Agroforestry

Introduction
Agroforestry is a method of farming which combines tree growing, pasture and crop production on
the same piece of land to improve the output of the land.
Forms of Agroforestry
1. Agrosilviculture
Silviculture is the science of growing trees and shrubs while the word agro refers to cultivation of
crops.Agrosilviculture is therefore a type of agro forestry which combines the growing of trees,
shrubs and crops on same piece of land in agricultural production.
AgroSilviculture involves planting of crops in rows and the shrubs in the east to west direction to
ensure that the crops will get sunlight, examples of trees species used in this form of agroforestry
include leucaena, sesbania sesban and the calliandra
Agrisilviculture is further categorized into
 Wide row planting
This involves planting the trees and the shrubs at a wide spacing of 4m between the rows and
8-12m within the rows
 Intensive hedgerow
This involves planting the trees and the shrubs in between the rows of the crops
 Boarder planting
This involves planting the agroforestry trees along the boarder of the farm
2. Silvopastoral
The word pastoral refers to animal rearing,while Silviculture is the science of growing trees and
shrubs. Silvopastoral is therefore a type of agroforestry which combines the growing of trees or
shrubs as well as pastures for the livestock animals’ .In this type of agroforestry, trees and shrubs are
established at a wide spacing of about 10-20 meters between the rows and allowed to grow
unchecked. The pasture crops are planted in between the rows, examples of trees species used in this
form of agroforestry include the fruit trees, acacia,Markhamia Spp whistling pine
3. Agrosilvopastoral
Agro refers to crops; Silviculture is the science of growing trees and shrubs, while pastoral refers to
animal rearing. Agrosilvopastoral is therefore a type of agroforestry which combines growing of
trees, crops, shrubs and pastures for the livestock animals
Agrosilvopastoral involves establishing the trees at a wider spacing with the crops grown between
the rows, the trees are regularly pruned to allow sunlight and enough air, examples of trees species
used in this form of agroforestry include the whistling pine, acacia and the calliandra
Characteristics of agroforestry
 It involves the growing of two or more species of plants
 There must be some interdependence between the trees, shrubs and the crops in the
programme
 The cycle of the agro forestry system is usually more than one year
 The agroforestry systems have two or more products
 There must be at least one perennial woody plant in the programme
Importance of Agroforestry
1. To control global warming

Global warming results when carbon (IV) oxide accumulates to levels that trap heat rays in the
earth surface beyond the normal levels. This causes the temperatures to rise excessively
resulting in the phenomena called global warming. Trees and shrubs help by absorbing carbon
(IV) oxide during the process of photosynthesis

2. Environmental protection

The roots of the trees bind the soil particles together protecting it from the effects of wind and
water which would carry them away in soil erosion. Trees also increases the percolation and
infiltration of water in the soil which increases the amount of water reservoirs in the water
catchment areas

3. Source of income

The fruits, timber, poles, and fodder from the trees are sold to earn income.

4. Source of fuel wood

When agro forestry trees are used to supply fire wood, the natural forests are saved from
deforestation which also saves labour in firewood collection.

5. Aesthetic value

Trees enhance the beauty of the landscape and homesteads

6. Source of food and feed

Some trees are source of fruits while others are source of fodder for livestock animals

7. Agroforestry tree act as windbreakers

Trees reduce the speed of strong winds which would otherwise destroy crops and farm
structures
8. To Demarcate Boundaries

When trees are planted along the border, they help to mark the boundaries between
neighbouring farms

9. Maintenance of soil fertility.

When the leaves of the trees fall, they decompose to add nutrients to the soil. This increases the
soil fertility

Qualities and characteristics of trees selected for agro forestry

Trees selected for agro forestry should have the following qualities
 Fast growth rate
The trees should grow fast to provide the by products
 Deep rooted
This reduces completion with the shallow rooted crops
 Leguminous
The trees should have Nitrogen ability to fix nitrogen into the soil and help add soil fertility
 Ability to produce by-products
The trees should be able to produce by products and remain, for example if pruned to
provide fodder; the tree selected should not die
 Multipurpose in nature.
This is the ability to serve many functions at the same time, for example a tree which
provides fodder, is leguminous and a wind breaker would be very suitable for agro forestry
 Non-competitive to the main crop
A good agro forestry tree should be deep rooted so that it does compete for nutrients with the
main crop, most crops are shallow rooted

 Nutritious and palatable.

