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

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

Reversing land degradation in Africa by scaling-up Evergreen Agriculture (Regreening Africa)

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

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

Comments:

FMNR has been embraced by the local community as they consider it low cost and products from FMNR are utilized for various livelihood activities such as woodfuel for household use and surplus for sale, beekeeping is practiced within the plots: passion fruits are integrated also - climbing on frameworks of prunings.

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR) has been embraced by the local community as they consider it a low cost method of establishing agroforestry, and products are utilized for various livelihood activities such as woodfuel for household use and surplus for sale, beekeeping is practiced within the plots: passion fruits are integrated also - climbing on frameworks of prunings.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR) involves helping naturally regenerating trees to grow at the homestead - in cropland or within enclosure. FMNR begins with assessment of the land to ascertain the potential to practice the technology. Plots that have shrubs or stumps are selected. Management by thinning is practiced to provide a suitable density to allow prolific growth. The offcuts and twigs from clearing the shrub can be used as mulch, stakes for beans or passion fruits, or as wood fuel. Other techniques used includes propping to support weak stems and protection of site to avoid interference by human and livestock. In Homabay county, Western Kenya, farmer manage their plots by thinning, supporting stems and pruning. Species are regenerated using protection of naturally seeded trees, including Acacia spp, Grewia bicolor, Balanities aegyptiaca, Psidium guajava, Combretum collinum, Markamia lutea, Thevetia peruviana, Albizia coriara and Rhus spp. FMNR has been embraced by the local community as they consider it a low cost way of establishing agroforestry and products are utilized for various livelihood activities such as woodfuel for household use and surplus for sale, beekeeping is practiced within the plots: passion fruits are integrated also - climbing on frameworks of prunings.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos 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

Indicate year of implementation:

2018

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation
• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)
• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Regreening project or project on restoration of degraded landscape combined with traditional agroforestry.

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agro-silvopastoralism

Comments:

FMNR is practiced on cropping field where farmers encourage naturally growing trees of high value to regenerate alongside the crops. within the grazing field, pruning and thinning of naturally regenerating trees is done to allow grass to grow. in some cases the grazing field are enclosed and farmers can only cut and carry the grasses especially when the trees/ seedlings are young.

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agro-silvopastoralism

Comments:

The land is used in the same way before and after the technology, the difference is the productivity of the land that has improved as a result of implementation of the technology. for example with increased availability of forage, farmers have witnessed milk production that translate to more food for the household and surplus for market that also support other livelihoods such as access to quality seedlings.

3.4 Water supply

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

• rainfed

Comments:

Most farmers do not irrigate the trees that regenerate naturally, they are mainly rain-fed systems.

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• agroforestry

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

The choice of the measure depends on the level of degradation. in severely degraded areas a combination of measures are integrated.

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Another form of degradation managed using the technology is invasive species management by thinning out unwanted species or uprooting.

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land
• adapt to land degradation

Comments:

The technology is promoted to reverse effects of land degradation and adapt to changing patterns as a result of the degradation. for example the area enclosure is able to regenerate within the prevailing environmental conditions.

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• USD

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Survey land	dry season
2.	Take an inventory of available species and their priority uses	dry season
3.	generate a priority use list for the farm	dry season
4.	generate a preferred species list	dry season
5.	Mark and remove the unwanted species	dry season
6.	select species and stumps to be regenerated	dry season
7.	manage the stumps/stems by removing unwated stumps,thinning to remain with manageable density	dry season
8.	keep three to five stems on each of the selected species and stumps	onset of the rain season
9.	Manage the selected by pruning ofside branches, protection by fencing, utilize the prunning and coppices as firewood, make biochar, stakes for vegetable farming, compost making, construction work etc	raining season
10.	allow the trees to grow for preferred use, periodically pruning is required	2-6 months

Comments:

Where the trees regenerated has low density or diversity or the high value/preferred species are not available consider enrichment planting. in areas where FMNR is not feasible resort to enrichment planting. other technologies such as grass reseeding, soil water conservation could be implemented alongside FMNR.

