slopes ◆ Reduction of fertilizers and pesticide use ◆ Tree planting The up stream users undertake activities such as rehabilitation of riparian zones to ensure continued and good flow into the final destination. The service provider - referred to, as the seller - in this case is the up stream landowners including small-scale farms, households or private entities.

The service users on the other hand - referred to as the buyer - are usually economic entities. These could be small or large scale flower farms, tourism establishments and even governments departments or related institutions that benefit from the service through continuous and assured flow from the river into the lake.

About the writer Samuel Kimani is an Environmentalist/ GIS Expert at Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI). E-mail: kimanisam86@yahoo.com

References McCall, Michael K., and Peter A. Minang, (2005). Assessing Participatory GIS for Community-Based Natural Resource Management. Claiming Community Forests in Cameroon.

Geographical Journal 171.4 340-358.

Robbins, Paul (2003). Beyond Ground Truth: GIS and the Environmental Knowledge of Herders, Professional Foresters, and Other Traditional Communities. Human Ecology 31.2: 233-254.

Tripathi, Nitesh and Bhattarya, Shefali (2004). Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and GIS for Participatory Natural Resource Management: State-of-the-Practice. Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries 17.3: 1-13.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 29

Degradation of Mau Forests

Threatens Agriculture and Kenya’s Economy

Photos: ALIN and Tonny Kimathi

The role of trees in agricultural production and water catchment has become starkly apparent in Kenya following the now well known encroachment and degradation of the Mau forests complex. The complex is one of Kenya’s five water towers, the others being Mt. Kenya, Aberdare ranges, the Cherangani Hills and Mt. Elgon.

By A Correspondent

I

t is reported that the Mau forests complex forms the largest closed-canopy forest ecosystem of

Kenya, as large as the forests of Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare ranges combined. Being one of the five water towers in Kenya and the single most important water catchment in Rift Valley and western Kenya, it is a natural asset of national importance. It is also argued that forest complex biodiversity and habitats provide vital ecological services to the country, in terms of water storage; river flow regulation; flood mitigation; recharge of groundwater; reduced soil erosion and siltation; water purification; conservation of biodiversity; and; micro-climate regulation. Through these ecological services, the forests complex supports key economic sectors in Rift Valley and western Kenya, including energy, tourism, agriculture, and industries.

30 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

The negative impact of the degradation of the Mau forest has been felt most by farmers along the valleys through which rivers originating from the forest drain as well as the tea and tourism industries in the neighbourhood. Production of tea is only possible in the vicinity of tropical forests.

The crop, which ranks as the second highest earner of foreign exchange in Kenya, requires a cool climate which can only exist in the proximity of established forests such as the Mau. The Mara and Waso-Ngiro Rivers which feed the Maasai Mara Game reserve and Lake Natron respectively, originate from the Mau.

Encroachment threat

The threat posed by the encroachment and degradation of the Mau over the decade between 1995 – 2006 led to a sustained public outcry that in 2007 compelled the Government to set up an Interim Coordinating Secretariat (ICS) for the Restoration of the Mau Forest (ICS for the Mau forest). To date the Secretariat has not only managed to halt the encroachment and about 70 per cent of forest destruction, but has also put in place a sustainable measures to restore the forests complex in collaboration with Kenyan Forest Service and other development partners.

This initiative was spearheaded by Kenya’s Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga in 2008. At that point, more than 100,000 hectares out the total of 416,000 hectares had disappeared. One of the most dramatic manifestations of this destruction was that the then newly constructed multi-million shilling Sondu Miriu Hydro Electric Project could only achieve 50 per cent of its potential hydropower production.

Intervention to save the Mau In an interview with Baobab, a senior official of the ICS for the Restoration of the Mau Forest, Mr. Anthony Maina, outlined the background of the ICS for the Mau Forest. “The ICS for the Mau Forest is a creature of Task Force initiated in 2008 by Kenya’s Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga. He convened a stakeholders’ meeting at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) to respond to increased public outcry. One of the key recommendations of that meeting was the creation of an Interim Institution that would eventually develop long term institutional arrangements for the sustainable management and

conservation of the Mau Forest Complex,” recalled Mr. Maina.

The stakeholders’ consultative forum comprised of some 300 persons representing Government institutions, Members of Parliament, private sector companies, community-based organizations (CBO), local and national non-government organizations (NGO), as well as international organizations.

