Climate Action Uganda Project #36686

Agroforestry with refugees and hosts in NW Uganda

by International Centre for Research in Agroforestry

Project Report | Apr 16, 2023
Advice to refugees: "Plant trees to add on to what you have, and prune, don't clear fell"

By Cathy Watson | Chief of Partnerships

Collecting seeds of Afzelia Photo by J Osidi

In early March, the team implementing this project gathered outside Kampala at Uganda's national forestry research insitute. Project leader Sola said the aim was to "appreciate each other, look at what we have promised our donors, and discuss how we meet the obligations, the status of delivery and how we keep track".

A twelve hour bus journey from the refugee-hosting landscape where we have worked since 2018, the two day meeting was a pivot moment and chance to reconnect and refresh. We began with introductions.

"My role is help refugees to meet their tree-related needs," said Tiko, who runs our intervention with households in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement.

"We encourage refugees to grow trees for many benefits like poles, fruit, medicine, and soil and water conservation," said Joel, who leads our work in Imvepi Refugee Settlement.

"I feel passionately about environment," said John, who leads the project's learning center and large nursery. "I manage production of the indigenous and exotic species that we give to communities and trainings on agroforestry."

Our host was Erik. "At ICRAF we do research and transform lives," said ICRAF's representative in Uganda.

Describing herself as a tiger in a team-building exercise, Sola said the project was now keenly focusing on scaling up agroforestry and nature-based solutions, including home gardens, trees in institutions and assisted natural regeneration of trees. Still, the prime focus in the meeting was our longstanding approach and how to better it.

Raising and offering seedlings of a range of species to the refugees from South Sudan and adjacent Ugandan families has had clear benefits. To cite two, refugees with longer exposure to our approach derive more fuelwood from their plots and less from the forest than less exposed housefolds, and have more fruit for consumption and sale.

What was different in this meeting, however, is that we had data that showed for the first time numbers of seedlings raised, distributed, planted and survived. This allows us to examine our assumptions. Maximum respect goes to the field team for maintaining good records and to Sola for investing in this.

The results are rich with some surprises. With some species that we believed refugees wanted, such as mango and jackfruit, less than 50% of seedlings distributed were planted. In contrast, despite worries about indigenous trees not being highly desired, we found that an astounding 94% of Albizia coriaria and 96% of mahogany (Khaya spp.) seedlings that were distributed were planted.

Albizia coriaria also had the second highest survival rate - 74% - after Gmelina aborea, the fast growing exotic timber tree, our most popular tree, which had a survival rate of 89% and made up 27% of all seedlings distributed.

In total, we distributed 103,013 seedlings of 22 species - 13 indigenous, five naturalized and four exotic - of which 72,304 were planted and monitored: of these, 46,173 survived. Overall, the survival rate was 64% percent.

So what do we want to improve? It may seem evident to you as a donor and reader. But clearly we need to provide seedlings of species that are wanted, at the right time - when the rains are impending or started - and we need to improve uptake (planting of what is distributed) and survival. Here the team had plenty of thoughts.

"What has brought us here to this meeting is the 'how'," said ICRAF country representative Erik. "We do not want to off load species to hit targets. We need better tree planting preparedness. That will give us much higher survival."

"We should never distribute seedlings when the holes are not ready," said Joel. "Our community based facilitators can alert us when a community has prepared the land."

The team said too that we needed to work more with groups. "Adoption of trees and agroforestry is about peer to peer not targeting households," said Sola. "When you work with groups, by the time you leave, you have touched 50 people."

It was agreed that we would work mostly with existing groups, as NGOs have already fostered a large number in the settlements. "We don't have to form too many groups, when there are already many," said John.

Groups and asking more from communities in terms of land preparation and readiness are major pivots for us and need more resources. But we are undaunted.

Finally, the meeting had a rich discussion about whether we might be having any unintended consequences, a common occurrence in projects. Could we be, for instance, disinhibiting cutting of trees, particularly indigenous ones, by handing out seedlings without sufficient dialogue with the population?

Here the field team was also ready with its response. It was not the first time it had thought about this. They did not say that we were disinhibiting tree cutting but it was clearly a possibility that they addressed.

"We need to take time to explain the value of each tree," said Tiko. "I normally tell families that the major purpose of the project is regreening the landscape. I say - plant trees to add on to what you have. I also say - don't cut trees, prune them."