4.4 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 survey and inventory of species	person day	1.0	3.0	3.0	100.0
Labour	marking and removing unwanted species	person day	1.0	3.0	3.0	100.0
Labour	marking and regenerating the preferred species	person day	3.0	3.0	9.0	100.0
Labour	managing regenerated trees	person day	1.0	3.0	3.0	100.0
Equipment	machete					100.0
Equipment	axe					100.0
Equipment	file					100.0
Equipment	fork hoe					100.0
Equipment	hoe					100.0
Equipment	wheelbarrow					100.0
Equipment	rake					100.0
Equipment	pruning saw					100.0
Construction material	use locally available, dead fence
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					18.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					18.0

Comments:

Where the farmer decide to do enrichment planting, permanent fencing, grass reseeding the cost is higher that what is projected here. the cost for the first year is high, subsequent years the cost is low. The household use available equipment to manage and regenerate the trees.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	pruning and removal of emerging species	twice per year

Comments:

Maintenance depend on the availability of rainfall that determine how faster the trees establishes.

4.6 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	pruning and removing unwanted	1	1.0	3.0	3.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					3.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					3.0

Comments:

Maintenance cost is lower since it is done periodically and trees establishes at different growth rates.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

1) density of the species
2) frequency and intensity of the rains
3) level of degradation
4) management objectives

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Topography has no effect on FMNR

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 information is not available

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

FMNR rely on natural environmental conditions

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

Agrobiodiversity increases with FMNR/ Agroforestry

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

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

Land ownership:

• communal/ village
• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)
• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)
• individual

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

Specify assessment of on-site impacts (measurements):

FMNR increases diversity on-site. Issues of water, carbon, soil were not assessed in the study.

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

Specify assessment of off-site impacts (measurements):

Offsite benefits of FMNR were not assessed.

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	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual rainfall		increase	well

Comments:

land users are conversant to temperature and rainfall as the main climate related issues.

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

• > 50%

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 51-90%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
user friendly and complementary to other land use activities
cost effective after the first investment
high potential for scaling

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
preserve biological diversity
start with the knowledge that farmers posses
build on the local knowledge of the farmers

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

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
high cost of initial investment	form farmer cooperatives to access credit
limited available natural regenerants	compliment with enrichment planting
sometimes available stumps are not the preferred species	compliment with enrichment planting

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
FMNR policy missing	Support policy reforms to include FMNR
practiced mainly in the rangeland where land tenure is communal	Strengthening existing community structures
slow growing of the indigenous species making it less preferred by the farmers	compliment with fast growing high value trees

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

10.Wanjira, E.O., Muriuki, J. & Ojuok, I. (2020). Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration for Kenya: A primer for development practitioners. Nairobi, Kenya: World Agroforestry (ICRAF), pg133. Erick Wanjira 1:02 PM 2.Muriuki J, Wanjira EO, Ojuok I. 2022.Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in Kenya: A trainer’s guide for farmers, pastoralists and other land users. Nairobi: World Agroforestry (ICRAF), 56. 3.Obwocha E, Muriuki J, Wanjira EO, Mohamed A, Muse IM.2022. Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in Somali context: Practitioners’ manual. Nairobi: World Agroforestry (ICRAF), p84 Erick Wanjira 1:03 PM Rinaudo, T., Muller, A. & Morris, M. (2019). Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) Manual. A resource for project managers, practitioners and all who are interested in better understanding and supporting the FMNR movement. World Vision Australia.

Available from where? Costs?

open access

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

10.Wanjira, E.O., Muriuki, J. & Ojuok, I. (2020). Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration for Kenya: A primer for development practitioners. Nairobi, Kenya: World Agroforestry (ICRAF), pg133. Erick Wanjira 1:02 PM 2.Muriuki J, Wanjira EO, Ojuok I. 2022.Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in Kenya: A trainer’s guide for farmers, pastoralists and other land users. Nairobi: World Agroforestry (ICRAF), 56. 3.Obwocha E, Muriuki J, Wanjira EO, Mohamed A, Muse IM.2022. Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in Somali context: Practitioners’ manual. Nairobi: World Agroforestry (ICRAF), p84 Erick Wanjira 1:03 PM Rinaudo, T., Muller, A. & Morris, M. (2019). Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) Manual. A resource for project managers, practitioners and all who are interested in better understanding and supporting the FMNR movement. World Vision Australia.

7.4 General comments

The team is available to provide additional information