Land health surveillance for four sites in Malawi Joyce Njoloma

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

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

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

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.

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).

Preliminary results

Cluster No.KasunguVisanzaSalimaMwanza Average Table 2: Tree density

Table 3 Estimated area under cultivation or management in each cluster for each of the five blocks (names are abbreviated). KasuMwanSaliVisa Cluster % area ND ND ND ND2070 Average ND=no data

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) ( )

Results from Malawi Agroforestry Food Security Program ( ) Yield (t ha -1 ) Tree species Gliricidia sepium3.6 Tephrosia vogelii Pigeon pea Faidherbia albida3.1 Sesbania sesban3.1-- Control fields Data from total number of 242 and 210 fields sampled in 2012 and 2013

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

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

Challenge: Diversity of conditions 14

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