It was held in Nairobi on 15 July 2008 and was attended by the Prime Minister and ten Cabinet Ministers. The forum agreed to establish a multistakeholder task force, comprising representatives from relevant Government institutions, nongovernmental organizations, affected communities and private sector.

The Mau Task Force was officially launched by the Prime Minister on 23rd July 2008. The mandate of the Task Force was to formulate recommendations to the Government on: ◆ Providing for the relocation of the people who were residing in the forests; ◆ The restoration of all degraded forests and critical water catchment areas in the Mau Complex; and, ◆ Mobilizing resources to implement the above mentioned objectives and secure the sustainability of the entire ecosystem.

The ICS is established in the Office of the Prime Minister for the restoration of the Mau Forest.

It was launched on 4 September 2009. The objectives of the ICS:

◆ To coordinate the implementation of the recommendations of the Mau Task Force ◆ To develop the framework for long-term measures to restore and sustainably manage the Mau Forests Complex and other water towers.

According to Mr. Maina, the other mandate of the Committee is to coordinate livelihood program for the communities who live in the proximity of the forest towards alternative livelihoods as opposed to over dependence and direct exploitation of forest resources.

Anthony Maina during the interview.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 31

How to water

Baobab Magazine Introduction

The Baobab is a quarterly magazine that is published in March, June, September and December. Every issue has a theme that guides the topic one can write on. Topics for 2011:

March: Youth & Farming June: Trees & Farming September: Regional Food Systems December: Land Issues

How to Write

Know what you are writing about in advance and think clearly, carefully reflecting on: • WHAT was the initial context and what were the difficulties faced?

• WHAT were the reasons for the approach taken to improve the situation?

• HOW did they go about it and who took the initiative?

• WHEN did all this happen, and to what extent was the timing important?

• WHAT happened as a result?

• WHY did it work out as it did? (We appreciate opinions/analysis/conclusions relevant to field level, as well as recommendations for policy makers).

• WHERE did the action take place?

Please Ensure that You 1) Thoroughly read the call for articles and check that the article fits well with the theme being covered.

2) Explain any terms or ideas that may not be understood in every part of the world.

3) Acknowledge all sources and references used.

4) Explain any abbreviations used.

Full editorial support is provided. As the articles go through a rigorous editorial process, authors are usually requested to provide additional information or clarifications. We would therefore rather have too much information than too little in the first draft!

Format 1. Articles should be about 700 to 1000 words (one, two or three-page articles) and should be emailed to baobab@alin.net or smwangi@alin.net as a word document attachment.

2. Include no more than five references. Each reference should include title, year of publication, name of author, and publisher.

32 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

3. Please provide a current contact address at the bottom of the article. This will also be published in the magazine. We would also appreciate a contact phone number for our own use.

The editor reserves the right to decide whether or not to publish an article or contribution after receipt of the first full draft. Articles that are accepted will be edited to the Baobab house style and shortened if necessary.

Contributions edited in this way will be returned to the authors for approval before publication. Articles accepted for publication in the Baobab may be chosen for translation in any of the six regional editions. We will endeavour to inform authors if their article appears in other editions.

Photos

Pictures speak volumes. Two to four pictures relevant to what you have written must accompany your article.

Illustrations, drawings, or maps are also welcomed. Please provide the name of the photographer or artist. Please ensure the photos or illustrations are of suitable quality.

Send the pictures as attachments in jpeg format of at least 300kb and above. Also remember to include a caption outlining the people or activity in the picture.

Creative Commons License

Please note that we use the “Creative Commons License Attribution non-commercial share alike 3.0 unported’’ policy regarding copyright. We encourage free and open exchange of information. As such readers and authors are encouraged to copy and circulate articles from the Baobab quoting the source. In addition, this means that we may use submitted photos or text in our other publications. We will try to contact you and credit your work in accordance with the license.

Call for articles Regional food systems

If there is one thing that the world food crisis has shown us it is that heavily relying on global food markets can be dangerous – especially for the urban areas and where households rely on imported food. This is a strong argument in favour of strengthening local and regional food systems. These are characterized by fewer intermediaries, lower transportation costs and more personal forms of exchange, resulting in less risky transactions. Producers and consumers can exert a greater degree of control, allowing for quantities and prices to be negotiated locally, and for more value to remain within the region. Moreover, proponents of regional food systems argue that this contributes to increased food security, benefits the environment and increased the autonomy of farmers.

