Improving agroforestry research
The overall aim of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) is the eradication of poverty. The Forestry Research Programme contributes to this goal through its Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy, by enhancing productive capacity in the RNR sector on an economically and environmentally sustainable basis. It does this by supporting research into national forestry-related priority problems which appear to be susceptible to solution or to substantial mitigation by research. The uptake of research results must also, increasingly, be shown to have a direct, positive impact on the livelihoods of the poorest people in developing countries.
A significant proportion of FRP's current research portfolio (~30%) is directly agroforestry-related. Projects include: genetic improvement of multipurpose tree species; on-farm research to develop and promote improved agroforestry systems; modelling of agroforestry systems; research into tree-crop competition; synthesis of local knowledge; and dissemination of research results.
Most agroforestry research is ultimately directed towards subsistence farmers but it must first be interpreted through national and international research institutes, extension agencies and development projects. A study of 44 community-forestry related projects (1997) revealed that useful results were being obtained but that none of the projects has been in response to a specific request from the agroforestry research community, researchers were often unaware of expertise elsewhere, including local knowledge, and there was a general lack of planning for the long-term sustainability of agroforestry activities.
The Forestry Research Programme is therefore striving to make research more applicable to farmers, to overcome the general lack of communication between 'professionals' and farmers and to disseminate the results more widely. Local knowledge will be also be taken into account, farmers are to be encouraged to participate in research and extension officers invited to keep up to date with recent research.
