The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) turned the attention of the agricultural research community to trees as an option to promote productive and environmentally friendly agriculture, at an international conservation agriculture (CA) conference in Hanoi last December.
Hoang Thi Lua from ICRAF Vietnam office presented a collaborative study that was implemented with three partner universities in Vietnam. The study uses WaNulCAS (Water, Nutrient and Light Capture in Agroforestry Systems) as one of the main modeling tools to compare potential agroforestry systems, and then recommends potential tree-crop combinations to be applied in Phu Tho, Hue and Gia Lai provinces to achieve higher economic returns and environmental protection.
Meanwhile, scientists from the Plant Protection Research Institute in Hanoi briefed the meeting about their cultural methods for improving production of Tam Hoa plums in the northwestern province of Son La.
Jeremias Mowo, ICRAF Eastern Africa Regional Coordinator, discussed different models of conservation agriculture with trees that have already been successfully applied in sub-Saharan Africa. And Dr. Rachmat Mulia from ICRAF Southeast Asia office described a simulation model called the 'Water, Nutrient and Light Capture in Agroforestry Systems (WaNuLCAS).' The model is useful for evaluating the full spectrum of the net effect of trees in CA systems with trees.
ICRAF experts took integration of trees into crop production as a focal point. They underlined the role of trees in enhancing CA's benefits and the role of trees in supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation, food security, and environmental resilience.
The scientists spoke at a three-hour session on CA with Trees, within a week-long 'Conference on Conservation Agriculture in Southeast Asia' from 10-15 December 2012 on the theme: 'Innovations for, with and by Farmers to Adapt to Local and Global Changes.'
Also referred to as agricultural environmental management, CA is a resource-saving agricultural practice that aims at high production levels while concurrently preserving the environment. Conservation agriculture has three key principles, namely minimum tillage, adequate top-soil cover and crop rotation.
The conference was jointly organized by CIRAD (Center for International Research on Environment and Development), NOMAFSI and the University of Queensland. It drew the attendance of a wide range of experts, scholars and development workers from all around the world.
