NO. 32 z MAY 2008 z ISSN 0859-9742 · medicinal plant. It is a densely branched shrub that reaches...

NO. 32 MAY 2008 ISSN 0859-9742

Featuring

May 2008 Asia-Pacific Agroforestry Newsletter No. 322

DISCLAIMER. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply theexpression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO and SEANAFE concerning the legal status of any country,territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delineation of its frontiers or boundaries. The viewsexpressed in this publication are those of the contributing authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of theeditor(s) of FAO and SEANAFE.

OUR ADDRESS. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand;Website: http://www.fao.org and http://www.fao.or.th; E-mail [email protected]; SEANAFE c/o World AgroforestryCentre (ICRAF)-Southeast Asia Regional office, PO Box 61, Bogor 16001, Indonesia; Website: http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/networks/Seanafe/Index.asp; E-mail [email protected]

PRODUCTION. Patrick Durst, Kenichi Shono, Akiko Inoguchi, Lutgarda Tolentino and Rowena Cabahug (EditorialConsultants); Leah P. Arboleda (Editor); Perseveranda G. Tubig and Reinelen M. Reyes (Production Assistants)

COVER PHOTO. Coconut-based agroforestry farms are common sights in the Philippines. Coffee, banana, corn,papaya, root crops, and fruit trees are planted underneath coconut trees, thereby ensuring maximum use of land,diversified crops, and assured food and income for the farmer and his family (Photo taken by Catherine C. de Luna,PAFERN Agroforestry Landscape Analysis Project).

PRINTER. Thammada Press Co. Ltd., 86 Soi 501/1 Charansanitwong Road, Bangplad, Bangkok 10700 Thailand

Dear readersWelcome to the 32nd issue ofAPANews! It is exciting to start theyear by featuring variousdevelopments in agroforestry as asustainable land use managementoption that can provide livelihood,address poverty, and maintainecological stability.

In this issue, we offer interestingarticles from India and the Philippinesin the areas of agroforestry research,and promotion and development.

There are two articles from India thatexplore the potentials of Capparisdecidua and Leucaena leucocephalain agroforestry farms. Commonlyknown as kair, Capparis decidua is aknown medicinal plant that grows inthe dry, arid, and semi-arid regions ofIndia. The article presents kair’sphysiological properties, andproduction processes. It describeshow kair’s flowers, fruits, leaves, andbark provide economic and medicinaluses that enable farmers to earnincome and at the same time combatsoil erosion.

The other article discusses theincreasing use of Leucaenaleucocephala for crop intensificationin India. Read more on the results ofa study done by the Indian Grasslandand Fodder Research Institute, and

the National Research Centre forAgroforestry on how this fast-growing,multipurpose, and nitrogen-fixing treecan increase the quantity and qualityof fodder production.

We are also featuring the results of aSEANAFE-supported research onforecasting carbon dioxidesequestration on natural broad-leavedevergreen forests in Vietnam. Expectmore of SEANAFE-supportedresearch in upcoming issues ofSEANAFE News and APANews.

Meanwhile, the Misamis OrientalState College of Agriculture andTechnology in Mindanao, Philippinesestablished a Bambusetum in theirAgroforestry Field Laboratory to helpconserve and propagate rare,endemic, and economically importantspecies of bamboo. Learn more onthe impacts of this undertaking.

We continue to feature updates in thearea of agroforestry education andtraining through the Southeast AsianNetwork for Agroforestry EducationNews (SEANAFE News). This issuehighlights the accomplishments ofSEANAFE in 2007, particularly theimplementation of its Markets forAgroforestry Tree Products and theAgroforestry Landscape Analysisprojects, among others.

In addition, we have also includedannouncements on relevantinternational agroforestry conferencesand training programs. Among themis the upcoming 2nd World Congresson Agroforestry, which will be held 24-29 August 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya.The theme will be “Agroforestry – thefuture of global land use.” Read moreon the key areas to be highlightedduring the Congress, the deadlines forthe submission of abstracts forpresentations, and other informationin an article contributed byDr. P. K. Nair.

There are also featured websites andnew information resources that mightbe useful in your various agroforestryundertakings.

To quote Dr. Nair, “agroforestry has[indeed] come of age.” The increasingnumber of initiatives worldwide hasdemonstrated agroforestry’scapabilities to help cope with climatechange, contribute to biodiversityconservation, and combatdesertification. We hope to featuredevelopments in these areas in futureissues of APANews.

Thank you to all the contributors andwe look forward to more of yourcontributions! – The Editors

Asia-Pacific Agroforestry Newsletter No. 32 May 2008 3

AGROFORESTRY RESEARCH

Exploring Capparis deciduafor livelihood and wastelanddevelopmentK. S. Bangarwa ([email protected])

Capparis decidua plant (right)with flowers (above).

Continued on page 4

Capparis Linn. (Capparidaceae) is amajor genus comprising mostly ofclimbing shrubs, bushes or smalltrees. There are reportedly 26 speciesof this genus occurring in India (Anon,1992).

Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew.Syn. C aphylla Roth, commonlyknown as kair, is an importantmedicinal plant. It is a denselybranched shrub that reaches a heightof 6-10 m, with a clear bole of 2.4 m.Its branches are tender and waxy.The bark is rough, corky, and gray.

Kair has the ability to survive invarious habitats. It also has good soil-binding capacity. These featuresmake the species suitable forcultivation on a large scale to combatsoil and wind erosion on sandywastelands (Gupta et al., 1989). Ithas fair tolerance to salinity andalkalinity, can help improve fertility ofsand dunes, and reduce alkalinity.

Kair can grow unattended andunprotected on barren lands. Theplants’ mature fruits serve as valuablesources of nutrition for villagers.People also sell the immature fruits inlocal markets for additional income.

Such overexploitation of kair resultedin the lack of seed supply for furtherpropagation. Moreover, there hasbeen no attempt to domesticate orstudy kair, particularly its economicvalue and other potential uses.

Distribution

Kair is indigenous to the tropical andsubtropical regions of India, Africa,Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt. It is amember of the mixed xeromorhicwoodland and psammophytic scrubvegetation (Shankarnarayan et al.,

1987). Scrub vegetation consists oflow trees and bushes and occurs inareas with very little rain.

In India, kair can be found in the dryregions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab,Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and manyparts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka andAndhra Pradesh. Although it is well-suited to areas with low rainfall (150mm), kair can survive in areas withrainfall as high as 600 mm (Gupta etal., 1989). It can also survive intropical and sub-tropical regions or inareas with an annual rainfall of 100-400 mm and temperatures of 16-50°C.

Kair usually grows in dry, exposedhabitats such as foothills andwastelands. It grows in very shallowsoils, soils affected by saline irrigationwater, or in stabilized sand dunes.

Kair grows in association withAnogeissus pendula Edgew.,

Calotropis procera, Maytemusemarginatus, Zizyphus nummularia,Salvadora oleoides, Prosopiscineraria, etc. It is a commonspecies in stabilized sand dunes(Shankarnarayan et al., 1987) wheredensity varies from 20 to 170 plantsper hectare (Gupta et al., 1989).Kumar and Bhandari (1993) reported0.50 percent and 3.50 percent coverof kair in fenced and open sand dunehabitats, respectively.

Research revealed that kair canimprove the fertility of sand dunes. Italso has the tendency to reducealkalinity very sharply (Gupta et al.,1989). Moreover, a kair plantation canreportedly increase organic carbon upto 10 times within 20 years.

Flowering and fruiting

The flowers of kair are red or pink,and sometimes yellow in lateralcorymbs. The dull red berries or fruitsare globose or ovoid and 1-2 cm indiameter. The seeds are 2-5 mmdiameter, and are embedded in thepulp (Anon., 1992; Gupta et al.,1989). The plant coppices well andreadily produces root suckers.

Flowering and fruiting takes placeevery February-March and July-



Exploring Capparis decidua...Continued from page 3

Unripe (1st) and ripe (2nd) fruits ofCapparis decidua.

August. The February-March floweringis profuse, producing fruits of up to 20kg per plant (Anon, 2001).

Fruit yield varies between 2-20 kg perplant depending on age, geneticpotential, and flowering season. Eachfruit has at least five seeds. It hasbeen observed that freshly matureseeds have more than 80 percentgermination.

Economic uses

The flower buds and immature greenfruits of kair are pickled, cooked andconsumed as vegetables (Anon,1992; Harsh and Tiwari, 1998; Pareeket al., 1998). The immature fruits arein great demand in the differentregions of India. They are sold in localmarkets at Rs.10-20 per kg(US$0.25-0.50). Each plant yieldsapproximately 2 kg. One kilogram offresh fruit yields about 200 g ofprocessed and dried fruit.

