Sustainable tree-crop-livestock intensification as a

pillar for the Ethiopian climate resilient green

economy initiative

Aster Gebrekirstos, et al.

World Agroforestry Center, Nairobi

Sep 17-18

Addis Ababa

outline

• Introduction

• Project objectives (what and where)

• Important findings/ activities

• Lessons learnt /

• Summary

•

Major development challenges in Ethiopia?

• Land degradation

• low and erratic rainfall

• Deforestation

• Scarcity of fuel wood compels farm

households to burn manure and crop

residues for household energy,

decreasing yields and limiting the supply

of animal feed

• Limited access to external inputs

(fertilizer, seed, pesticides, specialized

machinery and appropriate technologies)

Introduction

Overcoming the challenges

Can agroforestry contribute to overcome some of the

challenges of Ethiopian development? YES!

•Sustainable intensification of mixed tree-crop-

livestock systems on farms and within farming

landscapes can reverse land degradation, and

improve crop productivity, livestock feed availability

and food security (Garrity et al., 2010).

Overcoming the challenges (Cont’d)

Ethiopian government initative

• The Ethiopian Government has launched

innovative approaches that include a “Climate

Resilient Green Economy” (CRGE 2012).

• Faidherbia Program (to establish 100 million

Faidherbia albida trees on cereal cropland

during the next four years).

• Reforestation of 15 million hectares of land (on

farm & communal land)

Role of ICRAF

• ICRAF to be deeply engaged in supporting the CRGE

(underpinning the government’s programs on watershed

management and agroforestry).

• customising species and management options to sites

and farmer circumstances

• This requires making effective use of a combination of

local ecological knowledge, farmer preferences and

science-based understanding of component interactions.

Major objectives of the project

• To document local knowledge about integrating trees in fields, farms and landscapes

• Best bet tree species and management options identified

• Needs for development of the tree seed and seedling supply sector assessed

• Effective partnerships for promoting tree-crop-livestock integration to underpin the climate resilient green economy initiative established

A basis for the Africa Rising and other ongoing projects

Factors considered in site

selection • Degree of intensification:

Wolaita

Tigray

Arsi

• Ecology and climate

• Successful and unsucessful sites

• Farming practices

Study sites

Study sites

Abreha Wa Atsbeha in northern Tigray :

very successful

Adigudom in southern Tigray:

not successful

Why these sites??????

Tigray: Intermediate intensification

Livestock based

Mixed cereal-livestock based

Cereal crop based

Study sites Arsi (Bekoji: low intensification, highland

1-Local knowledge about integrating trees in fields, farms

and landscapes

• The AKT5 software- a knowledge based systems

approach was employed in this research (Sinclair and

Walker, 1998)

• A framework for designing a knowledge elicitation

strategy (Dixon et al., 2001)

Methodology

Data collection

• Stakeholder analysis

• Scoping (8 farmers, Development Agents Extension

officers and village leaders)

• Definition(redefining research questions)

• Stratified random sampling to select informants from

DA’s farmer lists.

• Compilation phase involved repeated interaction with key

informants,

• Build trust

The training team discussing with local

administrators and extension workers of

Abreha We Atsibha village (12th of June,

2012)

• Training for two weeks (class, field ,

interview and feedback) AKT5 local

knowledge acusition

• Capacity building of seven local experts

• One MSc student defended her thesis

Local knowledge training using the AKT5 software and

methodology at Mekelle University Results

What do farmers know and explain well?

Farmers can explain complex process

Major causes for loss of tree cover

Drivers and challenges of tree planting

Positioning of trees on farms, their livelihood uses and

impacts on the environment

processes of change (what works well)

etc

Results

ABREHA WA ATSBEHA

BASELINE LOW LEVELS OF ADOPTION OF TREES ON

FARM

Loss of vegetation

cover

SOIL EROSION REDUCED

WATER

INFILTRATION

SCARCITY OF

WOOD PRODUCTS

LOSS OF SOIL

FERTILITY

REDUCED

WATER TABLE

LACK of

CONSTRUCTI

ON TIMBER

LACK OF

FUELWOOD

REDUCTION IN AGRICULTURE

PRODUCTIVITY

FOOD INSECURITY

POVERTY

FARMERS

INNOVATIONS

Free grazing

Over

harvesting

Results

Results

Figure : Farmers’ perception of factors constraining integration of trees in farming systems (Arsi)

