1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Jomo Kenyatta University (Jomo Kenyatta University) - Kenya

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

KARI Headquarters (KARI Headquarters) - Kenya

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) - Kenya

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

18/09/2012

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

land use management system in which coffee is grown around or among crops or pastureland. It combines agricultural and forestry technologies to create more diverse, productive, profitable, healthy, and sustainable land-use systems.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The success of coffee agro-forestry depends on efficient use of available water and effective strategies to limit tree/crop competition and maximize productivity. On hillsides, planting improved tree/coffee fallows on the degraded upper section of bench terraces is a recommended practice to improve soil fertility while cropping continues on the lower terrace to maintain food production.

Purpose of the Technology: Fewer inputs and less labor required. Shade trees reduce alternate productions, thereby ensuring a more balanced income for coffee farmers. Timber and firewood production improves coffee farmer incomes. By spreading income over several crops, these systems are economically less risky than coffee
monoculture. Financial incentives for pilot projects helping to preserve biodiversity, soils and water quality can be applied, Bonuses are being considered for carbon sequestration in coffee plantations converted from a monoculture to an agroforestry system. The erosion of fragile mountain soils is reduced. Soil fertility is conserved. Exploitation of natural forest reserves is limited. Biological and faunistic diversity is safeguarded.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: Agricultural intensification, moving along the gradient from agroforests grown with a diverse and dense shade canopy to those agroforests with only a few coffee trees to monocultures with only one crop species or cattle pastures, by definition includes a reduction in the planned biodiversity. Agricultural intensification also results in a loss of associated biodiversity. The following key studies in a range of agroforest types and other agricultural systems document losses in associated biodiversity (relative to nearby forest fragments) with increasing agricultural intensification.
Regular maintenance of the terraces through mulching to reduce erosion effects

Natural / human environment: In this technology, there is great intensive extension services through encouraging farmers to adopt it especially in open fields.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• 10-50 years ago

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): The effective soil conservation around the agricultural fields brought about by the coffee trees greatly improved land productivity.
Major land use problems (land users’ perception): There is increased yields because of better conservation practices
Future (final) land use (after implementation of SLM Technology): Cropland: Ca: Annual cropping

If land use has changed due to the implementation of the Technology, indicate land use before implementation of the Technology:

Cropland: Cp: Perennial (non-woody) cropping

3.3 Further information about land use

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• agroforestry

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

If the Technology is evenly spread over an area, indicate approximate area covered:

• 1-10 km2

Comments:

Most farmers are nor practicing Coffee Agro-forestry and the few practicing it are getting help of specialized people in the same and the agricultural extension officers fro Ministry of Agriculture (MoA)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Specification of other agronomic measures: Coffee and Agroforestry trees
Type of agronomic measures: contour planting / strip cropping, mineral (inorganic) fertilizers, zero tillage / no-till

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main causes of degradation: soil management, Heavy / extreme rainfall (intensity/amounts), land tenure, labour availability

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• prevent land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

The technical drawing on the left hand side shows a stand of coffee trees planted with agro-forestry trees

Location: Embu. Eastern Province
Date: 13.12.2013

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate (In order to implement this technology, the farmers to contact the front line agricultural extension officers to assist in the correct spacing and planting of the coffee trees in the fields)
Technical knowledge required for land users: high (The planting of coffee trees requires a certain alignment, to avoid blocking of the young and growing crops.)

Main technical functions: control of raindrop splash
Secondary technical functions: reduction in wind speed

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Land preparation	Agronomic

Comments:

Life span of the land preparation: 3 years

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Land preparation	ha	1.0	50.0	50.0	100.0
Equipment	Tools	ha	1.0	70.0	70.0	100.0
Plant material	Seedlings	ha	1.0	500.0	500.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Fertilizer	ha	1.0	400.0	400.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					1020.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Buying of seedlings	Agronomic	once
2.	Digging of holes	Agronomic	once
3.	Planting	Agronomic	once
4.	Prunning	Agronomic	often
5.	Weeding	Agronomic	twice

4.7 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Digging, planting, prunning and weeding	ha	1.0	80.0	80.0	100.0
Equipment	Tools	ha	1.0	50.0	50.0	100.0
Plant material	Seedlings	ha	1.0	30.0	30.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Fertilizer	ha	1.0	50.0	50.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					210.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

labour

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Soil fertility: Medium
Soil drainage/infiltration: Good
Soil water storage capacity: Medium

5.4 Water availability and quality

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users
Population density: 10-50 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 0.5% - 1%

5.7 Average area of land owned or leased by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• individual

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Other ecological impacts

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

Comments:

There is a moderate trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Timber and firewood production improves coffee farmer incomes.
Exploitation of natural forest reserves is limited.
Agro-forestry trees create a microclimate propitious to quality coffee production.

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
According to Pacific Island Agro-forestry, coffee grown in the shade takes longer to bear fruit.	Periodic pruning to reduce excessive shading
According to ICRAF, shade-based coffee farms produce up to 50 percent less per acre than coffee grown in the open.	Periodic pruning to reduce excessive shading
Excessive shading can promote growth of fungal diseases.	Periodic pruning to reduce excessive shading

7.1 Methods/ sources of information