The mature fruits, meanwhile, areconsumed fresh. The fruits are rich inprotein (8.6%) and Vitamin C (7.8 mg/

100 g of pulp by weight). As the fruitsmature, the amount of sugarincreases from 1.7 percent to 3.0percent (Gupta et al., 1989).

The seeds, meanwhile, contain 20.3percent oil. The oil consists of 68.6percent unsaturated fatty acids and31.4 percent saturated fatty acids.When processed, the oil is edible.

Aside from the fruits and the seeds,kair’s wood also provides varieduses. The wood is light yellow topale brown, smooth, moderatelyhard and heavy. Each plant yields625-775 kg/m3 of wood. The wood’sstrength and durability is suitable formaking small beams, rafts, knees ofboats, tool handles, cartwheels,axles, and even combs. It alsoserves as material for making hutsand fences, and is used asfuelwood.

Medicinal uses

Aside from economic uses, kair isalso tapped for its medicinal qualities.

When pickled or cooked asvegetables, the immature fruits areused to cure stomach problems,especially constipation.

The bark is used to cure coughs,asthma, ulcers, boils, vomiting, pilesand all types of inflammations (Anon,1992). Stem bark, meanwhile, is usedfor rheumatism and toothaches,including pyorrhea.

When crushed, the leaves are appliedas a poultice on burns andinflammations. They are chewed torelieve toothaches, or consumed ashealthy appetizers for those withcardiac problems.

The young leaves and shoots,meanwhile, are dried and powderedand used as antidote against poisonand as a cure for joint problems. Theyoung shoots of Peganum hurmalaand kair can be combined as an anti-fertility drug.

The fruits and the seeds of kair areused to cure cholera, dysentery, and

urinary purulent discharges. Thefruits’ sharp and spicy taste serves asan astringent to bowels, remedies foulbreath, and cures cardiac troubles.The oil from the seeds containsnitrogen and sulphur. This is used tocure skin diseases.

The alcoholic extract of flowers, fruithusks and seeds show anti-bacterialpotentials.

Kair’s wood, meanwhile, works betterwhen applied for muscular injuries ifthe wood has been burnt first.

Cultivation and production

Because of kair’s various uses andpotentials, large-scale production isbeing explored. Propagation is not aproblem as kair can be grown fromseeds and root suckers.

If grown from seeds, mature fruitsmust be collected during May-June.The seeds are then separated bywashing out the pulp. They are thensoaked in fresh water for 24 hours.

Afterwards, the seeds are germinatedin nurseries by sowing them inpolythene bags filled with clay, sand,and farmyard manure at 1:1:1 ratio.Sowing is best done during August.Light irrigation must be appliedeveryday during the evenings.

After six to seven months, theseedlings are ready for transplanting.This is usually done during earlyMarch or July-August at the onset ofthe monsoon season.

A thousand plants of Capparisdecidua can be planted in an acre ofland with a spacing of 2 x 2 m. This isexpected to yield an annual fruitproduction of 20 tons per acre, at theproduction rate of 2 kg per plant.

Intensive cultivation can yield anannual income of Rs20 000 (US$500)at the selling price of Rs10 (US$0.25)per kg from an acre of kair plantation.Such cultivation entails the planting of1 000 plants in an acre to produce2 000 kg of fruits annually. Fruitproduction increases as the plant



Capparis decidua suppressed byProsopis juliflora.

gets older. It can even increase whenplants with high genetic potential arecultivated.

Scientific efforts towards developinggenetically superior strains andstandardization of optimum cultivationpractices may increase the yield, andthereby increase income from theplantation. Additional income may bederived from the wood as buildingmaterials and fuelwood.

These benefits make kair’s cultivationboth economically rewarding andenvironmentally sustainable.

Status

At present, the immature fruitscontinue to have high economic value.Hence, they are often harvested andsold at high prices. This practice putsseed production and propagation ofkair at risk.

Poor or lack of seed productioncontinues to be the major cause forkair’s declining population. In fact,Pandey and Shetty (1985) listed theplant as one of the endangeredspecies in India. It is also suppressedby Prosopis juliflora, whichregenerates faster and growsaggressively. This plant, however,cannot be used as fodder. Hence,Prosopis juliflora is seriouslythreatening the survival of Capparisdecidua and other indigenousspecies.

Future research areas

Kair has proven to be aneconomically viable plant. It providesvaried medicinal uses, buildingmaterials, fuelwood, and otherincome-generating opportunities. Itcontributes to environmentalsustainability due to its soil-bindingcapacity and its ability to improve thesoil fertility of sand dunes and reducesoil alkalinity.Extensive research and supportactivities are thus needed tomaximize the production,propagation, and utilization of thisspecies to help contribute to rurallivelihood and wasteland development.

Some of these research and supportactivities include the following:

· establishment of a germplasmbank for seeds or suckers of kairfrom the different regions of Indiato conserve the plant’s geneticvariability;

· selection of superior motherplants for the collection of superiorreproductive materials;

· testing of progenies by conductingreplicated trials and identifyinggenetically superior progenies;

· establishing seed orchards toensure the steady supply ofgenetically superior reproductivematerials;

· standardization of medicinal usesto help address common healthproblems of both people andanimals;

· development and promotion ofintensive cultivation practices forthe sustainable production andutilization of kair; and

· development and implementationof monitoring and controlstrategies on the harvesting of theimmature fruits.

References: 1) Anon.(1992). TheWealth of India, Vol.3, Council ofScientific and Industrial Researchpublication, New Delhi, India: 210-212;2) Anon (2001). Ker : a genetic wealth ofHaryana. CCS HAU, Research Courier6(1):4; 3) Gupta, I.C.; Harsh, L.N.;Shankaranaryana, K.A. and Sharma,B.D. (1989). Wealth from wastelands.Indian Fmg. 38 (11): 18-19; 4) Harsh,L.N. and Tiwari, J.C. (1998). Biodiversityof vegetational complex in arid regionsof India. In: Biodiversity of forestspecies, R. Bawa and P.K. Khosla (eds),Bishen Singh Mahender Pal Singh,Dehradun, India: 91-10; 5) Kumar, N.K.and Bhandari, M.M. (1993). Impact ofhuman activities on the pattern andprocess of sand dune vegetation in theRajasthan Desert. Desertification Bull.22: 45-54; 6) Pandey, R.P. and Shetty,B.V. (1985). Rare and threatened plantsof Rajasthan. In: Proc. Nat. Symp. onEvaluation of Environment Species, S.D.Mishra; D.N. Sen and J. Ahmed (eds).Geobios Univ., Jodhpur, India: 238-241;7) Pareek, O.P.; Sharma, BD andSharma, S. (1998). WastelandHorticulture. Malhotra Publishing House,New Delhi, India, 136 pp; 8)

Shankarnaryan, K.A.; Harsh, L.N. andKathju, S. (1987). Agroforestry in thearid zones of India. AgroforestrySystems. 5: 69-88. The author isaffiliated with the Department of Forestry,CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar125 004, India.



Evaluating Subabul-based intercroppingfor higher quantity and qualityfodder productionSanjeev K. Chauhan ([email protected]), K.P. Puri, and K.S. Saini

Subabul(Leucaenaleucocephala)alleys with maize+ cowpea.

Punjab has the richest livestockindustry in India. However, it is nowfacing the problem of acute shortageof feed and fodder. This poses a majorconstraint in livestock productivity.

Land for fodder production is shrinkingdue to increasing pressure on land forgrain and cash crop production. Thereis little possibility to increase the landarea for fodder production.

In Punjab, cattle have an importantrole in farming systems. However,inadequate feed supply is the keyconstraint in meeting the increasingdemand for meat and milk. Cropintensification (either through(intercropping or sequential croppingor both), is the feasible option left forthe farmers to enhance fodderproduction. The use of forage trees, incombination with crop residues, isone of the principal strategies beingexplored by researchers anddevelopment agencies to address theproblem.

Use of fast-growing,multipurpose trees

The introduction of tree and shrublegumes in agroforestry and livestockfeeding systems offers the potential

to increase fodder and feed supply.Aside from this, tree and shrublegumes are recognized for theircontribution to farming systems, theirnutritional contributions to the diet ofrural populations, and contribution tosoil improvement by facilitatingnitrogen fixation, and controlling soilerosion, among others. They are alsobeing used as nutritious fodder.

There is increasing interest in the useof local and indigenous fast-growing,leguminous and non-leguminousmultipurpose tree species, for cropintensification and fodder production.These include Bauhinia, Prosopis,Grewia, Celtis and Robinia amongothers.