Impact of free grazing

Results

The process to change FARMERS INNOVATIONS

CONSTRUCTION CHECK

DAMS, WATER PONDS

ZERO GRAZING

COLLECTION OF TREE SEED FOR

INDEGENOUSE SPECIES FOR

PLANTING IN THE NURSERY

WATER

HARVESTING

TREE PLANTING

IN GULLIES AND ONFARM

TREE SEEDLING AVAILABILITY

WATER AVAILABILITY FOR

IRRIGATION

NATURAL TREE

REGENERATION

INCREASED NUMBERS OF TREES

ADOPTED ONFARM CURRENT SCENARIO

EROSION

CONTROL

Results

Tree species good and bad for intercropping

ABREHA WA ATSBEHA ADIGUDOM

Species good for intercropping with cereals

Faidherbia albida (Momona)

Sesbania sesban (Sesbania)

Leucaena leucocephala (Lucinia)

Acacia saligna (Akacha)

Acacia spp

Species which are not good for intercropping

Acacia seyal (Chea)

Olea europea var.africana (Awlie)

Acacia etbaica(p/n)Seraw

Carissa edulis (Egam)

Psidium gaujava (Guava)

Eucalyptus spp

Species good for intercropping with cereals

Sesbania sesban (mono)

Leucaena leucocephala (mono)

Acacia etbaica(p/n)

Acacia senegal(Qenteb)

Acacia saligna (Akacha)*

Faidherbia albida (Momona)*

Species which are not good for intercropping

Parkinsonia aculeate (Shawit hagai)

Eucalyptus spp

Results

What does the current system look like?

Arsi (Bekoji)

Native tree cover (both in forest

and as AF) has been continuously

declining

Loss of soil is apparent in many

locations within the landscapes

Rain starts late and ends early

Eucalyptus is the dominant tree

species in the system, boundary

planting of few native species

Tigray (Abrha Wa

Astbaha)

Improved vegetation cover

decrease sediment deposition

increase water infiltration

improve land stabilization

improve fertility of the soil

production of grasses for

fodder/livestock

species diversity both on

farm and home stead

improved (fruit, fodder, )

Enclosures (communal lands)

Strong and determined

community leader mobilizes

the community

Results

Common Drivers

Drivers to planting trees on farm

• Income generation

• Ownership

• Government policy

• Direct benefits

Drivers to planting trees in the landscape

• Government Policy

• Soil and water conservation

• Land reclamation

• Aesthetics or beauty

Results

Challenges

• Lack of knowledge on tree management

• Renting of land for farming

• Lack of access to seedlings of appropriate tree species

• Long bureaucratic chains to utilize native species of trees

(tenure)

Farmer to farmers visit (to create awareness)

Results

•Community initially resisted until model practices were done with volunteers

and demonstrated to the rest of the farmers

• Need for incentives initially but awareness creation work continued and later

on people realized that the long term benefit is for all

Farmers attending a feedback

session

• Characterize variation across scaling domain

– acquire local knowledge

– identify strengths and weaknesses (knowledge gaps)

• Design scaling so that promising options are tested across

sufficient range to refine our understanding of what works where

and for whom

– measure performance of options

• Establish participatory approach with farmers in which uncertainty

and risk are understood, acknowledged and progressively reduced

– leave to farmers what they do best but

– learn collectively and systematically from experience

Recomendations

The approach

2: Seed and seedling supply system assessment

2- Tree seed and seedling system

Wolaita • Highly populated area

• Predominantly food insecure

• Traditional agroforestry is dominant (high potential perennial crop

zone)

• Fruit trees and agroforestry species promoted

• Several (over 20) licensed tree seed vendors available

• Shortage of seed not a major problem

• Predominantly good quality seedlings

Arsi

• Less populated area

• predominantly food secure

• Primarily cereal based agriculture (high potential cereal zone)