Trees selected for agroforestry should be the trees whose leaves are palatable and consist of
valuable nutrients to the livestock animals
 Appropriate canopy
Trees whose canopy does not shade others are more appropriate, this is because shade denies
the main crop sunlight
Agro Forestry Trees
The following trees are suitable for agroforestry.
a) Acacia Spp;
The acacia provides
 Leaves and pods eaten by animals
 shade
b) Grevillea robusta (silky oak.)
The silky oak provides
 Timber
 Fuel wood
 Shade.
 Fodder
 Bee forage
The silky oak is also a good wind breaker
c) Cajanus cajan (pigeon peas);
Pigeon peas are used as
 Proteinous feed for human,
 Fodder for livestock
d) Eucalyptus sp
The Eucalyptus is important for the provision of
 Timber
 Bee forage
 Fuel wood
 Medicinal products
 Essential oil
 Firewood
e) Erythrina abyssinica (flame tree);
 Leguminous
 Medicinal products
 Wood carvings
 Bee forage
f) Croton megalocarpus(croton);
 Fuel wood timber for poles
 Wood carvings
g) Markhamia lutea (markhamia tree);
 Timber for construction,
 Shade,
 Soil protection,
 Bee forage.
h) Sesbania sesban (sesbania);
 Fodder,
 Nitrogen fixation,
 Shade,
 Fuel wood.
i) Calliandra calothyrsus (calliandra);
 Fuel wood,
 Fodder,
 Nitrogen fixation,
 Shade,
 Bee forage.
j) Persea american (avocado) ;
The avocado tree is used for
 Fruit production
 Fodder
 Shade
 Provision of fuel wood.
k) Mangifera indica (mango)\
The mango tree is used for
 Fruit production
 Shade
 Wind breaking
 Soil protection
 Provision of fuel wood.
Trees and shrubs to avoid at certain sites
a) Eucalyptus Spp.
 Should not be planted on the river banks and near water catchment areas because
they take a lot of water while their deep roots create waterways which allow water
to drain away
 Should not be planted on the arable land because the Eucalyptus leaves produce
alkaloids which have allelophathic effects on crops.
b) Fruit trees should be planted in the farm and not on the boundary and by the roadside.
This is because the fruits may be stolen
c) Tall trees should not be planted near farm buildings because they may fall and damage the
buildings especially during a rainstorm; their roots cause cracks on the walls, floors.
d) Bushy trees or shrubs should not plant near farm buildings as they may harbor snakes,
mongoose and other predators, they are good hiding places for thieves
e) Cypress trees leaves are very acidic in the soil .This prevent undergrowth beneath the tree.
Hence should be preferably done on the boundary
f) Tall trees planted with main crop of a lower canopy intercept the rainfall, affecting the
growth of the main crop. These trees should not be planted within the farm but at the
periphery.
Seed Collection and Preparation
Seed Collection
Seed collection is the practice of gathering the seeds needed to establish trees for agro forestry. The
farmer must focus on obtaining seeds that are viable and sufficient for the area needed
Qualities of trees from which seeds should be collected from;
 Fast growing, if required for timber
 Adaptable to the prevailing climatic conditions
 Highly branching, if needed for firewood
 Leguminous and leafy ,if used to provide fodder
 Healthy ,to prevent transmission of diseases
 Resistant to pests /diseases.
Methods used to collect seeds from trees
 Shaking the trees
A polythene sheet is spread under the identified tree and the tree branches shaken to dislodge
the seeds from their points of attachments. The method is suitable for trees with large seeds
e.g. croton megalocarpus and the neem tree
  Gathering from under the tree.
Seeds that fall naturally from the tree can be gathered from under the tree and put in suitable
containers
 Lopping of the tree.
This involves cutting the branches which bear the seeds; the seeds are then obtained from the
cut branches
 Climbing on the trees
The person gathering the seeds climbs the tree and gathers the seeds; however some trees
may prove difficult to climb

 Hooking method.
The seed collector uses some long hooks to detach the seeds from the tree