Leucaena leucocephala, commonlycalled subabul in the locality, is beingconsidered for crop intensification.Subabul is also among the fast-growing,multipurpose nitrogen-fixing trees. Itsvaried uses and suitability for fodder,fuel, and small timber production earnedsubabul the nickname “miracle tree.”In recent years, subabul has becomepopular among farmers in the southernstates also due to its ability to producepulpwood within three to five years.

Potentials of subabul

Subabul is grown widely in manytropical and subtropical regions of theworld as a supplemental proteinsource for ruminant livestock.Subabul feed excels in palatabilityand digestibility. It provides abalanced chemical composition ofprotein, minerals (except sodium andiodine) and amino acids, though lowin fiber and moderate in tannincontent.

In addition, subabul has been widelyintegrated in agroforestry farms due toits vigorous coppicing ability, highyields, and ability to survive in variousenvironments and soil types. It has awell-developed deep root systemwhich can break impervious layers ofsoil in the subhorizon. Moreimportantly, it can fix atmosphericnitrogen and provide fodder andfuelwood. Wood of subabul can beused for pulp, furniture, posts, raftersand building materials.

Evaluating subabul’sfodder quality and quantity

Because of its many uses, subabulhas already been recommended forcultivation in Punjab, especially in theKandi region, where the land is notirrigated and tree fodder is one of themajor animal feeds. A number of newLeucaena varieties have beenintroduced from the NationalResearch Centre for Agroforestry(NRCAF), and the Indian Grasslandand Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi(U.P.) in Punjab AgriculturalUniversity, Ludhiana, as part of aresearch on fodder quality andquantity.

In the study, the height of the subabultrees was maintained at one meter.Harvests took place three to five



times a year, depending on the age ofthe stands. Fruiting was avoided, andthe branches were removed at pencildiameter.

Results showed that K-29 and K-8sources produced fodder in goodquantities, as compared to the otherintroduced species/strains, underrainfed conditions. The proteincontent was also high in K-29.However, the anti-quality parameters(mimosine and tannins), which werevery important requirements for goodquality fodder, were found to beminimal in K-743A (L. leucocephala xL. diversifolia).

The fodder crop productivity in thesubabul alleys was not affected. Theaboveground biomass of the systemwas higher than in the area solelyplanted with annual and perennialcrops (napier bajra hybrid, maize +

cowpea, followed by berseem +ryegrass) for fodder production.

The subabul-based pasture productionsystem was found to be highlyproductive as it yielded 35.25 g/ha offuelwood. This is in addition to fodderfrom intercultivated crops andsubabul. The biomass yield of onehectare of intercultivation is equivalentto approximately 1.45 hectaresplanted solely with fodder crops.

Subabul-based fodder inter-cultivationproduced approximately 15 percenthigher protein than the area plantedsolely with fodder crops on a unit areabasis.

Analyzing nutritive contents

The anti-nutritive factors assumegreater significance when tree leavesare major components of the diet.

Although subabul contains an arrayof secondary plant metabolites, themajor compounds that affect thenutritive value are the non-proteinamino acids, mimosine and tannins.

The mimosine content in the foddercan be diluted to a greater extent byselecting the appropriate subabulsource, and mixing the intercultivatedfodder, at the ratio of 1:2 to 1:3. As arule, no more than 30 to 50 percentsubabul in the diet should be givenas feed to achieve optimumproductivity of cattle, sheep andgoats.

Subabul leaves can also be used toincrease the protein content andnutritive value of silage. The authorsare affliated with the Punjab AgriculturalUniversity, Ludhiana (India) - 141 00.

Estimating CO2 sequestration in

natural broad-leaved evergreenforests in Vietnam

The increase of carbon dioxide (CO2)

in the atmosphere is becoming aglobal concern. The amount of CO

2

sequestration depends on forest type,forest status, dominant tree speciesand forest stand age.

Researches on CO2 sequestration of

each specific forest type are neededto quantify the economic value offorests, and develop paymentmechanisms for environmentalservices.

This is the focus of the Master ofScience thesis titled ‘ForecastingCO

2 sequestration on natural broad-

leaved evergreen forests in Tuy Ducdistrict, Dak Nong province, Vietnam.’The thesis was supported by theResearch Fellowship Grant of the

Bao Huy ([email protected]) andPham Tuan Anh ([email protected])

Southeast Asian Network forAgroforestry Education (SEANAFE),through the Vietnam Network forAgroforestry Education (VNAFE).

Objectives and hypotheses

The research aimed to contribute tothe development and application ofestimating CO

2 sequestration in

natural forests. Results will contributeto the development of mechanisms todetermine economic values of forests,and payments for environmentalservices.

The research first defined CO2

sequestration for woody vegetationand its other sections above ground,and set its objectives to:

estimate the CO2 absorbing

capacity of individual forest treesand the forest stand; and

estimate economic values basedon the CO

2 sequestration

capacity of the natural evergreenforests of different conditions.

The research was carried out with thehypotheses that:

1) there is considerable difference inthe CO

2 absorbing capacity of

forests according to forestconditions and stand age; and

2) it is possible to calculate the CO2

stock as basis for environmentalservice fees.

Scope and limitations

The research was limited to:

natural broad-leaved evergreenforests, which were furtherclassified into “young”, “poor” and“medium” forests;targeting stems, bark, branchesand leaves of the trees with

Continued on page 8



diameter of 10 cm or more inmeasuring CO

2 absorbing

capacity of woody vegetation; andthe study site of 74 573 ha ofnatural forests in Tuy Duc district,Dak Nong province, Vietnam.

Methods and analyses

Based on the carbon cycle and thephotosynthesis process in generatingbiomass, the respiration andelimination of vegetation showed thatplants were capable of absorbingCO

2. This ability helps reduce the

effects of greenhouse gases.

This was used as the basis of theresearch. The amount of carbonstored in the plants was used todetermine the amount of CO

2 that had

been absorbed. The results were thenused to determine the CO

2 absorbing

capacity of the forest trees and foreststands.

Subsamples were taken andanalyzed to measure the carbonstock in the different wood parts ofthe trees. A mathematical model wasthen used to quantify the CO

2

absorptive capacity of each foreststatus.

With these considerations, theresearch was implemented throughthe following specific methods andanalyses:

Collecting data for carbonsequestration analysis:Sample plots measuring 20 m x 100m, were established to calculate thecarbon stock in plants with DBH(diameter at breast height) > 30 cm.Subsample plots, measuring 5 m x40 m, were also established tocalculate the carbon stock in plantswith 5 cm < DBH > 30 cm.

The sample sites were establishedunder three forest conditionsclassified as: i) young forest restoredafter cultivation (‘young’); ii) highly

Estimating CO2 sequestration...

Continued from page 7

harvested forest (‘poor’); and iii) lightlydisturbed forest (‘medium’).

Analysis was carried out in twosample plots for each of the threeforest classifications of young, poorand medium forests.

The stems, bark, branches andleaves were weighed and measuredfor total fresh biomass. A subsampleof one kilogram per part was takenfrom each part of the tree.

Analyzing subsamples for CO2

content:34 trees were analyzed, from which136 subsamples were obtained. Thedifferent tree parts (stems, bark,branches and leaves) were thenanalyzed based on the criteria of ratioof dry substances, mineral, ash andcarbon. (The analysis was carried outat the Biological Botany Laboratory,Agricultural and Forestry Department,Tay Nguyen University.)

Analyzing the biomass and tree-diameter relationship:The fresh and dry biomass of eachtree part was calculated. Therelationship between the fresh and drybiomass and tree diameter was thendetermined to select the appropriatefunction.

Analyzing the rate of CO2

accumulation in trees:The rate of CO

2 accumulation in trees

was analyzed based on therelationship between CO

2 and fresh

biomass, and the selected optimalfunction.

The one-factor variance model wasused to evaluate the differences in thecarbon stock based on the freshbiomass of the trees, tree parts, andtree diameter.

Estimating CO2 absorption in forest

trees, and forecasting for foreststand: A mathematical model was used toanalyze the CO

2 absorptive capacity

of the trees and forest stands.The model used was based on thefollowing:

the dependent variable y signifiesthe amount of CO

2 in forest trees

or the CO2 per hectare of a forest

stand;the independent variable xiincludes the forest variables DBH,H (height), V (volume), BA (basalarea), M (stand volume per ha),and N (density); andthe appropriate relationship wassurveyed and selected usinglinear and nonlinear functions -the correlation coefficients (R2)were checked by the criteriabased on F with P < 0.05 error,and the existence of eachindependent variable was basedon the criteria t with P < 0.05error.

