SNR 532: Planning Agroforestry Projects (1 credit)
Instructor: Badege Bishaw
Time Frame: 10 one-hour sessions

Course Description

This introductory, lecture-discussion course will examine various agroforestry concepts, systems, technologies and practices. The course will introduce the human and social dimensions of agroforestry and expose participants to different technology transfer methodologies in agroforestry. Focus will be on planning, implementing, and evaluation of different agroforestry systems/practices and their potential use and benefits in developing and developed countries. Contributions of different agroforestry systems and practices to sustainable human and natural resource management will be discussed.

Practical training is based on field trips on how to assess different land use systems, identify land use problems, and design agroforestry potentials for the land-use system under study. Students will work on a class project on monitoring and evaluation of agroforestry systems with a case study from developing and developed countries. At the end of the course, each student will present their project paper in the class.

Reading assignments are designed to help students understand the concepts and practices of Agroforestry. Class sessions will consist of lectures from the instructor and guest speaker.

Desired Learning outcomes

• Students will understand the biological interactions of plants, animals, and trees in integrated land-use systems
• Student will learn to identify, describe and discuss the importance of the major components of Agroforestry systems in the tropics and temperate zones.
• Students will learn to interpret, assess, and implement different Agroforestry practices to maintain ecological and economic sustainability in developing and developed countries.

Assignments:

1. Reading: What is agroforestry? Classification of agroforestry systems. Service and productive functions of agroforestry.
    
2. Reading: History of Agroforestry. The different roles of agroforestry in tropic and temperate zones of the world
    
3. Identify a farming system and natural resource problem the student would like to work on as a class project. It can be based on the student experience and interest and/or with the instructor guidance.
    
4. Describe the current status of the land use system, including soil types and fertility status; the farming systems crops, fruits and livestock, tree and shrub species.
    
5. Identify the socio-economic issues in the study area. Document factors such as farm size, family size, household incomes, land tenure, and other social, ethical, and policy issues that determines the production and resource utilization.
    
6. Identify and prioritize land use and socio-economic problems that affect sustainable production and utilization of resources in the study area.
    
7. Select appropriate Agroforestry practices that provide solutions to the land-use problems identified.
    
8. Reading: Agroforestry Technology Transfer. Students will be required to identify different methods of technology transfer from research station to on-farm condition and to watershed levels through literature review.
    
9. Reading: Monitoring and Evaluation of Agroforestry Systems. Students will be required to identify different evaluation methods both for biological and land users perspectives using literature.
    
10. Each student will be required to submit a final report based on the class project and make an oral presentation in the class.

Grade:

Grade will be A-F, and based on satisfactory completion of all assignments and the final report of the class project.