Transforming lives and landscapes with trees

104 Pages·2016·6.21 MB·English

Transforming lives and
landscapes with trees
Annual Report 2015-2016
Our vision Our strategic goals
Our vision is a rural transformation in the developing world as • Building livelihoods by generating knowledge, choice and
smallholder households increase their use of trees in agricultural opportunities
landscapes to improve food security, nutrition, income, health, shelter, • Improving landscapes and their sustainability by better managing
social cohesion, energy resources and environmental sustainability. their complexity
• Transforming agroforestry impacts to large-scale through policy,
innovation and partnerships
Our mission Our partners
The Centre’s mission is to generate science-based knowledge about the The World Agroforestry Centre has always implemented much of its
diverse roles that trees play in agricultural landscapes, and to use its work in partnership with a range of public, private and international
research to advance policies and practices, and their implementation bodies. Our partnerships are based on a clear recognition of the
that beneft the poor and the environment. value that is added through working jointly with partners and sharing
strengths to achieve specifc outcomes. We partner with universities,
advanced research institutions, national agricultural research
Our core values organizations, private sector organizations, and government and non-
government agencies in the felds of agriculture, forestry, environment,
• Professionalism
conservation and climate change.
• Mutual respect
• Creativity
• Inclusiveness
Front cover photo: Farmer Hady TRAORE from Mandela village in Sikasso, Mali, with a fowering cashew tree. Cashew, Anacardium occidental (Fam. Anacardiaceae), is known for its tasty,
nutritious and valuable nut. Photo©ICRAF/Ake Mamo
Back cover photo: Farmland in Eastern DRC. Photo©ICRAF/Emilie Smith-Dumont
© World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya, 2016
ISSN 1995-6851
World Agroforestry Centre. 2016. Annual Report 2015-2016: Transforming Lives and Landscapes with Trees.
Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre
No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purposes.
The geographic designation employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Agroforestry
Centre concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
All images remain the sole property of their source and may not be used for any purpose without written permission from the source.
A 3-D digital illustration from an agroforestry guide for
Eastern DRC. ICRAF/Kamunya Johnson
Contents
Message from Genes, health
the Board Chair and nutrition
1 39
Message from
the Director Trees and the
General changing climate
3 53
Global concerns Trees and energy
5 63
Sustainable land
management The way we work
15 71
Annexes
85
iv Annual Report 2014-2015
Nabuyole Falls in Bungoma County, Kenya ©ICRAF/Douglas Bwire
Transforming lives and landscapes with trees
Message from the Board Chair
As a science, agroforestry can be thought of During 2015, ICRAF’s researchers continued
as being something of a hybrid between the to generate and share knowledge and
sciences of forestry and agriculture. However, recommendations on context-sensitive options
the boundaries of agroforestry have expanded for integrating trees on farms for sustainable
rapidly over the last decade, in large part due food production and environmental health.
to fnding a strategic space in emerging global In collaboration with a large complement of
agendas. Agroforestry combines the potential partners, including sister CGIAR Centres, this
of climate adaptation and climate mitigation work has produced many important publications
and is now a leading approach to climate-smart and products. This year ICRAF scientists
agriculture. produced 183 articles in peer-reviewed journal
articles in addition to 182 other published
The organization Agroforestry as well fnds a central role in materials aimed at academics and boundary
continues to lead the reversing land degradation, from virtually partners such as development NGOs, extension
evolution of agroforestry unusable land such as mine tailings and highly services and policymakers.
eroded hill slopes to overgrazed grasslands.
