Fostering a systems-based agroforestry research for development

A diverse range of agroforestry practices are evident within farming systems in developing countries, but further research is needed to enhance their productivity and profitability and to facilitate participatory design and dissemination of locally appropriate practices that can be widely adopted. Because of their complexity, including the number of options, the interactions between the tree and non-tree components and the fact that many tree products need to be traded in commercial markets, best results from research interventions are likely to be achieved through a systems approach. This article describes the strategic components of the Australian Centre for International Agriculture's (ACIAR) approach for its systems-based agroforestry research and illustrates some key aspects with examples from ACIAR projects. These include: understanding the impact pathway; having effective processes related to design, review and adaptation of projects; identifying locally-appropriate agroforestry innovations; having mechanisms to engage and empower project stakeholders; understanding value chains and facilitating value-adding of agroforestry products; and effective engagement of policy and private sector stakeholders.