Results

Rate of carbon accumulated in eachtree part:The components of carbon wereindividually analyzed per each treepart. The rate of carbon accumulationper each tree part was analyzed bycomparing carbon accumulation ratesper each part with the total amount ofcarbon accumulated in the tree.

Results indicate that the stem partcontained the highest rate of carbonat 62 percent. The leaves containedthe lowest rate of carbon at twopercent (Figure 1).

Rate of carbon accumulation basedon the fresh biomass per tree type,tree parts, and diameter:The amount of accumulated carbon inthe tree was assessed based onspecies and growth, and furtheranalyzed against the percentage ofcarbon that had accumulated in eachtree part. This procedure determinedthe amount of carbon that had beenabsorbed.

Results of the analysis of variance(ANOVA) indicated that the rate ofcarbon absorption is different amongthe tree parts, and tree species.Therefore, when estimating CO

2

sequestration, calculations should bedone separately for each tree part and



Fig. 1. The average amount of carbon in each tree partas compared to the total amount of carbonaccumulated in the tree. Fig. 2. The relationship model between CO

2

sequestration of the tree and DBH.

tree species. Hence, the researchlooked into the relationship betweenthe CO

2 sequestration capacity of

tree parts and the other factors.

Moreover, the accumulated carboncontent is recognized by species.However, the procedure is difficult toapply in mixed, uneven-aged naturalforest, prompting the calculation ofthe average amount of carbon in thespecies.

Relationship between absorbed CO2

and the factors of the individual treesurvey:The relationship between the CO

2

absorbed by the whole tree and thefactors (DBH, H, V, and the treespecies) was analyzed by selectingthe relative optimal function throughthe highest relative coefficient at P <0.05 error. The multivariable functionwas applied to check the existence ofthe coefficients based on the criteriasimilar to P < 0.05 error.

Results confirmed that a relationshipbetween CO

2 and the three individual

tree survey factors is determined byD, H and V. The multivariable functionestimated the amount of CO

2

absorbed in the tree according toDBH (Figure 2).

The relationship between the amountof CO

2 absorbed in each tree part and

the individual tree survey criteria wasthen developed (Table 1).

The relative error for the estimatedamount of CO

2 of the whole tree (at

DBH), had an average error of 4.43percent. Thus, this method can be

applied to calculate many individualtrees in a forest.

On the other hand, the estimatedamount of CO

2 of the total tree,

through the stems, bark, branchesand leaves, had low error, averaging1.38 percent. Thus, this method canbe used to accurately estimate theamount of CO

2 absorbed by each tree.

Quantifying CO2 absorption based on

forest stand factors:In order to assess the economic valueof the environmental services, theamount of CO

2 absorbed in each unit

area of forest requires quantification.

To carry out this process, CO2 was

withdrawn from the samples andcalculated for each tree. Calculationswere based on estimates obtained forthe individual tree or for each tree part,whichever was more accurate.

In many cases, however, the amountof CO

2 absorbed in the forest stand

needs to be immediately assessed tocalculate the environmental value. Atthe same time, assessment of CO

2

accumulation is necessary over timeand on a large scale.

The research looked into therelationship between the total amountof absorbed CO

2 per hectare, and the

factors of the forest stand survey.Through a multiregression analysis,the following equation was obtained:

CO2/ha (kg) = - 53242.2 + 11508.035

BA (m2/ha)(5) with R2 = 0.987, P <0.05

This equation indicates that theamount of CO

2 absorbed in each

forest stand was identified. Thisequation can be used as the basis incalculating the environmental servicefee on a large scale.

Continued on page 10

Table 1. The relationship between the amount of CO2 in the different tree parts

and the individual tree variables.

Relative functions found R2 P

In (CO2 stem) = 6.15398 + 1.02468*In(V) 0.971 <0.05 (1)

In (CO2 bark) = 4.11447 + 1.06381*In(V) 0.936 <0.05 (2)

In (CO2 branch) = -4.11248 + 2.70337*In(D) 0.830 <0.05 (3)

In (CO2 leaf) = -2.941 + 1.72414*In(D) 0.861 < 0.05 (4)


Estimating CO2 sequestration...

The mathematical model also showsthat the absorbed amount of CO

2 per

hectare changes according to thebiomass on the ground, asrepresented by total BA.

These results indicate that estimatingthe amount of carbon or CO

2

absorbed in the woody vegetation inthe forest can be done through aprocess as shown in Figure 3.

Quantification of CO2 sequestration in

forest stands and its value forenvironmental services:The amount of CO

2 sequestered in

forest stands annually can becalculated through the mathematicalequation CO

2 (ton/ha) = - 53.242 +

11.508 BA (m2/ha). If BA is measuredtwice, once in year A and once inyear A+1, or based on the annualincrement of BA, the yearly increaseof CO

2 sequestration can be

estimated.

The results show that if forestmanagement were effective, theyearly absorption of CO

2 could reach

1.73 to 5.18 ton per hectare per year.

Fig. 3. Forecasting process of CO2 absorption inindividual tree and forest stand.

Table 2. The predicted economic values of the amount of CO2 absorbed

according to forest status.


The yearly value of accumulated CO2

per hectare is calculated through theyearly amount of CO

2 absorbed, and

multiplied by US$20 per ton of CO2

(medium cost).

Results indicate that carbonsequestration is valued from US$35 toUS$100 per hectare per year. This isconsidered a substantial amount forforest managers and indigenouscommunities who are protecting andmanaging the forests (Table 2).

Conclusions

From the above-mentioned results,the research concluded that:

Absorption of carbon isdetermined by forest conditions,tree part and tree species.Hence, carbon stock should becalculated first according to theforest condition. Moreover,calculations of CO

2 sequestration

are complicated as they dependon the tree species.The ability of the tree tosequester CO

2 could be

estimated using themathematical equation: DBH(ln(CO

2) = -1.78618 + 2.4799. It

could also be estimated usingregression analyses for each tree

part.By using the

regression method, theamount of CO

2 absorbed per

hectare was found related toBA through the equation:CO

2/ha (ton) = - 53.242 +

11.508BA (m2/ha). Throughthis equation, the yearlyaccumulation of CO

2 is

estimated to gain between

1.73 and 5.18 per tons perhectare per year, depending onthe status of the forests.

Absorbed CO2 capacity is valued at

US$35 to 100 per hectare per yeardepending on the forest status, andforest resource base through BA. Thiscan be used to calculate the potentialenvironmental service payment. Thiscan help determine the beneficialsources of income, which is verymeaningful for forest managers or theindigenous peoples who are at theforefront of forest management at thelocal level.

Recommendations

This research therefore recommendsthe following:

Carry out studies to look into theCO

2 absorptive capacity of trees,

and its environmental servicepayments;Development of an environmentalfee payment mechanism orpolicies for CO

2 sequestration of

natural forests;Application of research results ona large scale to further identifyCO

2 absorptive capacity through

the identified forest stand factors;andCarry out studies to explore theapplication of the above researchresults to other forest types ofdifferent status in the otherhighland areas of Vietnam. Assoc.Prof. Dr. Bao Huy is affiliated with TayNguyen University, Daklak, Vietnamand Pham Tuan Anh is affiliated with theDuc Lap Cafe Company, Dak NongProvince, Vietnam.


BA (m2/ha) at time A+1yr corresponding to grow per

year 1.5/year

Yearly absorbed CO2 (ton/ha)

Price (USD/ton CO2)

Yearly absorbed CO2 year/ha

(US$)

10.15 1.73 20 35

20.3 3.45 20 70

30.45 5.18 20 100


Fig. 2.Growthassessmentof bamboos.

Bambusetum: preservingbamboo species whilestrengthening onsite learningRichmund A. Palma ([email protected])

Bamboo has proven itself to be a vitalresource in contributing to thenational economy and ecologicalstability of the Philippines. Bambooculms have long been used asinexpensive materials for housing,furniture, handicraft, banana props,fish pens, and other products. Theyoung shoots of certain bamboospecies are gathered for food. Therhizomes and the roots prevent soilerosion and control floods (Rivera,1996).

Despite the versatility of bamboo, fewfarmers establish bambooplantations, even among those whoutilize bamboo regularly in theirfarms.

Research shows that supply ofbamboo is not sufficient to meet thedemand. Hence, production ofbamboo culms should be encouragedto increase the production of erectbamboos.

A bambusetum can help promote thisundertaking by demonstratingeconomical and profitable approachesin the propagation and managementof bamboos.

