1. Land health surveillance for four sites in Malawi Joyce Njoloma

2. Introduction Malawi falls within the Miombo forest region Miombo woodlands are seasonally dry, deciduous, relatively open woodlands which support a fast-growing population depending primarily on subsistence farming

3. Figure 1. Map of LDSF sites with mean annual rainfall for Malawi.

4. District/Sit e Populatio n* Population density* (km 2 ) Poverty** (%) Current Cropping practice Kasungu- Kasu 616,0857830-40 Maize/tobacco/ground- nut rotation, or continuous maize Neno- Mwan † 94,4764140-60Maize, citrus Ntchisi- Visa †† 224,09813550-60 Maize/soya/groundnut rotation, or continuous maize Salima-Sali340, 32715550-60Maize/cassava, cotton Table 1. Description of the four districts. Malawi 2008 Census Report **Malawi Poverty and Vulnerability Ass. 2006 † Neno district was created from a division of Mwanza district in 2003. †† Visanza was an older name for Ntchisi district.

5. Objectives of the study To assess land health, providing a baseline assessment of soil physical and vegetation characteristics and condition (health) at a landscape level, To identify where land health may be particularly at risk in the four LDSF sites.

6. Methodology The framework used in the study was the Land Health Surveillance draw from the scientific principles used in public health surveillance, to measure and monitor land health indicators (UNEP, 2012).

7. Preliminary results

8. Cluster No.KasunguVisanzaSalimaMwanza 1280092.875262.5 253018.5572.3750 3730162.175115.375117.5 4952.5281.5169.712.5 5861.258025.7292.5 6380130.868.20 782.597.1566.317.5 8432.5410.8591.32577.5 9627.5534.4754.05110 10390176.2564.77577.5 11272.5407.7532.4265 1222.5388.7562.625287.5 13330385.77531.4595 14195432.42562135 15620298.75680 167.5545.3564.9250 Average42027268109 Table 2: Tree density

9. Table 3 Estimated area under cultivation or management in each cluster for each of the five blocks (names are abbreviated). KasuMwanSaliVisa Cluster % area 180010030 280ND 1 70 3804050100 49010010100 5400100 670ND10080 77002040 86050 70 920 5070 1030080100 115009060 1270103090 1350040 14500 90 1530ND70100 1660ND2070 Average 2 58185876 1 ND=no data

10. Maize yield (t/ha) and number of food secure months were better among beneficiaries of AFSP than non-beneficiaries Results from the Malawi Agroforestry Food Security Program (AFSP) (2007-2011)

11. Results from Malawi Agroforestry Food Security Program (2012-2013) Yield (t ha -1 ) Tree species20122013 Gliricidia sepium3.6 Tephrosia vogelii3.13.4 Pigeon pea3.13.0 Faidherbia albida3.1 Sesbania sesban3.1-- Control fields2.72.8 Data from total number of 242 and 210 fields sampled in 2012 and 2013

12. Challenges -Slow up-take/adoption by farmers - Tree planting is a long-term investment … farmers discount the future -Knowledge and skills in tree management -Access to planting material -Bush fires destroying new plantings -Free ranging livestock -Diversity of conditions knowledge gaps about species suitability

13. Challenge: High within field spatial variability Homestead: high fertility Out field: low fertility Out field: medium fertility Fertility gradient

14. Challenge: Diversity of conditions 14

15. Conclusion LDSF work will help in fertilizer tree targeting and other tree conservation activities