National Programs

Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical

Edwin Magarinos is building up a team to expand on James Johnson’s earlier work. CIAT has developed some interesting multistrata agroforestry systems, based on timber and fruit trees. /RRBL

The Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT, Tropical Agricultural Research Centre) is responsible for agricultural, livestock and forestry research and technology transfer in the Department of Santa Cruz, an area of tropical and sub-tropical lowlands in Bolivia. This Center is distinct from the Colombian-based CGIAR-supported Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, with which it shares the same acronym.

CIAT initiated agroforestry system research at the end of the 1980s, and began activities related to community forest management in 1995. Currently, CIAT is working on four main projects: (1) management of community forests, focusing on validation of alternative silvicultural interventions, harvesting methods and other forestry operations; (2) agroforestry production, including on-farm validation, wind breaks, multilayer systems, taungya, alley cropping, forage alleys, dispersed trees in pastures, living fences and others; (3) management of non-timber forest products, comprising ethnobotanical studies of commercial species, socioeconomic surveys and improved harvesting and conservation of non-commercial species; and (4) diversification of forest genetic resources with productive potential and declared quality. As one of the main members of a regional network of production, conservation and distribution of forest genetic material for the tropical and subtropical region of Bolivia, CIAT is involved in seed certification and commercialization of exotic and native species.

© Mr. Edwin Magarinos, Head of the Forestry Section, CIAT, Ave. Ejército Nacional 131, Casilla 247, Santa Cruz, Bolivia;
Tel. +591.3.343668, Fax +591.3.342996,
E-mail Forestal@scbbs-bo.com

© Mr. Jose Luis Escobar, Natural Resources Coordinator; E-mail uoz@scbbs-bo.com

‘The development of the agroforestry systems as alternatives to slash and burn agriculture has been through a combination of on-farm and on-station adaptive research. Farmer collaboration has been sought in the design and testing of agroforestry systems at an early stage of the development of these alternatives. Systems developed have attempted to take into account existing farmer practices and to make a series of adjustments to these in such a way as to remain consistent with farmer objectives... Structured home gardens, improved fallows, dispersed trees in pastures, living fence posts and windbreaks or a combination of these systems have been promoted by CIAT.

...CIAT has been concerned with the identification and integration of a broad range of timber, fruit and multipurpose tree species from the area into agroforestry systems. The development and promotion of agroforestry has created a demand for seed of many of the species recommended by the programme. In an attempt to supply this demand an agroforestry tree seed bank has been established by CIAT which organises the collection, storage and distribution of seed of over 100 endemic tree species. This activity has stimulated general interest in seed gathering among collaborating farmers and NGOs...’

CIAT. n.d. The Tropical Agricultural Research Centre and its role in agroforestry development in lowland Bolivia. Unpublished manuscript.

Women filling plastic bags with soil to plant tree seedlings in a community in the Department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Photo © Edwin Magarinos.

Ecosystems Research and Development Service,
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines

For more information about DENR and the educational work of its Protected Area and Wildlife Bureau, see pages 8-9 of Handbook 3. /GJM

The Ecosystems Research and Development Service of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines has developed a community-based agroforestry livelihood research and development project. This pilot project is working with upland farmers to develop agroforestry practices to help attain the goal of sustainable development.

The DENR is taking a participatory approach in the project, which began with capability and confidence-building exercises, training courses and meetings for farmers and communities. Through this process of assessing local needs and conditions, appropriate agroforestry practices have been identified, developed and implemented. Researchers and farmers, working as partners with sustained technical and logistical support, are helping to improve ecological stability and farm productivity in the uplands.

© Mr. Edilberto E. Nasayao, Ecosystems Research and Development Service, DENR Region 8, Sto. Niño Extension, 6500 Tacloban City,
The Philippines; Tel. +63.53.3256340 or 3213319, Fax +63.53.3256223.