A bambusetum (bamboo arboreta orbamboo garden) is a living collectionof bamboo germplasm for theprotection of bamboo species,research and extension.

The Misamis Oriental State College ofAgriculture and Technology(MOSCAT) established abambusetum in their AgroforestryField Laboratory (AFL).

Establishment of the Bambusetumat AFL

The Bambusetum at AFL is aimed atconserving and propagating bamboos,particularly the rare, endemic andeconomically important species.Establishment involved the collectionof live specimens of native bamboos.

The Bambusetum also serves as ademonstration and research site foragroforesters, foresters, botanists,horticulturists, professionals, farmersand students. It shows how bambooscan help stabilize the soil in slopingareas.

Sourcing the plantingmaterials

The process of establishing abambusetum starts with obtaining thenecessary planting materials.

Bamboos are propagated usingpropagules. The propagules consist ofrhizomes (Figure 1), culm cuttings,and branch cuttings.

The bamboo propagules for theBambusetum at AFL were sourcedfrom the Ecosystem Research andDevelopment Services (ERDS) Region10 in Sumpong, Malaybalay City.Some propagules were taken from theBamboo Pilot Plantation at Canayan, Continued on page 12

Fig. 1.Rhizome ofGuadaangustifoliavar.multiplex.

Malaybalay City. Collection ofpropagules was funded by theSoutheast Asian Network forAgroforestry Education (SEANAFE)through the project titled‘Strengthening of the AgroforestryField Laboratory.’ Additional bamboopropagules were donated by privateindividuals.

Growth assessment andmonitoring

The details of each species, includingscientific names, provenances,features and economic/ecologicaluses, were recorded. These includedthe number of culms, color, lengthand diameter of the culms, length andwidth of leaves and others (Figure 2).

AGROFORESTRY PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT



Fig. 3. Guadua angustifolia var.bicolor (Iron bamboo).

Fig. 4. Schizostachyum brachycladium(Golden bamboo).

Fig. 5. Sasa palmata.

Bambusetum: preserving...Continued from page 11

Growth was compared across theprovenances.

Conservation and propagationof indigenous and exoticbamboo species

Seventeen species of erect,clumping, sympodial, monopodial,ornamental and industrial bambooswere conserved and propagated.Table 1 shows the provenance(source) of planting materialsintroduced at the Bambusetum.Fifty-nine percent were sourced fromERDS 10 Bambusetum, and51 percent were sourced fromMalaybalay City and Claveria,Misamis Oriental. Half of the numberof species planted could be used forindustrial or musical uses. Themajority of the species originatedfrom Asia. Only one species camefrom South America.

Table 2 presents the performance ofdifferent bamboo species in terms ofculm production, culm diameter, andculm height. Eight species wereplanted at the start of the project in2001. Most notably, the Guaduaangustifolia var. bicolor Kunthexhibited the most promising growth;

growing as much as 9.1meters and2.6 centimeters in diameter.

Education and research

AFL’s Bambusetum is beingcontinuously showcased during fieldtrips, visits and training programsconducted by MOSCAT for itsvisitors. The visitors are comprised ofstudents from other state collegesand universities, farmers, scientists,businessmen and professionals fromMindanao, Visayas, Luzon andabroad.

The Bambusetum AFL is used as afield laboratory for taxonomy,dendrology and other related subjectsof students taking a Diploma inAgroforestry Technology (DAFT) andBachelor of Science in Biology(BSBio). It also serves as a researcharea for student theses.

Impacts

AFL’s Bambusetum brought positivechanges to the educational,environmental and social developmentof MOSCAT. It provided a venue forthe laboratory sessions of studentsfrom various state universities andcolleges, and served as learning sitesfor organizations. Bamboos enhancedthe panorama of the landscape andgave new dimensions to the diversity

of the AFL. Deliberate steps wereeven undertaken to promote bamboosto the community.

The propagules harvested from theBambusetum were planted in differentareas around the campus to let thepeople know of the usefulness andimportance of bamboos.

The endemic and exotic bamboospecies have been successfullyestablished in MOSCAT’sBambusetum. They showed improvedrate of growth and increased numberof culms. In fact, the height ofGuadua angustifolia var. bicolorKunth exceeded that of otherprovenances by 48-264 percent. Thebamboo species that were introducedin 2007 were also found growingvigorously in the area.

The establishment of theBambusetum and other similardevelopment projects are crucial inhelping MOSCAT attain its four-foldfunction of research, instruction,production and extension.Besides serving as a learning tool,the Bambusetum and AFL have thepotential of becoming an income-generating project for MOSCAT. Thebamboos can be sold as ornamentalbamboos or its culms can bemodified to produce products ofcommercial value.



AGROFORESTRY EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Table 1. Bamboo species planted in Bambusetum, MOSCAT, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.

Collection number

Scientific name Commom name/Local name

Provenance/ Source

Origin/ Distribution

Use/Value Climatic requirement

1 Guadua angustifolia var. bicolor Kunth

Iron Bamboo ERDS 10 Bambusetum

Columbia Industry Tropical

2 Schizostachyum brachycladium Kurz.

Yellow Buho ERDS 10 Bambusetum

Malaysia Ornamental Tropical

3 Sasa palmate Nakai - ERDS 10 Bambusetum

Japan Ornamental Temperate

4 Phyllostachys bambusoides Sieb. ET. Zucc.

- ERDS 10 Bambusetum


5 Bambusa blumeana var. luzonensis

Bayog ERDS 10 Bambusetum

Philippines Industry Tropical

6 Bambusa tuldoides Munro Buddha Belly Bamboo ERDS 10 Bambusetum

China Ornamental Sub-tropical

7 Bambusa sp. Laak Can-ayan, Malaybalay City


8 Schizostachyum lumampao (Blanco) Merr.

Buho/Lakap ERDS 10 Bambusetum


9 Bambusa blumeana Schultes Kawayan tinik/Balatakan Can-ayan, Malaybalay City


10 Dendrocalamus asper (Schult) Backer ex Heyne

Giant Bamboo ERDS 10 Bambusetum

Burma Industry Sub-tropical

11 Bambusa multiplex Dwarf Stripe Bamboo Sumpong, Malaybalay City


12 Bambusa atra Long Tube Bamboo ERDS 10 Bambusetum

Indonesia Musical Instrument

Tropical

13 Bambusa Glaucescens f. elegance

Chinese Bamboo ERDS 10 Bambusetum

- Ornamental Sub-tropical

14 Bambusa olhamii Munro Oldham bamboo Sumpong, Malaybalay City

China Ornamental Sub-tropical

15 Thysostachys siamensis (Kurz) Gamble

- Sumpong, Malaybalay City

Thailand Industry Sub-tropical

16 Bambusa glaucescens Hedge Bamboo Sta. Cruz, Claveria - Ornamental Sub-tropical

17 Pleioblastus chino - Sumpong, Malaybalay City


Table 2. Performance of bamboo planted in the bambusetum as of May 2007.

Collection number

Scientific name Growth habit Date planted Plant type No. of culms

Culm production (2006)

Culm production (2007)

Culm diameter (cm)

Culm height (m)

01a Guadua angustifolia var. bicolor Kunth

Clump forming 2001 cutting 8 2 1 2.6 5.8

01b Guadua angustifolia var. bicolor Kunth


01c Guadua angustifolia var. bicolor Kunth


2 Schizostachyum brachycladium Kurz.

Clump forming 2001 Clump division 21 2 1 7.3 14.7

3 Sasa palmate Nakai Non-clump forming

2001 Seedling 3 1 2 0.2 0.3

4 Phyllostachys bambusoides Sieb. Et. Zucc.

Monopodial 2001 Divison 5 1 0 0.6 1.4

5 Bambusa blumeana var luzonensis

Clump forming 2001 Branch cutting 2 2 0 1.2 1.8

06a Bambusa tuldoides Munro Clump forming 2001 Culm cutting 9 1 1 6.5 4.6

06b Bambusa tuldoides Munro Clump forming 2001 Culm cutting 7 2 1 4.2 4.1

7 Bambusa sp. Clump forming 2004 Culm cutting - - - - -8 Schizostachyum

lumampao (Blanco) Merr.Clump forming 2001 Clump division 59 3 0 9.2 24.3

9 Bambusa blumeana Schultes


10 Dendrocalamus asper (Schult) Backer ex Heyne

Clump forming 2001 Branch cutting - - - - -

11 Bambusa multiplex Clump forming 2005 Seedling 4 1 2 0.6 0.812 Bambusa atra Clump forming 2006 Branch cutting - - - - -

13 Bambusa glaucescens f. elegance


14 Bambusa olhamii Munro Clump forming 2006 Branch cutting 3 2 1 2.4 4.1

15 Thysostachys siamensis (Kurs) Gamble


16 Bambusa glaucescens Clump forming 2003 Clump division 5 2 1 0.6 1.6

17 Pleioblastus chino Clump forming 2006 Clump division 5 2 0 0.4 1.2


Bambusetum: preserving...Continued from page 12

However, the 17 bamboo species arestill small in number as compared tothe total number of identified endemicand exotic species here and abroad.More effort should be exerted toincrease the species collection,expand the area and develop the sitefor recreation.

