The challenge of HIV/AIDS: Where does agroforestry fit in? - World ...

Chapter 20Strengthening Institutions:Working Group ReportStrengthening capacity for scaling upagroforestry technologiesGoalTo create a high level of awareness of the benefits ofagroforestry among stakeholders. This will encourageagroforestry development projects and contribute towider rural development.Strategic issuesThe World Agroforestry Centre needs to define its visionand strategy for scaling up and its role in relationto those of its partners. Successful scaling up means improvingthe quality and quantity of learning resourcesavailable to extension staff. Training in the areas of policy,management, markets, biotechnology, land degradationand indigenous fruits should also be enhanced.Developing support networks and a mechanism toupdate knowledge on natural resource managementshould enhance the links between research, educationand extension. It is therefore important to conduct aneeds assessment for training at this level, and to establishbaselines for impact. Another crucial issue is toidentify partners who can contribute to scaling up.New approaches and opportunitiesNew approaches to capacity building should make use of:• people-centred and site-specific approaches to sustainablerural development;• national agroforestry centres of excellence, includingnational agroforestry training teams;• information and communication technology (ICT)for natural resources management programmes;• national agroforestry dissemination centres;• farmer extension skills;• networking between institutions and communitybasedorganizations; and• seminars and demonstration plots.There is a trend for many developing countries to decentralizegovernment administration and create grassrootsownership of the development process through basingresearch on local needs. Furthermore, natural resourcesand agricultural policies are being reviewed to includeagroforestry. These developments provide opportunitiesfor strengthening the role of local communities in policyand strategy formulation, which will help in the scalingup and out of agroforestry innovations. The Centreshould tap into the potential of existing regional andnational education networks and forge links with suchregional bodies as the Forum for Agricultural Research inAfrica (FARA) and its sub-regional organizations.ConstraintsIn many national institutions, the infrastructure to supportagroforestry is not well established. Agroforestryis often handled within forestry or classified under‘agriculture’ and, in many cases, it appears in bothdisciplines. Whatever the institutional arrangementsadopted by different countries, the key issue is theneed for better coordination of agroforestry research,education and development. The sectoral orientationof national agricultural development programmes hasnot helped matters. Thus, in building agroforestry capacity,the Centre should pay attention to aspects ofinstitutionalization. Agroforestry training materials are