FIELD REPORT
FOR ‘IDENTIFICATION AND OBSERVATION OF LAND USE SYSTEM FOR ANNUAL CROPS AND WOODY
PERENNIALS COMBINATIONS’
1. Introduction and background
Land use system can be well analysed by identifying or observing the type of crops or structures
present on a particular piece of land. If the land is being used for agricultural purposes and forest trees
there are many practices which can be referred to and this can include agro- forestry. This practice can
be very beneficial when it’s properly adopted thus; following all techniques required in reference of
climate change effects being experienced at present not forgetting the scarcity of land for cultivation
due to overpopulation. This is because, agro- forestry practice have a tendency of producing a variety of
crops and those crops become resistant to pest and diseases thus; if one crop is attacked the rest
survives. One of the agro- forestry practices that can applied is agro – silvicultural, this practice involves
growing trees and crops on the same piece of land.
In view of the flexibility in adoption of this practice, the field tour was conducted from 10 th to 14th
September, 2020 in selected areas of Ntcheu, Salima and Mangochi districts where selected agricultural
farmlands were visited to identify and observe the land use systems for annual crops and woody
perennials combinations being applied.
2. Key observations
During the field tour the following observations were made;
Most communities do practice the land use system of combining annual crops and woody
perennial. For instances; the main annual crop in all districts visited was Maize followed by
groundnuts, rice, Soya peas and Cotton. These crops are managed by applying fertilizers,
pesticides , insecticides and weeding.
The types of woody perennial species which are mostly combined in their practice are
Faidherbia Albida, Khaya Anthotheca, Acacia Polyacantha Leucaena Leucophala, Philenoptera
violacea, Senna Siamea and Mangifera Indica.
The most demanded tree species in all districts are Faidherbia Albida , Khaya Anthotheca and
Acacia Polyacantha , this is because these tree species have the ability in nitrogen fixation in the
soil thus. Increasing its fertility rate leading to high field harvests.
The mode of regeneration of this woody perennials is natural thus; mostly they are not planted
by the communities
The woody perennials espacement was random hence; its spacial arrangement is not well
defined
The available woody species are not properly managed in the field instead they are just leaved
alone to grow
The types of woody products they get in their fields are; Firewood, traditional medicine, poles,
pastures, manure, and other natural services like wind protection and shade for their
agricultural crops.
The soil types mostly used were, clay , clay loam and sandy clay loam soils
3. Recommendation
In reference of the information given above the following have to be made in order to achieve the
sustainability of the land use systems;
Training the communities on how to apply the agro – forestry practices as it was observed that
most communities have no enough knowledge on required techniques in order to achieve the
successful results of their land use systems for best outcomes. This may include the type of
woody perennials that might be best combined with their annual crops and do well in their
areas and the spacial arrangements of their annual and woody crops
Provision of agro- forestry tree seed species favorable in their communities this is because most
of them expressed the scarcity of seeds as challenge to them
However, in additional on the provisional of seeds, the communities need to be trained on how
to collect the locally available seeds in their communities to ease the challenge.
Communities need to advised on how to increase the value addition of their annual crops for
the upliftment of their income levels
Monitoring of the sites is needed to check and advice the communities at every stage to avoid
compromising the system
Calculating the area of their fields can be very vital as that might assist in knowing their actual
yield of their stockings per hectare thus; being able to analyse their outcomes.
4. Conclusion
The field tour was conducted successfully as it was possible to identify and observe the land use system
being applied. This means that the practice of combining annual crops and woody perennials is worthy
to be adopted successfully in order to continue having the bumper harvest yields. This is because;
woody perennials have high ability in improving the fertility rate of the soils as well as protecting the
crops in times of furious drought and wind. Therefore, if the communities have enough food in their
stores development can also be sustained as malnutrition levels can be reduced hence, strong labor
force for community development works and nation as a whole. Protection of forest reserves can also
be enhanced as the tension on them becomes low since the communities can be accessing the forest
products on their own farms.