Areas for action

The Bambusetum in the AFL can stillbe improved through the following:

Implementation of studies on thepropagation and mass productionof available ornamental species ofbamboos;Evaluation of the environmentalimpacts of and provision ofassistance to the proposeddevelopment of the area forrecreation;Identification and performanceevaluation of the introducedbamboo species;Development of road systems;

Development of ornamental plantnurseries as an alternativeincome-generation project in theAFL; and

Fig. 6. Bambusa blumeana(Kawayan tinik).

Fig. 7. Bambusa multiplex(Honshou-chiku).

Dissemination of information onthe ecological and economicimportance of bamboo.

The establishment of theBambusetum was supported bySEANAFE. It was also done inpreparation for the First NationalTraining for Agroforestry Teachers(NTAT) that was held at MOSCAT in2001.

Through this small step, MOSCAThopes to increase bamboo culmproduction not only in MisamisOriental and Mindanao but also in thecountry.

References: 1) Decipulo, M.S. and R.S.Decipulo. 2005. Germplasmcollection, evaluation andcharacterization of the different species.DENR – ERDS, Cagayan de Oro City;2) Palma, N.A. 1996. Determination ofthe demand and supply situation ofBamboos in Bukidnon. Unpublished.DENR – ERDS, Cagayan de Oro City;3) Pattanavibool, R. 2006. Bambooresearch and development in Thailand.Royal Forest Department, Bangkok,Thailand; 4) Ramoran, E.B., Lapis, A.B.,and F.D. Virtucio. 1993. Production ofplanting stocks from rhizome offsetsculm cuttings and branch cuttings ofselected bamboo species. Sylvatrop,Volume 3 Number 2, July – December1993; 5) Ramyangsari, S. 1987.Bamboo Research in Thailand. Pp. 67

– 79 in Recent Research on Bamboos,Proceedings of the InternationalBamboo Workshop, Hongzhou,October 6 – 14, 1985. (A.N. Rao, G.Dhanarahan abd C.B. Sastry, eds.).CAF, Beijing and IDRC, Singapore; 6)Rivera, Merlyn N. 1996. PhilippineNational Report on Bamboo andRattan. Ecosystem Research andDevelopment Bureau, Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources(DENR). College, Laguna, Philippines.

The author is affiliated with the MisamisOriental College of Agriculture andTechnology, Claveria, Misamis Oriental,Philippines.



Agroforestry first captivated theattention of the scientific community inthe late 1970s. Today, agroforestry hascome of age—poised as a sustainableland use option the world over. Itspotential for achieving the goals of keyglobal environmental conventions —climate change, biodiversity, anddesertification, as well as theMillennium Development Goals — hasdrawn the interest of scientists andpolicy makers alike.

The Stern Review on the economics ofClimate Change, published at the endof 2006, put forests and land use firmlyback on the global agenda. The 12thClimate Change Convention of theParties (COP), co-hosted by the UnitedNations Environment Programme(UNEP) and the World AgroforestryCentre (ICRAF) in 2006 in Nairobi,Kenya, emphasized how crucial it is tolink carbon credits with smallholderagroforestry throughout the tropics.Scientists are working to developeffective and inexpensive methods toenable major carbon investment flowsto smallholders. Governments anddevelopment agencies worldwide arethus taking notice. Emergingpartnerships between institutionsengaged in agroforestry and biologicalconservation are building on theirrespective strengths to tackle thechallenges of protecting biodiversity.Indeed the role that agroforestry playsin tackling global environmentalproblems and poverty, has never beenmore widely appreciated.

It is against the backdrop of thesedynamic developments that the SecondWorld Congress of Agroforestry isbeing organized and to be held on 23-28 August 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya.

P. K. Ramachandran Nair ([email protected])

The First World Congress ofAgroforestry, held in 2004 in Florida,USA, provided a global forum foragroforestry professionals to shareknowledge, experiences and ideas,and to plan future strategies inagroforestry research, education andtraining and development. The SecondWorld Congress of Agroforestry willstrengthen the momentum ofknowledge-sharing and will furtherunderpin the enormous crescendo ofinterest in agroforestry that is buildingup worldwide. It will assessopportunities to leverage scientificagroforestry in promoting sustainableland use worldwide.

The Congress will serve as a forum foragroforestry researchers, educators,practitioners and policy makers fromaround the world to:

Share new research findings,lessons, experiences, and ideasthat will help influence decisionsthat impact livelihoods and theglobal environment;Explore new opportunities andcement existing partnerships inagroforestry research, education,training and development; andForm new networks andcommunities of practice whilenurturing old ones.

With the theme “Agroforestry – thefuture of global land use,” the SecondWorld Congress of Agroforestry willhighlight the following areas in itsplenary, symposia, and paper andposter sessions:

Markets as opportunities anddrivers of agroforestry land use;Tree-based rehabilitation ofdegraded lands and watersheds;Climate change adaptation andmitigation;

Presentations now beingaccepted for the 2nd WorldCongress of Agroforestry

Agroforestry’s contribution to amultifunctional agriculturecombining productivity withenvironmental sustainability; andPolicy options and institutionalinnovations for agroforestry landuse.

Those interested may submit theirpaper abstracts on or before 31 August2008.

The Congress is being organized as acollaborative effort by the WorldAgroforestry Centre (ICRAF), theUnited Nations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP) and the Institute ofFood and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)of the University of Florida.

For further details, visit http://worldagroforestry.org/wca2009/. Thefollowing persons may also becontacted for information onparticipation, co-sponsorship, ororganizing a technical session:

Dr. Dennis Garrity, World AgroforestryCentre (ICRAF), Kenya:[email protected]

Dr. P. K. Nair, University of Florida /IFAS, Forida, USA: [email protected]

Dr. Howard-Yana Shapiro, Mars,Incorporated, Virginia, USA:[email protected]

Michael Hailu, World AgroforestryCentre (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya:[email protected]

Dr. Mohamed Bakarr, ConservationInternational, Washington, DC:[email protected]. Theauthor is the Director of the Center forSubtropical Agroforestry (CSTAF), School ofForest Resources and Conservation, IFAS,University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611,USA.




Stakeholders plan foragroforestry developmentin the Philippinesfor the next decadeLeila D. Landicho ([email protected])

Participants of the ThirdNational Agroforestry Congressheld in November 2007,Philippines.

The national and regional congressesin agroforestry have become regularactivities of the PhilippineAgroforestry Education and ResearchNetwork (PAFERN). This policyadvocacy program started in 2003 foragroforestry stakeholders to discussand deliberate on issues andconcerns confronting agroforestrydevelopment in the Philippines.

The First National AgroforestryCongress in 2003 aimed at promotingthe convergence of agroforestrydevelopment efforts in the country.The Second National AgroforestryCongress in 2005, meanwhile, helpedinstitutionalize the science andpractice of agroforestry.

On 14-15 November 2007, the ThirdNational Agroforestry Congresshelped chart the path of agroforestrydevelopment in the Philippines for thenext decade. The congress enabledparticipants to share the bestpractices and trends in agroforestryeducation, and research anddevelopment programs in thePhilippines and the region. It alsoprovided the venue to discuss currentissues and concerns, and identifystrategies vis-à-vis the emergingtrends in agroforestry developmentand promotion.

Sharing best practices andtrends in agroforestry

Plenary and concurrent presentationsfocused on recent developments inagroforestry education, research andtechnology development; enterprisedevelopment; and extension andpolicy advocacy.

Among the papers presented inagroforestry education included:1) The status, trends andopportunities in agroforestryeducation in Southeast Asia;2) Improving forest and watershedmanagement programs throughmultilateral networking: experiencesof the Don Mariano Marcos MemorialState University; 3) Human resourcesdevelopment challenges in forestryeducation; 4) Agroforestrydevelopment and promotion: aglimpse of the Kalinga Apayao StateCollege (KASC) experience; and5) Agroforest/Tree domesticationfarming: An eight-year experience incollaborative forestry-agroforestryeducation, research and advocacy ofthe lone state college in Bohol.

