World Bank Studies: Tree-Based Production Systems for Africa's Drylands (ePub)

Tree-based production systems have enormous potential to reduce vulnerability and increase theresilience of households living in dryland regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Trees are key providersof biomass, which is critical for many livelihood needs. Wood from trees is the leading source ofenergy in many dryland countries and is an important construction material. Foliage and pods fromtrees and shrubs are the most important source of feed for camels and goats, which are the dominantlivestock species in the more arid parts of the drylands. Trees and shrubs offer enhancedsources of the organic matter needed to improve the structure and raise the fertility of soils used foragriculture. Many parts of trees provide different medicinal products for people. And fruits andvegetable foliage harvested from trees are important seasonal food sources for people living indrylands, and for sale.The benefi ts from trees take on added value when one considers that they are relatively imperviousto many of the shocks that affect other production systems, especially livestock keeping andagriculture. Trees, with their deep rooting systems, maintain their standing value and offer someproduction even in drought years. They are therefore a good buffer against climatic risk and are acritical element in a diversifi cation strategy designed to maintain levels of consumption and incomein good times and bad. In addition, their value can be tapped when it is most needed: wood fromtrees can be harvested throughout the year, and many annual tree products are harvested at timesdifferent from the times when annual crops are harvested.Tree-Based Production Systems for Africa’s Drylands identifi es some of the most promisinginvestment opportunities at the level of tree-based systems, species (products), and well-defi nedmanagement practices for accelerating rural economic growth in the drylands.