Agroforestry is a sustainable agroecological production method that incorporates trees with agricultural crops and/or livestock. Research over the past decades has shown that agroforestry can have many positive environmental and economic impacts, as well as contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Nutrition and health aspects of agroforestry programs, however, are less often researched or included in project plans.
Potential benefits for human nutrition and health range from increased access to nutrient-rich tree foods such as fruits and nuts; increased income through the sale of fresh and processed tree products; increased resilience of farming households through diversification of production and improved overall agricultural production. However, up to today, no systematic review is available that specifically focuses on the contribution of agroforestry to human nutrition and health. Furthermore, rigorous empirical evidence is still lacking to put policies into practice, which has been highlighted as a critical research gap.
To bridge this research gap and further study the connection between agroforestry and human nutrition/health, the Nu-Tree project will carry out its activities in an inter- and transdisciplinary way cooperating with local, regional and global stakeholders representing different sectors (e.g. research, program implementers, civil society, and policymakers) and different disciplines, including agriculture, forestry, ecology, health, nutrition, economics, and social sciences.
The team will especially collaborate and exchange knowledge with stakeholders based in Germany, but also with international organizations, as well as local NGOs and governmental agencies that implement agroforestry projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Outcomes of stakeholder workshops and interviews will be incorporated into the results of a systematic literature review.
This project aims to:
- Create awareness of nutrition and health aspects of agroforestry projects involving key stakeholders,
- Conduct a systematic review of results from past and on-going agroforestry projects with regard to nutrition and health aspects based on a literature review as well as stakeholder workshops and interviews, and
- Develop a conceptual framework and roadmap for better integration and evaluation of nutrition and health aspects in future agroforestry programs.
Funding:
The project “Integrating nutrition and health into agroforestry projects of GIZ and NGOs in sub-Saharan Africa: a feasibility study (Nu-Tree)” is funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt.
Key links:
DBU-Datenbank