Meanwhile, presentations onagroforestry research and technologydevelopment discussed: 1) The role ofstate colleges and universities inagroforestry research and technologydevelopment; 2) Physic Nut (Jatrophacurcas) based agroforestry system;3) Bamban (Donax cannaeformis K.Schum): its potentials for agroforestryproduction system;4) Assessment of selectedbarangays in the LagonoyWatershed usingparticipatory action research;and 5) Natural rubber: itsgreat potential for agroforestrysystems.

In agroforestry extension and policyadvocacy presentations included:1) A working model for Philippineforest restoration; 2) Participatoryconservation farming approachtowards sustainable use andmanagement of soil, water andagrobiodiversity in marginal areas;3) Land-use conversion and cropchange in Davao del Sur: criticalissues, effects, and policy options;4) Evaluation of agroforestry supportprogram for empowering communitiestowards self-reliance (ASPECTS) inMindanao; 5) Palawan StateUniversity’s experiences in theimplementation of a socializedintegrated forest managementprogram; and 6) Developingcommunity-based extension teamsand enhancing support systems forthe promotion of sustainableagroforestry systems: experiences inthe uplands of Southern Mindanao.

For the agroforestry enterprisedevelopment theme, thepresentations focused on:1) Agroforestry enterprisedevelopment: the case of Viloria’shillyland agroforestry farm; 2) Genderroles in production and marketingwithin the vegetable-agroforestrysystem in Bukidnon; and 3) Managingthe value chains for community-basedenterprises engaged in forest-basednon-timber forest products.

Thirteen agroforestry researches,projects and practices were alsopresented through posterpresentations. The presentations on“Agroforestry supportive social and



Participants deliberate on current issuesand concerns vis-a-vis emerging trendsin agroforestry development andpromotion in the Philippines.

technological interventions towardssustainable and thorough (ASSIST)empowerment: the case of theparticipatory upland developmentproject in Dampalit Watershed,Makiling Forest Reserve,” and the“Effects of ube (Dioscorea alata) andtugui (Dioscorea esculenta) as alleycrops and different fertilizertreatments on soil physical andchemical properties in an establishedKakawate hedgerows,” won theOutstanding Agroforestry Project andOutstanding Agroforestry Researchprizes respectively. The poster papertitled “Permanent trellis inagroforestry systems with vegetablesin the uplands of Nagcarlan, Laguna,Philippines” was given the SpecialAward for Agroforestry Practice.

Recognizing issues, concerns, andknowledge gaps in agroforestry

Despite initial efforts to sustaindevelopment in the past decades, thePhilippine uplands continue to facemajor problems and issues. Amongthem are upland migration,environmental degradation, low farmproductivity and income, limitedlivelihood opportunities for uplandfarmers, climate change, land-usechanges, biodiversity loss andinsecure land tenure. Conflictingpolicies in forest conservation andmanagement, poverty, overpopulation,deforestation and other illegalactivities, mining, lack of capital,weak infrastructure development -including roads from farms tomarkets, and lack of marketingoutlets for the farm products arelikewise persistent problems.

Charting the path of agroforestrydevelopment

The 155 Congress delegates believedthat agroforestry plays a vital role inaddressing the numerous issues andconcerns confronting Philippineuplands and its communities. Hence,the delegates outlined key strategiesto provide directions for agroforestrypractitioners to address theseconcerns. These strategies werecategorized based on the Congress’sthree themes.

In agroforestry education, forinstance, efforts should be aimed atproviding mechanisms to: a) developmore effective teaching methods andapproaches; b) implement more basicand applied researches; c) organizeseminars, advocacy programs, andother capability-building activities;d) strengthen partnerships with theindustry and private sector; ande) upgrade staff competencies,facilities and equipment, and libraryresources to help produce qualityagroforestry graduates.

Meanwhile, agroforestry extension andpolicy advocacy initiatives shouldemphasize: a) mainstreaming ofagroforestry; b) redirection ofgovernment programs to promotepublic awareness on agroforestry’spotentials; c) harmonization of publicpolicies governing uplanddevelopment, and to some extent,agroforestry promotion; andd) mobilization of resources.

The delegates have also foreseen theactive role of agroforestry researchand technology development in thenext decade, specifically focusing onthe: 1) promotion of viable agroforestrysystems and technologies;2) adoption of appropriate agroforestrypractices; 3) assessment andevaluation of the different agroforestrysystems that are being practiced bythe farmers and institutions;4) convergence of research programsof various agencies; and 5) speciesmatching and cropping combinationsfor the different agroforestry systems.

In agroforestry enterprisedevelopment, meanwhile, effortsshould be aimed at: 1) getting theright information to produce, process,and market the correct farm products;2) disseminating information to thegrassroots or end users; 3) utilizingstate colleges and universities todisseminate technologies to farmersor community-based enterprises;4) developing a channel foragroforestry technologies or productsto reach markets; and 5) employing amultidisciplinary approach in thedevelopment of community-basedenterprises.

The participants expressed highhopes that when agroforestrystakeholders convene again for theFourth National AgroforestryCongress in 2009, the issues andchallenges that emerged during theThird Congress, would have beenpartly, if not fully, addressed by theconcerned sectors. It was alsosuggested that people’sorganizations and farmers’ groupsshould be invited and encouraged toactively participate in succeedingagroforestry congresses.

The Third National AgroforestryCongress was organized byPAFERN, in collaboration with theDon Mariano Marcos Memorial StateUniversity (DMMMSU)-North LaUnion Campus in Bacnotan, LaUnion, and the University of thePhilippines Los Baños-Institute ofAgroforestry (UPLB-IAF). The authoris affiliated with the Institute of Agroforestry,UP Los Baños, College, Laguna,Philippines.


INFORMATION SOURCES

The Training Center for TropicalResources and EcosystemsSustainability (TREES) is offering 14international training courses forindividuals engaged in sustainableforest, natural resources, environmentand ecosystems management andother related fields. The courses for2008 and 2009 are as follows:

Securing Livelihood and Forestrythrough Integrated Rural Development(SELF)13 May to 9 June 2008;12 May to 8 June 2009

Forest Products Marketing(PROMARK)3 to 30 June 2008;2 to 29 June 2009

TREES course offeringsfor 2008 and 2009Corazon Calimag ([email protected])

Policy Formulation, Analysis andAdvocacy in Forestry, NaturalResources and Environment(ADVOCACY)24 June to 21 July 2008;23 June to 20 July 2009

Scaling-up Agroforestry for Livelihoodand Sustainable Development(SAFE-DEV)15 July to 11 August 2008;14 July to 10 August 2009

Geomatics for Natural ResourcesManagement (GEO-NRM)5 August to 1 September 2008;4 to 31 August 2009

Small-Scale Forest ProductsEnterprise Development andManagement (ENTERPRISE)26 August to 22 September 2008;5 August to 21 September 2009

Forest Landscape Restoration(RESTORE)23 September to 20 October 2008;22 September to 19 October 2009

Participatory Approaches in Forestryand Natural Resources DevelopmentProjects (PARTEF)14 October to 10 November 2008;3 October to 9 November 2009

Sustainable Forest Management toMitigate Climate Change (CLIMATE)4 November to 1 December 2008;3 to 30 November 2009

Forest Utilization Technologies forSustainable Development (FUTECH)4 November to 1 December 2008;3 to 30 November 2009

For further inquiries, please contact:The Director, TREES, College ofForestry and Natural Resources, UPLos Baños, College, Laguna,Philippines 4031, Tel. +63 495362736/2268; Fax: +63 49 5363340;E-mail: [email protected]. The authoris Director of TREES, UP Los Baños,College, Laguna, Philippines.

Sharing Power: A Global Guide toCollaborative Management ofNatural Resources (2nd Ed)

Written by Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend,Michel Pimbert, Taghi Farvar, AshishKothari, and Yves Renard, this bookdistils the wealth of experience andinnovative approaches developed bypeople engaged in the managementof forests, agricultural land, waterresources, and fishing. It highlightsthe concept of co-management whichis the process of collectiveunderstanding and actions by localcommunities and other social actors.This book discusses how states andlocal communities, or communitiesand other communities can sharepower. It outlines processes on howto frame, prepare, and actuallyengage in co-management. For moreinformation, visit http://www.iied.org/.