Seed Preparation
This involves all the activities carried out to make the seeds ready for planting.these activities
include
i. Extraction
This is the removal of the seeds either from the fruit or the pods
 The fresh fruits are soaked in cold water to depulp, washed and then dried
 The dry pods should be threshed by use of thresher or mortar, and if they split, they should
be threshed in a sack
ii. Cleaning and sorting:
The seeds should be placed in a wide container or spread on a polythene sheet .Cleaning involves
the removal of immature rotten, broken or damaged seeds.
iii. Drying
Some seeds require to be dried before planting .This can be done by sun-drying or oven
drying.
iv. Seed testing:
This determines;
 Seed quality for percentage purity,
 Seed weight,
 Moisture content,
 Germination percentage.
v. Storage
 Seeds should be stored in dry containers at room temperature with the duration depending on
the tree species
vi. Seed treatment:
Seeds are treated first to break the seed dormancy and ensure rapid germination; the methods
used to break seed dormancy include

a. Hot water treatment:

Used to soften the seed coat to make it more permeable to water
Examples of seeds which require this treatment are leucaenia, calliandra and acacia.
b. Mechanical breaking
Done by nicking the seed coat with a knife for easy entrance of water e.g. seeds of croton
trees.
c. Light burning
Light burning of the seed softens the seed coat allowing entry of air and water which are
essential for germination e.g. wattle tree seeds
d. Chilling
Some seeds should be subjected to very low temperatures

The Tree Nursery

A tree nursery is a place or a structure where the tree seeds are sown, germinated and the seedlings
until they are ready for transplanting. The seedlings may be raised directly on the soil or put in
containers. Tree nurseries are therefore divided into two;
A. Bare root nurseries
The bare root nurseries are also known as 'Swaziland' beds. The seeds are sown directly on the soil
Advantages
 Many seedlings can be raised in a small space
 The establishment of the nursery is cheap and less time consuming
 less labour is required to establish and maintain the nursery
 The tree seedlings occupy a small space.
 Transportation of seedlings is easy
Disadvantages
 The root easily get damaged when the seedlings are being uprooted
 The seedlings are difficult to transport
 The seedlings easily die after transplanting due to lack of soil around their roots
Containerized nursery
The containerized nurseries are nurseries in which the seedlings are raised in containers such as pots,
polythene bags or tubes and tins before being transplanted to the main seedbed
Advantages
 The seedlings are carried with soil in the containers; hence there is no root damage.
 The chances of survival are very high after transplanting.

 The method is successful in arid areas where water is inadequate

Disadvantages
 Sometimes it may be difficult to get the right type of soil to use in the containers.
 The method is very labour intensive, especially during the gathering of the soil and putting it
in the containers
 The containers may be difficult to get in some areas
Nursery Management
The seedlings are weak and care must be taken to ensure that the farmer will obtain strong and
healthy seedlings for transplanting. The following are the practices carried out in the nursery bed
when the seedlings are growing:
a. Mulching
Mulching is done by placing organic or inorganic materials on the nursery bed.
Mulching is done for the following reasons
 Reduce excessive evaporation
 Moderates the soil temperature
 When it decays it improves the soil structure,
 Reduces the impact of the raindrops
b. Weeding
This is the practice of removing weeds from the nursery bed. It can be done by using a sharp pointed
stick or just by uprooting the weeds. The nursery bed should be wetted before to reduce the
destruction of the roots. Weeding is done to reduce competition
c. Watering
This is the practice of applying water to the nursery bed especially at the early stages. A watering
can or perforated bottles are suitable to use to reduce the destruction of the weak seedlings by a lot
of water force. Watering should be done twice a day, preferably in the morning and in the evening.
d. Pricking out:
This is the removal of weak seedlings from an overcrowded nursery bed to another. This allows the
seedlings to grow strong and healthy.
e. Root pruning:
This is the cutting of the roots that are longer than the pots. The tools used are sharp knives, panga,
razor blades, scissors etc. The panga is pushed under the nursery bed
Root pruning is done for the following reasons;
 Encourages fast establishment.
 Reduce damage to the seedling when lifting them to the seedbed
 Encourage development of a short dense and strong rooting system.
 Make lifting of the seedlings easier when transplanting
f. Shading:
This is the practice of erecting a shade on top of the nursery bed to reduce the intensity of sunlight
reaching the nursery bed.However too much shade that may create dark conditions should be
avoided
g. Pest and disease control:
This is the practice of eliminating pests and diseases in the nursery bed. Among other methods, the
farmer should;
 Sterilize the soil through heat treatment/use of chemicals
 Use of appropriate chemicals to spray the seedlings
 Fence the seedlings to protect against animal damage
h. Hardening off:
This is the practice of preparing seedlings to adapt to the harsh ecological conditions prevailing in
the seedbed. It involves gradual reduction of shade and watering 1-2weeks before transplanting. the
seedlings grow strong and fast after transplanting.
i. Transplanting:
This is the practice of transferring seedlings from the nursery bed to the main field where they grow
to maturity.
Procedure of Transplanting
i. Dig holes early before transplanting.
ii. Mix topsoil with compost manure.
iii. Water the seedlings well a day before transplanting.
iv. Remove the seedlings from the nurseries carefully with a ball of soil for the bare root
seedlings and roots trimmed for the containerized seedlings.
v. Place the seedling in the hole at the same depth it was in the nursery.
vi. Carefully remove the container
vii. Return the soil is into the hole and firm it around the seedling.
viii. Water and mulch the seedling
Care and Management of Trees in agro forestry
i. Protection:
The young trees should be protected from damage by animals such as goats and cattle that eat the
leaves and the branches. It is done by fencing the fields or using small poles around each seedling
with or without wire nettings. It can be done on individual trees or on the entire field.
Draw long horn pg 178