"Yes, we have to ensure that families do not cut to plant," said Joel. "We want them to work with what they have. If you cut one, it's not a sin. But we don't want clear felling. Judicious cutting is part of sustainable management."

We would like to thank all of you who have donated to this valiant project which, as you can see, is edging forward with deep thought and hard work. Tree growing is not a picnic. But every indigenous seedling that reaches 1-2 meters is likely to stay, offering endless ecosystem services. And every exotic is offering the rapid returns that the refugees and hosts need too.

We are going for the best mix of the two. More about that in our next report. I have eyes on 28 species and a rationale for each. Watch this space. And thanks again so much for your tireless support. For those who donate regularly, my heart melts when I see your name. About those who are not regular donors, we feel just as warmly! We are aware of the global economic slow down. To all, donate when and as you can. Thanks!

Seed of Afzelia, key indigenous tree Photo J Osidi

The cook for the meeting prepares local food

Project leaders & managers assemble to deliberate

Sola graphs it: trees most important in dry season

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Plant for the Planet restoration and agroforestry standards

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Dec 19, 2022
In a small project with outsized impact, a backbone of trees is key to stability of refugee family

By Cathy Watson | Chief of Partnerships

Refugee Amule has planted several hundred trees

Isaac David, 35, and Betty, 30, are a hardworking married couple. Refugees since 2017, they have been in our agroforestry program since 2018. They currently tend a whopping 534 trees – a figure way beyond our expectations.

Our early research showed refugees willing to plant up to 55 trees on the 50 x 50-meter plot allocated to them by the Ugandan government and UN. Isaac and Betty have far surpassed this by absorbing the 50 x 50 m² plot of Isaac’s brother who returned to South Sudan and by renting from Ugandan villagers nearby (a quarter acre costs the equivalent of $27 a year).

From the start, they needed trees. “Our plots were earlier occupied by refugees who were repatriated. They left the area depleted of natural resources” says Betty.

But the family has also showed huge vitality and get go. “This is a very active family where every member of the family participates,” says ICRAF forester and field assistant Joel Adriko who has worked with them for four years.

The team work has paid off. The Amule household has an impressive 14 species of trees.

- seven species of fruit/food trees (mango, papaya, guava, Annona or soursop, avocado, jackfruit, and moringa, which has edible leaves, for a total of 95 trees);

- two species of nitrogen-fixing soil-improving woody fodder shrubs (Calliandra calothyrsusand Sesbania sesbans, for a total of 29 trees);

- two exotic timber species (Gmelina arborea and Azadirachta indicaor Neem, which is also medicinal, for a total of 167 trees) mostly in woodlots at 1 to 2 meters spacing;

- one fast-growing timber tree native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania but not Uganda (Melia volkensii, for a total of 171 trees) also largely in woodlots;

- and two indigenous timber trees (40 fast-growing, bee-friendly, yellow-flowering and largely termite resistant Markhamia lutea and five African mahogany – Khaya grandifoliola - for a total 45 trees)

It is still a hard life. But all the school-aged children are in enrolled, and the family can feed itself and buy some of the items it needs. Among their trees, they cultivate tomatoes, eggplant, onions, pumpkin, pigeon peas, okra, broad beans, maize, groundnuts (peanuts), cassava and sweet potatoes.

We believe their success is in large part due to the backbone of trees.

Every construction in the homestead is hammered together from wood. Its livestock - goats, sheep, pigs, ducks, chicken, and pigeons - flourish in tree shade (less heat stress, more weight gain). The poultry is safe at night from wild animals such as civets in a wooden coop. The goats and sheep munch on the protein-rich leaves of fodder trees.

Betty and her adolescent daughters rarely have to venture into the bush for firewood, and Isaac industriously makes wood items for sale such as beds and tables. His poles of Neem and Melia volkensii sell each for 7,000/=, about $2, while fruit of papaya sell for $0.75-$1 each, and its leaves mixed with chili make a local insecticide.

We would like to see more indigenous trees on the land they work: eleven of the 14 tree species that the household is raising are exotics. We did not find any of the indigenous fruit trees that we promote, like Vitex doniana and Balinites aegyptiaca. We would also like to see more of the threatened keystone species that we raise, such as Afzelia africana and Milicia excelsa (Mvule), on and around refugee plots,

We need to do more to explain to the households we work with how indigenous trees and biodiversity benefit people, and more generally why tree diversity is important. Here are some of the arguments.

