1. ANOTHER KIND OF GREEN REVOLUTION IN
DRYLANDS:
SCALING UP RE-GREENING SUCCESSES
Chris Reij
ESTABLISHED 1982

2. Vegetation in Galma in 1975 and 2003
(before and after)
1975 2003

5. Improved soil fertility and
fodder production

6. FARMER-MANAGED RE-GREENING IN
NIGER
• 5,000,000 ha re-greened in 20 years ( no
recurrent costs to governments)
• 200 million new trees (not planted)
• additional cereal production/year: 500,000
ton
• 2.5 million people fed
• 1.25 million rural households involved

7. WHY HAVE FARMERS IN NIGER INVESTED IN
ON-FARM TREES?
• REACTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND
ECONOMIC CRISIS IN 1980s AND 1990s
• INCREASING POPULATION PRESSSURE
• LOWEST COST SUSTAINABLE
INTENSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURE
• PERCEIVED OWNERSHIP OF ON-FARM
TREES

8. VEGETATION TURNS DOWN THE HEAT

10. SHADE MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE,
CROPS AND LIVESTOCK

11. AGROFORESTRY AS CO-BENEFIT OF WATER HARVESTING
Simple techniques
1990
Zaï Demi lunes
Big impacts
2004
Piliostigma reticulatum Combretum glutinosum

12. TOOLS FOR SCALING UP SUCCESSES
IDENTIFY RE-GREENING SUCCESSES
A. WORKING AT THE GRASSROOTS
B. TOP-DOWN MEETS BOTTOM-UP
C. DEVELOP A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
D. DEVELOP AGROFORESTRY VALUE CHAINS

13. CHALLENGES:
TECHNICALLY SIMPLE AND LOW COST
NEED TO BUILD VILLAGE INSTITUTIONS
AGROFORESTRY HAS NO INSTITUTIONAL
HOME
LAND AND TREE TENURE
NOT PART OF THE AG MODERNISATION
PARADIGM

14. THE CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURAL
MODERNISATION PARADIGM:
NOT SUSTAINABLE, NO RESILIENCE,
NO EQUITY
AGROFORESTRY IS THE PILLAR OF AGRICULTURE
IN DRYLANDS AND SUBHUMID REGIONS

17. October 1988 (water harvesting techniques
introduced on barren land in 1985)

18. OCTOBER 2008 (COUNTERFACTUAL 0 kg/ha)