Regional food systems, however, run against the dominant paradigm that sees global markets and modern technologies as the way forward in agriculture. And they also run against another paradigm: one that considers global food security mainly in terms of the quantity of food available. But addressing hunger and malnutrition is not just about calories. It is about the quality of the diet, which inherently means variety. In many parts of the world, regional food systems used to provide a large variety of local grains, tubers, pulses, green leaves, wild fruits and berries, meat and fish. Today, much of that diversity has gone.

Joto Afrika Evaluation Are you a Joto Afrika reader?

We welcome your participation in the Joto Afrika evaluation. The evaluation will be conducted through questionnaires both print and e-version, telephone interviews and face-to-face.

Let us know what you think about Joto Afrika! We value your feedback!

You can send your feedback through post or by an email to jotoafrica@alin.net. Please include your organisation and your full postal address. You can also send via SMS, to +254717032322 and start with the word Joto.

Contribute to Joto Afrika

Do you want to tell people how your community is adapting to climate change? Are you involved in a programme, project or research that is helping people to find practical solutions to cope with the effects of climate change? We want your contributions for Joto Afrika!

We are looking for research work, community case studies, videos, audio clips and photo essays about climate change adaptation across sub-Saharan Africa. The case studies need to be short (no more than 600 words), easy to understand and provide practical information for other people facing these problems. If you would like to contribute, please contact the editor at jotoafrica@alin.net. We welcome contributions in French and English.

We invite you to share your experiences in strengthening local and regional food systems. How to create the conditions that can support their development? What role can farmers, consumers, farmer organisations, the private sector, field technicians, government programmes and the media play to (re)create regional food systems? How do they contribute to improved food and nutrition security? We will examine initiatives taking place and ask what farmers and consumers think about them and what lessons we can draw from them.

We welcome an article on this topic including pictures and suggestions of other people, experts or organizations that can contribute for this Baobab. All pictures must be 300 KB and above and should be in jpeg format.

Please write to the editor smwangi@alin.net by July 31, 2011.

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 33

Book Reviews More People, More Trees: Environmental Recovery in Africa This booklet is a companion to the film More People, More Trees. The film and book package covers the environment and livelihoods including rainfall, population, ‘regreening’ and development trends. The booklet fills in more details on the film with history and supporting data.

About the Film Over 20 years ago, concerned famers groups in Kenya and Burkina Faso began to adopt new measures to conserve soil and water and to re-establish trees in their fields. Two videos, Looking after our Land and Building on Traditions, recorded the new participatory approaches for land conservation being developed at that time in various countries.

More People, More Trees returns to the same communities, and some of the people, in Kenya and Burkina Faso to document developments since the original filming. The film shows spectacular changes; most obviously more trees planted and protected by the people themselves aided and encouraged by continuing community projects. More People, More Trees thus highlights a demonstrable success story for community participation in agricultural change in Burkina Faso and Kenya.

It is written by William Critchley and published by Practical Action Ltd. It is also available in French.

It can be purchased from Practical Action Publishing: http://developmentbookshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=1611 You can watch excerpts online at: www.iied.org/sustainable-markets/blog/more-people-more-trees Or http://youtu.be/JcZIpG6Ay4M You can watch it in full on Practical Action’s website: http://practicalaction.org/more-people-more-trees-1

Growing Trees and Gardens for Life: Practical Tips for Healthy Tree Nurseries and Home Gardens This booklet is based on the series of practical agroforestry and home gardening articles published in the Young African Express educational newspapers of 2006 and 2007. It provides practical tips for healthy tree nurseries and home gardens.

The booklet is meant to inspire young people to take action that goes into improving the quality of their lives and those around them. It spurs young people to be stakeholders in saving the planet by taking action. It features articles on growing trees, controlling pests and diseases, planting food crops and fruits to replanting a forest. The booklet uses a lot of pictures and illustration that makes it an interesting read for school going children from primary to secondary school. It is also valuable for all kind of Farmers, Gardeners and Nursery.

It is a monthly publication written by Katherine Moir who is the Art director on Young African Express, Tom Vandenborsch who is the global coordinator for Farmers of the Future at the World Agroforestry Centre and Susan Scull-Carvalho, managing director of Learning for Life Initiative at Jacaranda Designs Limited.