- Native fruit species are often exceptionally nutritious, and the more diverse the portfolio of fruit trees, the more likely it is to provide year-round nutrition and income.

- Planting monocultures is a disease risk, reducing native vegetation that is crucial for healthy populations of natural pest controllers such as birds and beneficial insects. Mealybug Paracoccus marginatus has already caused losses of refugees’ papaya trees.

- Planting monocultures of exotic trees threatens pollination services by reducing bees’ access to the nectar and pollen-rich flowers of native trees. It also threatens honey production, an important traditional practice, income source and dietary delight.

- Tree diversity is at the heart of resilience since different tree species use resources differently. So, in one example, an area with a diversity of trees that use water differently will suffer less impact from drought.

Some of us lose sleep about this how to explain this. But project lead, Dr Phosiso Sola, says that we will get there. “It’s economics. Indigenous trees are by and large slower growing and do not seem to give the short-term returns needed for refugee survival.”

As 2022 ends, we give ourselves a pat on the back. We more engaged than ever with the UN refugee agency, World Food Programme, and the European Commission’s ECHO office, which just issued landmark requirements to reduce the environmental footprint of EU-funded humanitarian operations.

“Through community nurseries, the local population has access to the many goods and services that trees provide, including food through fruit forests and agroforestry,” the document says. Growing trees also “helps address shortages of firewood and construction material”.

Such ideas have become mainstream within just the past three or four years, as the climate and biodiversity crises bear down on us. We are proud of the outsized impact this small project has had on thinking.

“We have nature-based solutions for refugee-hosting areas and displacement settings that can be scaled,” states Sola.

And to all of you who have donated, she says, “We are deeply grateful. We could not do this without you. It has been a successful year.”

His pumpkins grow with timber trees: agroforestry

Betty cooks beans on an energy conserving stove

Life is demanding and reliant on natural resources

Child vitality requires micronutrients in the diet

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Aug 29, 2022
Evidence: where we work, refugees have more trees

By Cathy Watson | Chief of Partnerships

The CBFs work out sampling frame

As summer draws to an end in the northern hemisphere and the rains begin in our part of the southern hemisphere, we are glad to be back in touch with our third report of the year.

This time we want to give a particular shout to Sarah, who volunteered from February through April at the agroforestry learning center and conducted a long-awaited survey. Helped by Erik on her survey tool and our community-based facilitators who translated and supplied lists of beneficiaries, she sampled 80 households, 70% belonging to refugees, 30% to Ugandan nationals.

Her survey counted total trees, surviving trees, and trees with edible parts, and asked qualitative questions. Seventy per cent of the interviewees had had one or more years of experience with ICRAF while 30% were newer participants. Her findings were cheering. Here are some of them:

Refugee participants with more than one year of involvement with ICRAF have on average 22 more trees per plot than those with less than one year.
On average, an estimated 81.8% of trees on refugee plots were sourced from ICRAF.
And refugees with more than one year of involvement were found to harvest 2.14 fewer bundles of fuelwood per month from the bush, and source 1.71 more bundles per month from tree prunings off their own land.

The last finding was particularly music to our ears. We had hoped that we were lessening pressure on natural vegetation and lightening the burden of firewood collection for women. It seems that we may be!

Sarah also found that refugee respondents involved for one or more years earned about $13 more per year from sale of tree products than respondents involved for less time, a considerable sum in the local economy. Poles and fruits were the most commonly sold products, the income usually used to buy soap, medicine, school uniforms and extra food items.

On food security, refugees with less than one year of participation had approximately 3 fewer fruit or “food” trees than those with a longer involvement. “Papaya, mango and tubers of indigenous Borassus palm were described as useful for relieving hunger among children during the food insecure months of May and June,” her report said.

Finally, our survival rate is 53.1% for seedlings provided to refugees and 81.3% for seedlings supplied to hosts. Let’s be entirely frank. We have to improve that figure for refugees with better training and more homestead visits.

We don’t take these findings as gospel. But they are hugely encouraging. We wish Sarah all the very best in her PhD studies. In her last email, she said she had loved her time in the settlement. We have supported her in a grant application to return.

Thank you so much for contributing. Kindly make you next donation recurring. GlobalGiving advises us to convert as many of our followers to monthly as we can. Even $10 a month will give us more financial predictability. Thanks!

Training at the learning centre @AxekFassio/CIFOR

Two CBFs prepare to move to field for interviews

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