1. FRAMEWORK OF THE PROJECT
Profitable Farms and Forests: A Practical Guide For Farmers and Woodland Owners
J.O. Idassi and O.S. Isikhuemhen (North Carolina Agricultural & Technological State University); F. Mrema (Tennessee State University); D. Hill (University of Kentucky); G. Boyd (Alcorn State University),
S. Workman (University of Georgia), R. Fraser, C. Christian, and R. Mentreddy (Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University); O. Onokpise (Florida A&M University), J. Hamilton (Haywood Community College),
D. Walters (University of Missouri Columbia) and F. Namwamba (Southern University Agricultural & Mechanical College)
INTRODUCTION
Many small farms and woodland owners are reluctant to produce tree-based products using traditional forestry practices because the time between planting and income generation is so long. Agroforestry offers advantages over forestry in producing agricultural products throughout the life of the tree so that income flow is not interrupted. Currently there is no single practical handbook to guide small farmers and woodland owners in designing, establishing, managing and marketing agroforestry projects that are sustainable. The Agroforestry Consortium team comprised of both 1890 and 1862 agroforestry specialists is developing an agroforestry working manual that aims at educating small farmers and private woodland owners on productivity and sustainability. The manual will seek to achieve these goals by improving the capacity of natural resource educators and landowners to develop woodland management practices that are adequately diverse, integrated, profitable, healthy and sustainable.
TARGETED AUDIENCE
Our targeted audience involves small farmers and forest land owners with special emphasis on the underserved and limited resource landowners that have not been served by local, state and federal programs. The audience will also include educators, scientists and anyone in the general public interested in designing, implementing and assessing the performance of promising agroforestry practices.
FRAMEWORK OF THE PROJECT
For the team to work together various handbook writing sessions were conducted to design and develop the contents of the handbook. Sessions were held in:
Birmingham AL, May 2-3, 2008: The team together with one farmer from Tennessee met to lay down the framework of the project. Each chapter should have no more than ten pages. A success story (no more than two pages) from a landowner will be added to every chapter. The Handbook Contents are:
Introduction: Economic Potential / Outlook and Feasibility (marketing);
Production Methods: Establishment of Costs (accessibility and availability of materials) and Site Selection;
Marketing: Research and Time Schedule; 4. Value-Added Processing;
Regulations and; 6. Local Resources; 7. Success stories
Sessions were held in several sites to develop the first draft of the handbook :
Atlanta GA, November 14, 2008; 2. Huntsville, AL, December 18, 2008; and
3. Chattanooga, TN, January, 24-25, Final session for the Team was held in Columbia Missouri during the North American Agroforestry Conference. The team decided to conduct one focus group to review the first draft of the handbook.
Focus Group Session: Forty three landowners reviewed the first draft
Salient themes from the Atlanta Workshop of July 13-14, 2009 :
Must emphasize on smaller pocket size HOW TO handbook s for each chapter
Add sections with commercial herbs and flowers production
Improve the links for available resource opportunities through the USDA agencies and public and private resource centers
How to best harvest pine straw for landscaping and how to access markets
Need to develop reading materials and design some demonstrations to provide hands on examples targeting youth in natural resource management
Develop a section on renewable resources for alternative energy (i.e., biomass)
Need strong alliances among the Land Grant Universities, specifically those with
programs in agriculture and natural resources, such as, Alabama A&M, Tennessee State University, North Carolina A&T and others.
Develop a list of alternative crops needed for sustainable agriculture
Develop a new section with ecosystem services focusing on green infrastructure, wildlife and fisheries
Agroforestry begins with placing the right plant, in the right place, for the
right purpose.
Alley Cropping
Mushrooms
Windbreaks
Christmas Trees
Riparian Buffer Strips
SIX AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES
This practical guide for landowners will focus at the six main agroforestry practices :
Alley Cropping is planting rows of trees at wide spacing with a companion crop grown in the alleyways between the rows. Alley cropping can diversify farm income, improve crop production and provide protection and conservation benefits to crops.
Forest Farming, high-value specialty crops are grown under the protection of a forest canopy that has been modified to provide the correct shade level. Crops like ginseng, shiitake mushrooms, and decorative ferns are sold for medicinal, culinary, and ornamental uses.
Riparian Forest Buffers are living filters comprised of trees, shrubs, forbs and grasses, including native plants, established in distinct zones. They enhance filtration of nutrients from surface run-off and shallow ground water, and these excess nutrients are utilized for plant growth.
Silvopasture is the intentional combination of trees, forage and livestock managed as a single integrated practice. In a typical silvopasture practice, perennial grasses and/or grass-legume mixes are planted between rows of trees for livestock pasture.
Windbreaks are planned and managed as part of a crop and/or livestock operation to enhance production, protect livestock, and control soil erosion. Field windbreaks protect a variety of wind- sensitive row, cereal, vegetable, orchard and vine crops, control wind erosion, and increase bee pollination and pesticide effectiveness.
Green Infrastructure and Ecosystems Services highlighting the interconnection of forests, wetlands and rivers
Medicinal plants
Silvopasture
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Short Term
Increased participation by limited resources, minority and non-traditional landowners in the sustainable management of their land;
Increased awareness of available federal, state and local assistance programs;
Intermediate Term
Landowners adopt agroforestry practices and other alternative technologies.
Landowners to develop woodland management practices that are adequately diverse, integrated, profitable, healthy and sustainable.
Improving the capacity of natural resource educators by providing educational materials the meets the needs of the targeted audiences.
Long term
Underserved , limited resources and non-traditional landowners operating profitable natural resources based enterprises (i.e.; production of shitake mushrooms; medicinal plants and eco-tourist).
Gained knowledge of availability of programs and educational materials meeting the needs and issues of the minority, limited and non-traditional audiences.
Improved livelihoods and sustainability of farms and forest resources.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
The green infrastructure and ecosystem services will highlight an interconnection of forests, wetlands and rivers. A natural support system that:
Supports native species and habitats
Maintains ecological processes and functions
Sustains air and water resources
Contributes to the health and quality of life for communities and people
For Additional Agroforestry Information
USDA National Agroforestry Center:
UMCA, University of Missouri publications and DVDs :
Center for Subtropical Agroforestry:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We appreciate the support we received from the National Agroforestry Center in Lincoln, Nebraska and University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry, Columbia, MO. USA