To subscribe e-mail: subscriptions@youngafricanexpress.net.

Jacaranda Designs Ltd PO Box 1202 Nairobi, 00606 Kenya. www.jacaranda-africa.com

34 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011

s r e d a

e R

r

u mO

Fro

Dear Editor

It’s my pleasure to write to you, I read the Baobab 61, March 2011, and found something very interesting in the use of ICT in African agriculture in the subsection on knowledge containers. As an extension worker in the veterinary field I would like to know how Maarifa centres work? I work with the rural community where information is limited.

This approach will be of great help especially to the youth. I would like to replicate the same idea in my district. How best can I go through to reach youth farmers in my district? I have few resources to begin with which include a laptop and a digital camera.

Tito Kibona

Dear Joyce,

Mwaga District, Kilimanjaro-Tanzania

Dear Tito, Thank you for this feedback and your interest to adopt the Maarifa centre idea. With a laptop and digital camera you already have some basic equipment to start an information centre. However, you would have to be prepared to avail them for public use. To get more details about how a Maarifa centre works you can visit ALIN’s website www.alin.net and specifically the link http://www.alin.net/Introduction.

Editor

Dear Editor, St. Martin Catholic Social Apostolate is a religious grass-roots organization that responds to problems of vulnerable groups in Nyandarua and Laikipia districts. The organization has five programmes. It is through the community programme for Savings and Micro credit that improves the social economic status of the beneficiaries that we have continuously received the Baobab magazine and Joto Afrika.

In this regard 19 groups have timely received these two magazines that serve as a reference point on information related to small-scale sustainable agriculture, adapting to climate change and livelihood issues. This has resulted in transformed individuals through reading and practicing some of the noble initiatives and information that your publications promote leading to an improved socio economic status. Thank you.

Joyce Mitieng’ Community Programme For Savings and Micro Credit.

Saint Martin Catholic Social Apostolate Nyahururu, Kenya

Thank you for letting us know the positive change that the Baobab brings to your community. Please share with us the specific initiatives that communities are practicing after reading the Baobab. This will be useful feedback for us! If you have specific issues you would like us to write on in the magazine do let us know.

Editor

Dear Editor, I am a civil servant in charge of promoting small-scale investments including farming as a business. I would like to promote rabbit farming in Mbale and also establish networks with our brothers and sisters in the East African Community.

I therefore wish to request you to assist me to get in touch with the best rabbit entrepreneurs, including associations, in Kenya, especially western Kenya so that we can collaborate to develop and promote the rabbit industry in East Africa.

I can be easily reached at Mbale Municipal Council offices, opposite the Post Office on Republic Street. My mobile phone number is +256 712923949.

Soddo Paul, Senior Commercial Officer Mbale Municipal Council Uganda.

Dear Soddo, Thank you for trusting the Baobab magazine to link you up with other rabbit entrepreneurs. We have published your mobile number so that the readers can also contact you. For a start you can contact Samwel Lukale on phone no +254723544517 or e-mail dynamic.rabbitkeepers@gmail.com for more on rabbit keeping. We’ll keep you linked to others once we get their contacts.

Editor

BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 35

“Agroforestry is a crucial bridge between forestry and agriculture.

Essentially, agroforestry is about the role of working trees in agricultural landscapes, particularly on, but not limited to, small-scale farms.”

Dennis Garrity, Director General of ICRAF at the International launch of IYF in New York in January 2011

“Agroforestry is possibly the most self-sustaining and ecologically sound of any agricultural system.”

Dr. Franklin W. Martin, “Agroforestry Principles”, ECHO Technical Note, 1992

“If only the know-how could be equalled by the will-to-serve, by compassion for human suffering cause by hunger and deficiency diseases, there is no reason why fully balanced diets consisting largely of plant-foods should not be made available for hundreds of millions of undernourished people in the West as well as in the Third World.”

Robert Hart (Forest Gardening), Horticulturalist, United Kingdom

“People who will not sustain trees will soon live in a world which cannot sustain people.”

Bryce Nelson, Prof. of Communications and Journalism, University of Southern California.

Baobab is published by ALIN with support from ileia - The Centre for learning on sustainable agriculture. ALIN and ileia are members of AgriCultures, a global network of organisations that share knowledge and provide information on small-scale, sustainable agriculture worldwide.