1 Adoption, Profitability, Impacts and Scaling-Up of Agroforestry ...

8term, iterative and integrated strategy for tree selection and improvement, for thepromotion, use and marketing of selected germplasm and its integration into agroforestrypractices (Akinnifesi et al, 2006). Based on household surveys to identify the importanttraits for improvement, the four priority indigenous fruit tree species that were identifiedin southern Africa are Uapaca kirkiana, Strychnos cocculoides, Parinari curatellifoliaand Sclerocarya birrea. More recently, the marketing and commercialization componentof this programme is receiving more emphasis. Rural entrepreneurs have been trained infruit processing and business skills. The dissemination of these innovations haveinvolved farmer-to-farmer exchanges where successful farmers pass on their skills andexperience to new farmers entering the business, as well as formal courses to traintrainers. This bottom-up approach has ensured community ownership of theimplementation of the business and dissemination skills, and a market driven treedomestication initiative and promises to have a significant effect in raising rural incomes.2.4 Rotational woodlotsThe problem of deforestation is high in southern Africa region, particularly in intensetobacco-growing countries such as Tanzania and Mozambique where farmers requirehigh quantities of fuelwood to cure the leaves. Rotational woodlots are meant primarily toprovide high quality wood biomass. Some of the woodlot species also helps to fertilizethe soil and are therefore grown in rotation with food crops (Kwesiga et al 2003). Themain woodlot species that have been promoted in the sub-region are Acacias especiallyAcacia crassicarpa and Acacia polyacantha and Acacia auriculiformis