‘Conservation of genetic resources must be done for the management and improvement of forest resources especially the endemic tree crops that are rich in genetic diversity. Most agroforestry and reforestation efforts that have taken place throughout the tropics have relied on trees selected from a very short list of internationally known species. Yet research is showing that utilizing greater diversity in forest plantations by drawing on indigenous species can lead to increased productivity, due to site-specific species and environmental interactions...

[T]here are numerous other advantages of using indigenous species: they are already adapted to the local conditions; the genetic base is easily accessible; the supply of seeds may not be as difficult as anticipated; there is a wealth of information available locally that can be usefully exploited; the species available are often multipurpose in use i.e. they often provide more than one product. Current observations have shown that MPTS [multipurpose tree species] growing indigenously in some localities have potential for domestication in the uplands... In Leyte, Philippines, “bagalunga” (Melia dubia Cav.) has captured the interest of many farmers to grow it in farms and tree home gardens. This species has diverse uses. Given the necessary research attention, it can be domesticated in massive scale.’

Nasayao, E.E., L.Z. Nasayao, M.A. Zara and E.V. Ulep. 1994. Bagalunga (Melia dubia Cav.): an indigenous fast-growing multipurpose tree species in eastern Visayas. Special Issue on Tropical Ecology No. 1. Annals of Tropical Research 10:1-14.

National Tree Seed Programme, Tanzania

The availability of tree seeds is still one of the major constraints to the adoption of agroforestry throughout the tropics, and needs to be addressed urgently. Consequently, programmes like this one have a crucial role to play. /RRBL

In 1989, the Forest and Beekeeping Division of the Ministry of Tourism, Natural Resources and Environment of Tanzania established the National Tree Seed Programme (NTSP), in collaboration with the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). The Programme responds to Tanzania’s problem of deforestation and its growing need for a seed reserve for reforestation programs and as a potential resource for export.

The Programme has a National Center and three Zonal Seed Centers. The National Center carries out research and development, seed gathering, tree improvement, botanical research, marketing and training. The Zonal Seed Centers undertake seed collection, storage and sale. Research focuses on assessing new species for use in forestry, provenance trials, and seed storage and handling. An important goal is the promotion of indigenous trees, particularly multipurpose species, in part through the establishment of an arboretum. The Programme provides training through courses, seminars and workshops, offers consultancy services and produces a number of publications including research notes, technical reports and manuals.

© Mr. H.P. Msanga, Programme Manager, National Tree Seed Centre, P.O. Box 373, Morogoro, Tanzania; Tel. +255.56.3192 or 3903, Fax +255.56.3275, E-mail ntsp@twiga.com,
Website http://home.twiga.com/ntsp

 

‘[R]ecently the interest in using indigenous species for afforestation has increased in Tanzania. Unfortunately, the knowledge on seed biology and genetic variation of these species is very limited. Many species occur over vast areas having very different climates and soil conditions and, therefore, large genetic variation can be expected for many species.

In the effort to improve and stabilize seed supply, large quantities of seed are moved great distances. Movement of seed is, furthermore, enhanced by the fact that large sale afforestation programs are usually undertaken in areas largely devoid of woody vegetation. Remembering that the choice of seed source may be decisive for the success, mediocrity or failure of a planting program, it is imperative (until knowledge on the genetic variation of the species is obtained) that seed should only be used on planting sites having ecological conditions similar to those prevailing on the locality of the seed source. This will serve as safeguard against serious mistakes. A seed zoning system is a helpful tool in this regard.

The general idea in a seed zoning system is that similarities in ecological conditions in an area implies similarities in the genetic constitution of the tree stands growing in that area. Until provenance tests have been performed transfer of seed has to rely on a comparison between the ecological conditions on the planting site and those in the area of seed harvesting. A seed zoning system gives an account of the ecological conditions in a country and divides the country into zones with sufficient uniform ecological conditions to allow tree seed transfer within the zones.’

NTSP. 1992. A Seed Zoning System for Forestry and Agroforestry. Morogoro, National Tree Seed Programme.