science, but even
Sustainable intensifcation has recently been During the historic 21st UN Climate Change
more importantly, its put forward as the banner for meeting world Conference (Paris COP 21), where the frst
application in meeting food needs within planetary boundaries, and universal climate agreement was adopted,
agroforestry fnds a role from fertilizer trees ICRAF participated with a 20-person-strong
some of the most
in Malawi to sustainable oil palm in the selva delegation involved in as many events. At this
difcult global problems of Peru. All of these agendas are now nested COP and the concurrent Global Landscapes
within the Sustainable Development Goals Forum (GLF) in Paris, Centre scientists tackled
(SDGs) and agroforestry has the potential to issues ranging from how to implement countries’
contribute in a substantive way to a majority of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions
these. As something of a feedback loop, these (INDCs) in data- and tool-scarce countries in
agendas have expanded the boundaries of Latin America, Africa and Asia; land and forest
agroforestry science to also include landscape governance at multiple levels in supporting
ecology, policy studies, geoinformatics, climate change mitigation; agroecology as
genomics and hydrology, just to name a few. a viable pathway to climate-resilient and
sustainable food systems; land restoration; and
The World Agroforestry Centre continues to Indonesia’s green economy.
lead the evolution of the science, but even more
importantly, its application in meeting some of The Little Book on Sustainable Landscapes,
the most diffcult global problems. to which ICRAF’s environmental services and
1
climate change programmes contributed, was ICRAF’s contribution to the CGIAR Research the Centre has also launched a strategy refresh
launched at the GLF 2015. Programmes remains strong, as the work of of its 2013 strategy to ensure that it remains on
the frst phase moves toward conclusion. The course in its mission within a rapidly changing
The World Agroforestry Centre remains an organization has contributed signifcantly to the external environment.
engaged member of what was termed the thinking in the design of the next portfolio of
Consortium of CGIAR Centres and under the Consortium Research Programmes. On behalf of the Board, I take this opportunity
current phase of reform will now be known to thank the staff for their accomplishments in
as the CGIAR System. The Director General From the perspective of the Board of 2015, and despite the funding uncertainties,
was the Centre’s representative in many of Trustees, the year has marked a signifcant look forward to a highly productive and
the key meetings leading up to and during focus on improving governance procedures, impactful year ahead in 2016.
this latest reform process. While creating restructuring the Board’s committees, and
an understandable level of uncertainty, at continuing to improve the quality of our Board
the same time as a downturn in funding to membership. ICRAF itself has established a John Lynam
the Consortium, the reform process looks process known as the ICRAF Business Plan Board Chair
positively on track to redressing the structural which is designed to integrate governance,
problems in the initial reform, in creating operations, administrative systems, and
a more logical division of responsibilities control frameworks, ensuring effciency and
between funders and Centres, in continuing effectiveness at each level of work within the
to move the CGIAR Centres toward working Centre. Given the changes in the CGIAR,
as an integrated system, and in the search for the changing global agenda, the shifts in the
greater effciencies in how the work is done. funding landscape, and the evolving science,
2 Annual Report 2015-2016
Transforming lives and landscapes with trees
Message from the Director
General
Following the global food crisis of 2008, carbon out of the atmosphere; at providing a
international donors signifcantly increased home for biodiversity; at cooling the agricultural
support for overseas development. Much of environment; and at improving soil health.
the extra money went towards programmes Trees made Planet Earth habitable; their
which focused on reducing food insecurity and wholesale loss and destruction would make it
increasing agricultural productivity. However, uninhabitable.
we now fnd ourselves in a very different – and
politically more unstable – world. Donors have As many of the stories in this annual report
reacted accordingly. One of our long-term illustrate, agroforestry practices and policies
supporters has cut its overseas development are helping millions of families in developing
assistance by 30%, and four-ffths of the countries to improve their incomes and nutrition.
We have to proactively remaining budget will now be spent on dealing Agroforestry is playing a vitally important role
make the case for the with the refugee crisis. Another major donor when it comes to increasing farm productivity
has decided to direct half of its development and tackling land degradation. Trees on farms
importance of science,
assistance to fragile states. provide a whole range of goods and services,
the value of agriculture,
from fuelwood to fruit, livestock fodder to green
the value of agroforestry This means more money for emergencies and fertilizer, which can have a transformative
research and the value of humanitarian aid and less for science and impact on people’s lives.