ii. Pruning and trimming:

Pruning is the removal of extra or unwanted parts of a plant. The unwanted part may be due to
breakage, overcrowding, pests or disease attacks and over production. Pruning initiates growth of
shoots and trains the tree to have the required shape. Regular cutting back of the trees is known as
coppicing, It is done at the beginning of each cropping season to reduce competition for water,
minerals, nutrients and sunlight with crops. The materials pruned or coppiced are used as fuel wood
or for fodder crops.

iii. Grafting old trees:

This is the practice of uniting two separate woody stems. The part with the rooting system is known
as root stock (base), while the part which is grafted onto the rootstock is called a scion. The scion
has buds that develop into the future plant. The ability of the scion and the rootstock to form a
successful union is known as compatibility. Methods of grafting include whip or tongue grafting,
side grafting and approach grafting.
iv. Weeding
Agroforestry trees should be weeded around the base. This aims at reducing the competition for
nutrients between the weeds and the tree
v. Training
The trees should be trained to attain the desired shape
Agroforestry Practices
i. Alley Cropping/Hedgerow Intercropping:
Alley cropping is the growing of multipurpose leguminous trees and shrubs together with crops in
between the rows, hence referred as hedge row. To allow the crops get maximum sunlight for their
growth;
 The trees are pruned before the crops are planted.
 The trees should run east west to prevent the effects of shading
Food crops like Maize and beans and fodder like nappier grass are preferred crops for alley cropping
Benefits
 Improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and organic matter.
 Provision of green manure.
 Controls soil erosion by binding the soil particles together
 Acts as windbreaks.
 Suppress weeds.
 Source of timber, fodder and fuel wood.
ii. Multi-storey cropping

This is the growing of trees of different heights in a plantation e.g. coffee or tea plantation. The
system is based on crops which can tolerate shading, though wide spacing is essential. The trees and
crops form different levels of canopy which look like storey. The shortest trees are planted on the
eastern side while the tall varieties are planted on the western side of the farm e.g.
Tall layer
 Vitex keniensis(meru oak)
 Ocotea usambarensis(camphor)
Middle layer
 Grevillea Robusta
 Ficus spp
Lower storey
 Eridbotya japonica(loquats)
 Perseu America(avocardo)