Toward Agroforestry Design

Edited by Shibu Jose and AndrewGordon, this book is an important

The following publications arecompiled through research and fromthe websites of the Food andAgriculture Organization, SpringerPublications, International Institute forEnvironment and Development, EarthPrint, the United NationsEnvironmental Programme, and theCenter for International ForestryResearch:

Mountains: Sources of Water,Sources of Knowledge

Edited by Ellen Wiegandt, this bookaddresses the major challenges inassuring globally sustainable wateruse. Paradoxically, water resourceshave been identified both as tooplentiful, producing major disasters,and increasingly vulnerable toshortages. Addressing both of these

New publicationsfor the bookshelf

aspects requires attention to physicalhydrological processes as well ashuman activities that affect watersupply and demand. Mountainregions are the sources of many greatwater systems. They often have longtraditions of effective watermanagement. Hence, they providespecial insights into the generalproblems of water use, includingupstream-downstream andtransboundary relations, as well asnatural hazard management.

This volume addresses the criticalcontemporary and global issues bydiscussing global change processeswith focus on mountain regions.Discussions will hopefully helpexamine important environmental andpolicy questions related to waterresources. For more information, visithttp://www.springer.com/.


WEBSITES AND LINKS

reference for those who wish toexplore or manage the physiologicaland ecological processes whichunderlie resource allocation and plantgrowth in agroforestry systems.Drawing together a wide range ofexamples from around the world, thebook highlights how recentdevelopments in agroforestry researchcan contribute to the improvedunderstanding of agroforestry systemfunctions. It also discusses thepotential application of agroforestry inaddressing a range of land-usechallenges in both tropical andtemperate regions of the world.

Including both original research andsynthetic analyses, the bookpresents examples from a wide rangeof environments. It focuses largely onresource allocation – both above andbelow-ground – including anassessment of the recent advances in

analytical and modeling tools. Itconcludes with a synthesis of the keyquestions and research gapshighlighted throughout the text.For more information, visit http://www.springer.com/.

Working with Farm Innovators

Farmers have been innovating forcenturies - primarily for their families’economic survival. Their technologicalinnovations have resulted in new andimproved crops, livestock, tools andmachinery, and ecosystemsustainability. Yet, farmerexperimentation and innovation remainan untapped resource in severalcountries. In fact, farmers receive verylittle recognition for their efforts, eventhough they provide scientific andengineering breakthroughs. Within thepast few years, there has been aresurgence of interest in building on

farmer experimentation andinnovation. The international focus ondocumenting farmers’ experimentsand innovations has opened doors forthe protection and promotion of theirtraditional knowledge. It even providedopportunities to integrate modernscience into their traditionalpractices. However, to achievesignificant strides in building on thisvaluable resource requires a changeof mindset of scientists in developingand developed countries, andcapacity building in the identificationand evaluation of farmerexperimentation and innovations.There must be a meeting of minds offarmers, scientists and policymakers.Written by William Critchley, thisguide paves the way for strengtheningthat interface. For more information,visit http://www.springer.com/.

Compiled by Leah P. Arboleda

Useful websites and links

Global Institute ofSustainable Forestry

The Institute identified several key,high priority issues or focal areas intoformal research and educationprograms. These programs includelandscape management, privateforests, tropical forestry, amongothers. It also sponsors and supportsregular activities such as theInternship Program, Journal ofSustainable Forestry, SustainableForestry Library, Working PapersSeries, Fact Sheets and highlycomplex and controversial issues andthemes. For more information, visithttp://research.yale.edu/gisf/index.html.

African Mountain Forum

The Forum supports networking andcapacity building. Membership is freeas it encourages members to beproactive in advocating for thesustainable development of mountainareas.

The site provides a description of itsservices, which are offered for freeand open to anyone who wishes toparticipate. These services include:

Membership database whichconsists of individuals andinstitutions involved in sustainablemountain development - thedatabase may help peopleestablish and build linkages andpartnerships, or share ideas andexperiences;Discussion lists that enable theForum to moderate geographicand thematic theme discussions;Online library which consists ofmembers’ contributions ofarticles, abstracts, and otherdocuments on relevant mountainissues - The Mountain ForumOnline Library is a repository ofinformation and knowledge, avaluable and unique resource foranyone interested in mountainissues. Most are in English, butthere are also documentsavailable in Spanish and French;

Mountain calendar which enablesthe Forum to maintain andmanage a global calendar ofevents related to mountain issues- it also lists upcoming activitiesand events around the world. Thisis hosted in the server of theFood and AgricultureOrganization of the UnitedNations;Bi-annual bulletin which is thepublication of the Forum andpublished online and mailed inhard copies to the organizationalmembers; andE-conference services, which areoffered by the Forum toorganizations and stakeholderswho have need of such services -among its clients were theMountain Partnerhsip, the UnitedNations Environment Programme,and other regional and localorganizations.

For more information, visit http://www.mtnforum.org/rn/amf.cfm.

Tree Aid

Tree Aid funds projects that focus onthe sustainable management of


Call for contributionsWe are inviting contributions for the33rd and 34th issue of the Asia-Pacific Agroforestry Newsletter(APANews) on or before30 June 2008 and 31 January 2009,respectively.

Let us help you share the relevantprograms and projects that you aredoing in the areas of agroforestryresearch, promotion anddevelopment, and education andtraining.

Contributions for agroforestryresearch may contain results of shortand long-term studies onagroforestry.

Contributions for agroforestrypromotion and development maycontain information on variousextension services aimed atpromoting and developingagroforestry among communities.Contributions for agroforestryeducation and training may contain

announcements on conferences,symposiums, training opportunitiesand other news on the various effortsbeing made toward generating moreagroforestry professionals andpractitioners, and providing venues forinterpersonal sharing of agroforestryinformation, and networkingopportunities.

We will also help you announce newinformation sources and usefulwebsites.

For several years now, APANews hascontinued to reach out to people fromvarious sectors. We are thusrequesting interested contributors toadopt simple, straightforward andpopular style in writing articles.By adopting the popular writing style,your articles can help farmers,development agents, researchers,practitioners and other interestedindividuals in coping with thechallenges of promoting anddeveloping agroforestry in their

respective countries, and at any levelof project or research implementation.

FAO and IAF editors would like toaccommodate as many articles aspossible in every issue. Hence,kindly limit your contributions to1 000 words, and include good-qualityphotographs (scanned at 300 dpi) thatare properly labeled and referred to inthe text. Please include yourcomplete contact details, especiallyyour E-mail address, should thereaders have questions, clarificationsor requests for further information.

Kindly send contributions throughE-mail as attachments or via snailmail in diskettes/CD-ROM or printedform to the FAO/RAP Office or to theUPLB Institute of Agroforestry, 2/FTamesis Hall, College of Forestry andNatural Resources, UP Los Baños,PO Box 35023, College, 4031Laguna, Philippines;Fax +63 49 5363809; E-mail:[email protected],[email protected],[email protected].

Useful websites...

natural woodlands, establishimentand management of tree nurseries,growing trees on and around farmlandand villages, development of income-generation activities based on treeproducts (such as fruits, oils, honey,and medicines); and agroforestry toimprove and conserve agriculturalsoils so that people can grow morefood.

Since it was established, Tree Aidhas supported work in 14 Africancountries. It focuses on fewerlocations in Ethiopia, Mali, BurkinaFaso, and northern Ghana to improveeffectiveness and efficiency inchannelling funds and expertise. Formore information, visit http://www.treeaid.org.uk/.

Conservation International (CI)

CI aims to conserve the Earth’s livingheritage, global biodiversity, and todemonstrate that human societies are

able to live harmoniously with nature.CI applies innovations in science,economics, policy, and communityparticipation to protect the Earth’srichest regions of plant and animaldiversity in the hotspots, majortropical wilderness areas and keymarine ecosystems. Withheadquarters in Washington, D.C., CIworks in more than 30 countries onfour continents.

For its programs, CI combinesscientific knowledge with expertise inspecialized fields to achieveconservation solutions, anddemonstrate the value of partnershipsthrough advice on best practices andimplementation of conservationsolutions in the field. CI also providesfinancial support to conservationefforts run by local conservationists.CI’s programs include business andenvironment, climate change,conservation enterprises, conservationpolicies, ecotourism, global

awareness, population, research andscience and biodiversity.For more information, visit http://www.conservation.org/Pages/default.aspx.

Relevant Links

Environmental BambooFoundation. http://bamboocentral.org/index1.htm

Experience International. http://www.expint.org/history.html

Green Universe EnvironmentalServices Society (GUESS). http://www.guessindia.org/whyguess.html

Kootenay Permaculture Institute.http://www3.telus.net/permaculture/

Pro-Natura International. http://www.pronatura.org/en/about.html

Compiled from Wiser Earth (http://www.wiserearth.org) by Leah P. Arboleda


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NO. 32 z MAY 2008 z ISSN 0859-9742 · medicinal plant. It is a densely branched shrub that reaches...

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