Despite advances in overall agricultural production, approximately one billion people globally are chronically hungry; two billion regularly experience periods of food insecurity; and just over a third of the global population are affected by single or multiple micronutrient deficiencies. However, food trees (trees providing edible fruits, vegetables, seeds/ nuts and edible oils) when integrated as part of the agroforestry systems, have huge potential to provide a wide variety of foods and can contribute substantially to food and nutrition security to the affected populations.
Diversifying landscapes with trees and diets with nutritious tree foods
1. Diversifying landscapes with trees and
diets with nutritious tree foods
Project One: Fruit Africa, tree crop development in Africa (2014-2016)
Project Two: Food trees for diversified diets, improved nutrition, and better
livelihoods for smallholders in East Africa: Kenya and Uganda (2016-2018)
Stepha McMullin & Colleagues
21st February 2018
EC/IFAD investments in agricultural research, East & Southern Africa
3. Data - Food security, consumption and nutritional status
0
50
100
Food Groups Consumed - Women
Laikipia % Tharaka Nithi % Kitui % Kwale %
64%
49% 47%
70%
36%
51% 53%
30%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Laikipia Tharaka Nithi Kitui Kwale
Minimum Dietary Diversity - Women
< 5 food groups ≥ 5 food groups
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Laikipia Tharaka Nithi Kitui Kwale
Months of food insecurity
16
7 7 5
53
57 62 68
32 36 31 27
0
20
40
60
80
100
Laikipia Tharaka Nithi Kwale Kitui
% % % %
Double Burden of Malnutrition - Women
Underweight (< 18.5) Normal (18.5 - 24.9) Overweight / Obese (25 - 29.9/ 30+)
4. Fruit Tree Portfolios: an agroforestry approach to address
food and nutrient gaps
Each month at least 1 fruit
species is ready for harvest,
even during the ‘hunger
gap’
(Pro)vitamin A and C supply
possible year-round if the
10 species are grown on
farm
Supply of nutrients and food
(direct) & possible income
from surplus fruits
(indirect)
Portfolio adapted to include
suitable, complementary
vegetables & staple crops
to provide for a ‘diversified
diet’ approach
McMullin S, et al. 2017. Developing fruit tree portfolios for filling food and nutrition gaps: guidelines and data collection tools. Nairobi: ICRAF. Portfolio example from Siaya County, Kenya
Portfolios developed for 11
sites in Kenya, 2 in Ethiopia
and 2 in Uganda
6. Scaling-up: The Seed Challenge • Link between
domestication/
breeding and
delivery to enable
scaling up
• Efficiency of
delivery systems
(knowledge,
standards, ‘trust
and traceability)
9. Platform for integration ICRAF’s Genebank
Total # country field genebanks: 16 Kenya
Total # site genebanks: 42 7
Total # 133 field genebanks 41
Total # species in genebanks: 68 31