Regenerative Agroforestry

Significant amounts of effort are spent by the AWG community to support the planting of native tree species. However, as trees take several years to grow to a size harvestable for sustainable timber production, there is need for additional income streams to support landholders in the meantime, who might otherwise wish to use the land for other purposes.

AWG provides interim funding to address this (until harvest of the first trees), but other, synergistic business opportunities also have potential. As many landholders already engage in agricultural production, it is possible for them to adopt agroforestry techniques linked with the local tree Makua, or Melia Volkensii.

The addition of trees to agricultural systems is reported to increase soil moisture retention, as well as reduce the maximum temperature faced by crops.

By helping farmers adopt shade-tolerant crops and developing related product lines / market access, the project is supporting new income opportunities in regenerative agriculture.