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)

Scaling-up SLM practices by smallholder farmers (IFAD)

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

Uganda Landcare Network (ULN) - Uganda

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

11/05/2017

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:

Trees of various sizes are integrated with crops such as coffee and/or banana, maize and beans such that each group of plants occupies a specific vertical position and competition for vertical space is minimized

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

In multicanopy agroforestry, annual crops that include maize, beans and shrub species such Calliandra and Sesbania are integrated so as to occupy the lower vertical spaces. The next height is occupied by taller crops such as coffee, cocoa and bananas while the highest layer is occupied by tall trees such as Maesopsis eminii, Makhamia lutea and Ficus nantalesis. This arrangement ensures that as much land as possible is utilized.

The upper strata of a multi-layered planting is called the overstory, or canopy. The trees that make up this layer play the key role in creating the understory. The shady environment in the understory (i) Reduces evapotranspiration (evaporation of water through the leaves and branches of the plant), conserving moisture in the plants and reducing water use (ii) Buffers crops from temperature extremes and fluctuations (iii) Protects crops from winds (iv) Suppresses many invasive problem weeds, which tend to prefer open conditions and full sun and (v) Supports a range of beneficial soil microlife that do not thrive in the open. On the other hand, understory crops should (i) tolerate partial shade (ii) exploit, at least partially, different soil horizons than the overstory trees (iii) be less tall than the overstory trees when mature (although some trees may be planned to use the shade as seedlings, but eventually overtake and become part of the upper layer) (iv) be less susceptible than the overstory trees to diseases they may have in common and (v) not involve damage to the overstory trees during cultivation or harvest of understory crops. The most important consideration when implementing this technology is that the various components of the plant system have to be compatible.

Management should be done to reduce competition for vertical and horizontal space. The number of trees per acre is 50% less compared with timber or fruit trees planted alone. Spacing should be planned to provide the most optimal environment for the understory, and minimize competition for space, light, and nutrients. The species growth rate, rooting patterns, and other factors should be taken into account when planning.

Required management activities include weeding, pruning, and thinning. Weeding is usually done twice every season mainly to take care of the annual crops such as maize and beans. Pruning is done whenever the farmer sees that light intensity from the upper canopy is no longer enough to support the understory crops. Usually, once a year is appropriate. Pruning is also done to reduce the risk of old branches falling and damaging crops and other farm structures. Thinning is done to reduce the number of seedlings from the soil ground.

The technology increases biodiversity on-farm, and protects the environment from degradation, soil loss, and wind break. This diversity has the advantage of reducing pest and disease incidence. The mixed fruits and trees provide timber and fuel wood, shade for coffee and banana, and keep the soil moist. It also acts as wind break which protects crops, farm structures and reduce soil loss by wind. It is a source of income to land user, provides food, improves the ecosystem, and leguminous plants fix nitrogen in the soil.

The technology is generally cheap to establish because the main inputs needed include tree seedlings, which were raised by the land user with the exception of the coffee seedlings and banana suckers which were obtained from outside. Labour is usually entirely family-based. The economic benefits are difficult to quantify due to the complex nature of the interaction among system components.

The potential limitations of understory intercropping include (i) Shortage of scientific study and information about tree/understory crop interactions (ii) Risk of unforeseen competition or allelopathic effects (iii) Greater complexity in management of multiple species and multiple products and (iv) Potential damage to overstory from harvest of the understory, or vice-versa.

Implementing multi-canopy agroforestry requires skills that are usually developed over long periods of time by farmers who observe the various interactions among the components and manage (especially the trees) to reduce the competition without compromising the benefits.

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:

1998

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• reduce risk of disasters
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• mitigate climate change and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

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

3.3 Further information about land use

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

• rainfed

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 2

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• agroforestry
• windbreak/ shelterbelt

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:

• < 0.1 km2 (10 ha)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• prevent land degradation
• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

- 20 to 30 meters between trees
- 3 meters between between coffee or banana plants
- Beans or soybeans can be planted between coffee/banana plants
- Trees are pruned to leave about one half of the crown

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

Uganda Shillings

Indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (if relevant): 1 USD =:

3500.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Preparing of the nursery bed	Structural	At the beginning of the season
2.	Transplanting	Vegetative	At the start of the rainy season
3.	Weeding	Agronomic	One month after planting
4.	Prunning of trees	Agronomic	Once every year
5.	Harvesting of annual crops	Agronomic	Every season

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	Preparing of the nursery bed	Mandays	30.0	5000.0	150000.0	100.0
Labour	Transplanting	Mandays	12.0	5000.0	60000.0	100.0
Labour	Weeding	Mandays	12.0	5000.0	60000.0	100.0
Labour	Prunning of trees	Mandays	15.0	5000.0	75000.0	100.0
Plant material	Seedlings	Number	100.0	3000.0	300000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					645000.0

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

The cost is generally handled by the family

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Weeding	Agronomic	Every season
2.	Pruning	Agronomic	Once a year

Comments:

Most activities are managed by the family

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	Weeding	Mandays	30.0	5000.0	150000.0	100.0
Labour	Pruning	Mandays	15.0	5000.0	75000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					225000.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Pruning becasue this involves aiming at high tree branches, which is risky and therefore, costly

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

Comments and further specifications on topography:

The land is generally flat and the technology take place toward the valley

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Small animal keeping and farmer managed natural regeneration.

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, not titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

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

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

Comments regarding impact assessment:

No down stream flooding

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

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
tropical storm	very well
extra-tropical cyclone	very well
local rainstorm	very well
local thunderstorm	very well
local hailstorm	very well
local snowstorm	very well
local sandstorm/ duststorm	very well
local windstorm	very well
tornado	not known

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
heatwave	very well
cold wave	not known
extreme winter conditions	not known
drought	very well
forest fire	very well
land fire	very well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	very well
flash flood	very well
storm surge/ coastal flood	not known
landslide	not known
avalanche	not known

Biological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
epidemic diseases	very well
insect/ worm infestation	very 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

• 1-10%

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

• 90-100%

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
Diversify the food and income sources of the household
Protection of the system from climate extremes especially drought and strong winds

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Improved and sustainable land management

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 labour requirements coupled with shortage of labour due to rural-urban migration of the youth

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Agroforestry coffee practices in relation to productivity and erosion control, 2010

Available from where? Costs?

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/482c/b4d3cebf27f52f638ec10255f55724736a83.pdf?_ga=2.82063123.426798158.1589367611-1455465451.1589367611

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

Inside Agroforestry

URL:

https://nac.unl.edu/documents/insideagroforestry/IA_vol23issue1.pdfIn