Benefits of multistorey cropping

  Increases water conservation for pastures
 None of the crops or trees included will be shaded
 Act as windbreak for crops
 Creates suitable micro-climate in the area
 Trees are used for timber, fuel wood and forage
iii. Woodlots (farm forests)
Woodlots are plots of land on the farm set aside for growing trees only. They are established in the
hilly and less productive parts of the farm e.g. the rocky areas. The tree species chosen should be the
ones which do not intercrop well with the crops, fast growing tree species are more suitable e.g.
 Eucalyptus spp.
 Casuarinas equisetifolia
 Vitex keniensis(meru oak)
 Maesopsisis eminii
Woodlots are a great source of timber, firewood and fodder
Sites for Agroforestry trees
a) Farm boundaries
Trees are planted along the boundaries as live fences to demarcate land Grevillea Robusta
and eucalyptus are common examples that are used
b) River banks
Trees which have roots that hold the soil particles together and do not imbibe a lot of water
from the river should be planted along the river banks for example Acacia.Grevillea Robusta
and the whistling pine
c) Homesteads
The Trees and shrubs are planted around the homestead .The trees provide shade and reduce
the force of strong winds which would cause breakages and destruction of structures. The
trees must not be very close to the farm house as their roots would cause the cracking of the
walls for example Acacia. Grevillea Robusta
d) Terraces
The trees and shrubs are planted along the terraces. The main purpose of the trees and shrubs
is to control soil erosion. The selected tees should be
 Leguminous to fix nitrogen
 Deep rooted to minimize competition of nutrients with the main crop
e) Steep slopes
Steep slopes are prone to soil erosion and continuous cropping is discouraged. Trees and
shrubs are grown as on the steep slopes as contour hedges to encourage water seepage.
 Grevillea Robusta ,acacia mearnsii (wattle trees) ,eucalyptus and other fast growing trees
may be suitable for this site

Tree Harvesting Methods

i. Pollarding;
This is the removal of all the branches from a tree so that only the trunk is left. The extensive
cutting back of the crown of the tree stimulates the development of a new crown and
branches. It is suitable for harvesting calliadria.acacia,leucaenia
Draw long horn pg 182

ii. Coppicing;
This is the cutting of the main stem of the tree completely in a slanting angle at a height of
10 - 50 cm above the ground. This method allows the farmer to obtain a lot of timber, poles
and firewood. Suckers regenerate from the tree stump. It is suitable for harvesting eucalyptus
Draw long horn pg 182

iii. Lopping or side pruning ;

This is the removal of selected branches of the tree .It is normally done to produce fuel
wood and fodder from trees that may die if coppiced e.g. cypress
The tree produces more branches
Draw long horn pg 182

iv. Shaking of the tree ;

This is a method of harvesting pods and seeds from trees without cutting the tree for the purpose
of feeding the animals
v. Cutting back;
The tree is cut from the base to allow new growth as done in coffee when changing the cycle.
vi. Thinning
The removal of some of the trees growing in lines to give the remaining trees enough space
to grow
vii. Tree felling
This is a method of tree harvesting which involves cutting all the mature trees
viii. Pruning
This involves cutting of the lower branches of the trees .pruning aims at reducing shading
and making the remaining tree to grow straight up
PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE:
AGROFORESTRY
Test Yourself Section
1. Define agroforestry

2. Explain any 3 forms of agro forestry

3. List down and explain 3 categories of agrosilviculture

4. List down any 4 characteristics of agroforestry

5. Briefly explain 7 importance of agroforestry

6. Explain 7 characteristics of trees suitable for agroforestry

7. List down any 7 trees used in agroforestry

8. Give 7 reasons why planting of some trees and shrubs should be avoided at certain areas of

the farm

9. Define seeds selection

a) State 6 qualities of trees from which seeds should be collected from

b) Explain any 5 methods used by farmers to collect seeds from trees

10. Define seeds preparation

 Explain any 6 methods used to prepare seeds

11. Define a tree nursery

12. List down the two types of tree nurseries

13. Define a bare root tree nursery

 List down 5 advantages of a bare root tree nursery

 List down 5 disadvantages of a bare root tree nursery

14. Define a containerized root tree nursery

 List down 5 advantages of a containerized root tree nursery

 List down 5 disadvantages of containerized root tree nursery

15. Describe 8 management practices on a tree nursery

16. Describe the procedure of transplanting tree seedlings from a nursery

17. Describe 4 types of care and management practices carried out on trees in agroforestry

18. Describe the 3 agroforestry practices with their advantages/benefits

19. Describe 5 suitable sites for agroforestry trees

20. State and explain 5 tree harvesting methods