• Recently promotion of fodder species given priority

• No licensed tree seed suppliers

• Shortage of seed a major problem

• Less quality seedlings in many cases

Results

Figures: Partial view of Simon's seed shop and seed store in Sodo

Results

Quality is the problem: Increase the technical capacity of seed suppliers

in Sodo town and devise mechanisms for ensuring fair trade, and

evaluate changes

General Recommendations

• Creating enabling environment for tree seed supply sector

• Improving seedling quality and seedling survival

• Ensuring genetic quality in seeds under distribution

• Developing proper forestry and agroforestry information system

•

• Areka Nursery

Recomendations

Specific recommendations

• Boost fruit trees production in the highlands, and evaluate their adoption

• Increase the technical capacity of seed suppliers in Sodo town and devise mechanisms for ensuring fair trade, and evaluate changes

• Bekoji Nursery

Recomendations

3- National dialogue on sustainable agricultural intensification and its role on the climate resilient green economy initiative in Ethiopia

23-24 July 2012, ILRI campus, Ethiopia

Number of participants - 68 Number of institutions - 42

Ethiopian platform on land and water management acts as sounding

board of tree-crop-livestock intensification ‘early win’ project : http//

Topics discussed during the workshop

Key note Presentations:

A national platform for institutional learning and policy action on NRM in Ethiopia Sustainable tree-crop-livestock intensification as a pillar for the Ethiopian climate resilient green economy initiative The status of forestry development in Ethiopia: Challenges and opportunities Importance of biodiversity for agricultural intensification and climate change adaptation in Ethiopia Contribution of traditional agroforestry (TAF) to climate change adaptation and mitigation in Ethiopia Forest policy, strategies and laws of Ethiopia: Opportunities and challenges to developing the sector Genesis of climate resilient highlands transformation Information needs for adaptation to and mitigation of climate variability and change Sustainable agricultural intensification in the Ethiopian highlands

• Group work:

• Current status, gaps and suggestions for improvement on -

Seedling system

Incentives for integrating trees into crop and livestock systems

Interventions/post-plantation management/niches

Open grazing and collective action/ by-laws

Panel discussion: Sustainable agricultural transformation in Ethiopia: What should be done in the coming 5 years?”

The issues of lack of quality data and data sources

Absence of strong forestry institution that coordinate forestry research and

development in Ethiopia

Lack of systematic documentation of indigenous knowledge

Lack of proper valuation of forests/biological resources ecosystem services Weak cross-sectoral integration/collaboration among various institutions

Poor community participation in the decision making

The need for out/up-scaling of best NRM practices

The need for strengthening capacity building at all levels

Lack of tree related germplasm both in quality and quantity Challenges of livestock free grazing system for integrating high value tree

species in the outfields

The need for making available technological options, and devise policies

that help smallholders adapt climate variability/change and improve their

livelihoods

Joint policy brief will be prepared

Some of the cross-cutting issues that came out from the workshop presentations, group and panel discussions are:

4- Best bet tree species and management options

identified

technical note preparation

• Review of exsisting literatures on Agroforestry

• Synthesis lessons from the early win activities

MSC thesis on local knowledge in Tigray

Report on local knowlgedge in Arsi and Areka

Report on seed and seedling supply system

Journal article

• Visit for reports and news

http://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/21198

Summary

• Embed research within development

• Action required now but knowledge is imperfect

• Fit options to sites and farmer circumstances

• Build on what we (scientists and farmers) already know

• Use an iterative, structured learning, approach to refine

matching and reduce risk

• Deliver results as methods, tools and a community of

practice that makes a difference on the ground

• Awareness creation and community mobilization

Contributors

Dr Aster Gebrekirstos (ICRAF)

Dr. Kiros Hadgu (MU)

Dr. Abayneh Derero (FRC)

Ato Tesfaye Sida (Ambo univ)

Dr Ermias Aynekulu (ICRAF)

Dr Fergus Sinclair (ICRAF)

Ms Emelda Hachoofwe

Dr Dennis Garrity (ICRAF)

Dr Tilahun Amede (ILRI)

Dr Yitebitu Mogus (FRC)

Our thanks to USAID for funding

&

ILRI & our national partners for

their

collaboration

Thank you for your attention!!!

Amesegenaleu!