Agroforestry

Forest proximity positively affects natural enemy mediated control of fall armyworm in Southern Africa

The fall armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda) is a major crop pest in southern Africa. It threatens the livelihoods and food security of smallholder farmers in the region by negatively impacting maize yield. Although scientific evidence suggests …

Exploring the agricultural landscape diversity-food security nexus; an analysis in two contrasted parklands of Central Senegal

CONTEXT. Fostering diversity within agricultural systems can substantially contribute to improved food security among smallholder farmers. Agroforestry parklands are diverse agricultural landscapes where trees can provide an array of ecosystem …

On-farm trees are a safety net for the poorest households rather than a major contributor to food security in Rwanda

The world is challenged to meet the food demand of a growing population, especially in developing countries. Given the ambitious plans to scale up agroforestry in Africa, an improved understanding of the effect of agroforestry practices on the …

Forest edges near farms enhance wheat productivity measures; a test using high spatial resolution remote sensing of smallholder farms in Southern Ethiopia

Staple crops are grown by millions of smallholder farmers yet estimating field-level yields over broad regions can be challenging. Furthermore, agricultural productivity can be impacted by nearby forests and trees. In an agricultural-forest mosaic in …

Forest restoration scenarios produce synergies for agricultural production in southern Ethiopia

Understanding the factors influencing agricultural productivity is vital to food security, especially for food insecure smallholder farmers. Within agricultural landscape mosaics, the arrangement of tree cover such as forests, trees, and hedgerows …

Should fertilizer recommendations be adapted to parkland agroforestry systems? Case studies from Ethiopia and Rwanda

Aims This study aimed to disentangle tree-crop- fertilizer interactions in agroforestry systems, which has been suggested as an entry point for sustainable intensification of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Although tree-crop …

Climate-smart agroforestry: Faidherbia albida trees buffer wheat against climatic extremes in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Faidherbia albida parklands cover a large area of the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Africa, a region that suffers from soil fertility decline, food insecurity and climate change. The parklands deliver multiple benefits, including fuelwood, soil nutrient …

Conservation agriculture with trees amplifies negative effects of reduced tillage on maize performance in East Africa

Conservation agriculture (CA) is widely promoted in sub-Saharan Africa both in open fields and in agroforestry where the practice is known as 'conservation agriculture with trees' (CAWT). Although advantages and disadvantages of CA are well studied …

Crop vs. tree: Can agronomic management reduce trade-offs in tree-crop interactions?

Scattered trees dominate smallholder agricultural landscapes in Ethiopia, as in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). While the inclusion of scattered trees could provide a viable pathway for sustainable intensification of these farming systems, …

Do open-pollinated maize varieties perform better than hybrids in agroforestry systems?

A large body of evidence demonstrates the agronomic superiority of maize hybrids over open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) in intensive monoculture. However, comparisons of the performance of hybrids and OPVs in agroforestry systems are scarce. In this …