ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the roles and potentials of trees on farms and farmers in forests for rural transformation in Southern Africa. Introducing trees on farms can improve food and nutrition security and increase household income while increasing ecosystem services benefits and support climate change adaptation and mitigation. Experiences from on farm integration of nitrogen fixing trees (fertilizer trees) show how that can affect productivity of maize, vegetables and dairy cattle, increase farmers’ income and provide firewood and other ecosystem services. In rural areas, firewood is the main sources of energy whereas most urban populations depend on charcoal, making access to trees of vital importance. The importance of community forestry initiatives for smallholders is illustrated, and incentives for communities to protect and sustainably use forest resources suggested using example from the recent community forestry law adopted in Zambia. While the scientific foundation for promoting trees on farms is solid, the challenge remains scaling up. The bottlenecks still need to be identified and options for creating enabling environments and incentives generated at regional and national level. Regionally, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) could play a role in developing strategies and guidelines for agroforestry development and community forestry to be taken forward into national policies and laws.