the CGIAR, under whose research, so it is a good time to refect on how
umbrella we operate an organization like the World Agroforestry But we still have a long way to go. Most of the
Centre can thrive and survive during this time 500 million smallholder farming families in the
of belt tightening. A passive response is not world are subsistence farmers. Our theory of
an option. We have to proactively make the change maintains that we should use every
case for the importance of science, the value of available resource to help subsistence farmers
agriculture, the value of agroforestry research move up the ladder from subsistence farming
and the value of the Consortium of International to pre-commercial farming to proftable farming
Agricultural Research Centres, under whose to sustainable farming. This will only happen
umbrella we operate. We need to demonstrate when, and if, farmers have access to the latest
that we provide value for money. technologies – these could be drought-resistant
crops or new agroforestry practices – developed
Ask yourself a simple question: what would life through the work of a research agency such as
be like without trees? Nothing is better than a ours.
tree at bringing water up from depth; at taking
3
In previous annual reports, I have emphasized have developed in conjunction with partners Overall, the survey provided a rich set
the importance of public-private partnerships. in local and national government and UN of responses with around a third being
These help to reduce the cost of research, agencies. SHARED provides a safe space for critical, a third being neutral and a third
encourage greater innovation, enhance the people to test the decisions they make against complementary about the way we operate.
impact of research and raise the visibility available evidence. (See page 16) The survey responses suggest that our staff
of agroforestry. We have achieved much in are fully engaged and have a deep sense
collaborative work with companies like Mars, As this annual report goes to press, we are of commitment to our long-term goals as a
Inc., Unilever and Danone and we will continue refreshing our strategy. In preparation, the research organization.
to work with a wide range of partners over the Senior Leadership Team decided to test the
coming years. temperature of the water with mid-level and
senior staff. A survey was sent to 176 scientifc Tony Simons
One of our greatest strengths is our ability to and administrative staff with an MSc or higher Director General
convene, to bring people together to weigh the qualifcation. Considering the short turnaround,
evidence and make the best decisions. we had an outstanding response rate of 89%.
A good example of this is the SHARED Staff were invited to answer 22 questions;
approach, the acronym stands for Stakeholder 15 were multiple-choice, and seven were
Approach to Risk-Informed and Evidence- open-ended. The latter elicited 1037 written
Based Decision-making – which our scientists messages.
4 Annual Report 2015-2016
1.
Global
concerns
With over three decades of experience
working with smallholder farmers in Africa,
Asia and Latin America, we are uniquely
positioned to address a range of social
and environmental challenges through
agroforestry. Key global concerns during
the past year include landscape restoration,
bioenergy, trees and nutrition, and soil health.
Photo: In the Indian drylands, crop roots are often used as
cooking fuel.
5
©ICRAF/Charlie Pye-Smith
RESTORING LIVES AND LANDSCAPES
The International Union for Conservation Domestication and Delivery Programme, to for restoration,” says Graudal. “These are
of Nature (IUCN) and the World Resources examine the issue in detail. Their fndings were areas where people are growing food and other
Institute (WRI) have been responsible for published in ‘Forest Landscape Restoration as crops, and this is where agroforestry can be
establishing a state-of-the-art methodology a Key Component of Climate Change Mitigation the ideal solution for restoration, as it combines
for identifying opportunities for restoration. and Adaptation’ and launched at the Paris restoring biodiversity and ecological functions
The Restoration Opportunity Assessment meeting. with improving the incomes and welfare of local
Methodology (ROAM) is helping governments people.”
and regions work out which areas to focus on There are three different areas where
for restoration schemes. However, ROAM is restoration can take place: remote areas with Indeed, the IUFRO publication, and much of
principally about where, rather than how, to few people; areas which are, or were, largely the work carried out by the World Agroforestry
restore landscapes. covered by forest; and mosaic landscapes – Centre under the banner of restoration, is
although the three are not mutually exclusive. helping to make what Graudal describes
To address this gap, the International as a value proposition for agroforestry. It is
Union of Forest Research Organizations “Although people often talk about forest demonstrating that agroforestry can restore
(IUFRO) commissioned a group of scientists, landscape restoration, rather than just landscapes, help land users adapt to climate
including Lars Graudal, co-leader of the landscape restoration, mosaic landscapes are change and increase food production in a
World Agroforestry Centre’s Tree Diversity, by far the largest area and the most important sustainable manner.
6 Annual Report 2015-2016
©ICRAF/Charlie Pye-Smith