Plant Gliricidia sepium for soil fertility and fuelwood

In today’s program, we discuss the benefits of a tree known as Gliricidia sepium for sustainable agriculture and provision of wood fuel. We will ask questions such as: What is Gliricidia sepium? What is its impact? And we will try to give listeners a basic understanding of how the tree is used in agroforestry.

To help us answer these questions, we have Rebecca Snyder, the Communications Manager at Community Markets for Conservation, or COMACO, and Fredrick Chambanenge, Community Projects Coordinator for Green Living Movement. We will also be speaking with small-scale farmers who are practicing agroforestry in Zambia’s Eastern Province. Rebecca Snyder, you are welcome to this program. Please briefly introduce your self and explain your position with COMACO.

My name is Rebecca Snyder, and I’m the Communications Manager at COMACO. COMACO is a social enterprise that promotes wildlife conservation and sustainable agriculture, supports rural communities in Zambia to adopt environmentally-friendly practices, and sponsors farmers to produce crops which they later sell to COMACO at competitive prices.

How many farmers does COMACO support?

We are working with almost 290,000 small-scale farmers in 96 chiefdoms across our three operation areas: Eastern, Muchinga, and Central Provinces.

How are you fighting climate change and promoting agroforestry?

Our strategy is comprehensive. We encourage farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices such as crop rotation and using compost manure. Compost manure is a mixture of decomposed organic materials, and is an environmentally-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers. By implementing these practices, farmers can maximize the productivity of their land without resorting to deforestation to expand their farms.

Also, we encourage farmers to plant and grow various tree species, including Gliricidia sepium, as part of agroforestry systems. We also encourage farmers to plant fruit trees. Fruit trees not only contribute to agricultural diversity, but enhance food security and offer additional income streams for farmers.

Why are you promoting Gliricidia sepium? What are its benefits?

Firstly, as a nitrogen-fixing species, Gliricidia replenishes the soil nutrients lost, for example, when plants are harvested or when soil is degraded. This enables continued good yields without expanding farmland. By reducing farmers’ reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Gliricidia also contributes to more environmentally sustainable farming practices.

Gliricidia leaves can be composted and then used to enrich soil fertility. Studies indicate that fields where crops are integrated with Gliricidia have similar yields to those treated with chemical fertilizers, saving farmers money on fertilizer. Gliricidia stems also regrow from cut Gliricidia trunks, providing farmers with a renewable source of cooking fuel, thereby reducing pressure on natural forests for fuelwood.

How should farmers plant Gliricidia?

Gliricidia saplings are first nurtured in a nursery. Once they are sufficiently large and during periods of consistent rainfall, farmers can transplant them into their fields.

When transplanting, it is recommended to space Gliricidia trees at intervals of 100 centimetres within rows, with a distance of five metres between rows. This allows them to capture adequate sunlight and enables management practices such as pruning and harvesting to be more efficient. Using these planting guidelines will help farmers maximize the benefits of Gliricidia to their farms.You can also plant crop rows between rows of Gliricidia. Farmers often plant maize, soybean, and groundnuts.

How big of an issue is soil fertility for farmers?

Soil fertility is a dominant concern for farmers and strongly influences plant health and yields. It’s very challenging to get good yields in areas with poor soil fertility and nutrient deficiencies. So farmers in these areas often increase their applications of chemical fertilizers to compensate for these deficiencies, which causes financial burdens and increases emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide to the atmosphere.

To sustain good yields over time without relying on external inputs, farmers need to boost soil fertility. Strategies to do so include adding organic matter to soils and nutrient management, which involves using crop nutrients as efficiently as possible to improve productivity while protecting the environment. By prioritizing practices that boost soil fertility, farmers can build resilient farming systems that give good yields and minimize reliance on synthetic inputs.

How big of an issue is deforestation?

Deforestation is a challenge with far-reaching environmental and socio-economic impacts. Depleting forests and vegetation not only contributes to climate change but also worsens problems such as desertification, soil erosion, and low agricultural productivity. The consequences of deforestation also include adverse impacts on biodiversity, water cycles, and regional climate. Deforestation also disrupts the livelihoods of indigenous communities that rely on forest resources, further intensifying socio-economic inequalities.

How do you encourage the farmers you support?

We encourage our farmers to maintain their leadership roles within their communities and serve as examples of sustainable land stewardship. Through ongoing education and advocacy, they can empower others to embrace environmentally responsible practices and contribute to the preservation of natural resources.

Thank you, Rebecca Snyder, for this information.

We will take a short break and when we come back, we will hear from Mr. Fredrick Chambanenge, the Project Coordinator for Green Living Movement.

SHORT MUSICAL INTERLUDE

Sir, welcome to the program. How many farmers does Green Living Movement support?

Thank you very much for this opportunity. Green Living Movement supports over 4,000 small-scale farmers to cope with the effects of climate change. This support involves raising awareness of climate change, capacity-building, enhancing alternative sources of income, and expanding our network within communities so as many people as possible preserve natural resources.

How are you fighting climate change and promoting agroforestry?

Green Living Movement raises awareness of climate change by outlining its causes and effects, and various efforts to reduce its negative impacts, including agroforestry. Agroforestry is a farming practice that integrates crops and/or livestock with trees. The trees in an agroforestry field provide benefits such as improved soil structure and improved soil fertility, and provide other needs such as fuelwood and fodder for animals.

Why are you promoting Gliricidia sepium?

Gliricidia sepium is one of the tree species recognized for its usefulness in improving soil fertility and also used for live fencing and animal browsing. For a farming household, planting Gliricidia helps address fertility problems because its fallen leaves decompose and fertilize the soil as well as through intercropping with crops. Gliricidia also helps by supplying firewood and construction materials in addition to sequestering or storing carbon.

How should farmers be planting Gliricidia? Also, do farmers have concerns about planting it?

Gliricidia sepium can be raised either from seeds or from stem cuttings. These are intercropped with crops or can be planted in parallel rows called alleys, with the crop planted in between the rows.

One major concern about Gliricidia sepium has been its roots’ growth pattern. Because of the roots’ vigorous growth, some farmers say that it disturbs the growth of other plants around it. So, we normally resolve this concerns by planting Gliricidia on its own.

How can Gliricidia sepium help with soil fertility?

By improving soil structure and fertility, it ensures reduced cost of production for farmers and helps improve household food security and biodiversity.

Thank you for your time and very insightful information.

It is now time to get feedback from some farmers who grow Gliricidia sepium. Fifty-three-year-old Josephine Tembo is a small-scale farmer in Mambwe district in the Eastern Province of Zambia. She is one of the small-scale farmers who have experienced the harsh effects of climate change and low crop yields.

Welcome to the program and kindly introduce yourself.

Thank you very much. My name is Josephine Tembo, aged 53 and mother of five children. I am married and live in Kakumbi village in Mambwe district.

Would you give an account of your history in farming?

Firstly, I grew up as a farmer, and we accompanied our parents to the fields. I did not have an opportunity to complete my school but got married and continued farming with my husband. We used to grow a lot of cotton and sell to a cotton company called Grafax, but over the years we shifted to growing a variety of crops, including soybeans—especially when COMACO started educating us on sustainable farming methods.

How did you hear about Gliricidia?

I first heard about Gliricidia on Radio Breeze. If am not mistaken, it was on a program called Ulimi ndi Malonda (Farming as a business). And from that time, I have embraced Gliricidia sepium.

: What are the uses of Gliricidia sepium?

One of the most important uses is improving soil fertility. We plant it in our field and crops perform far better compared to those who practice conventional farming methods. Those who use chemical fertilizer cannot match our crop yields. But we also use Gliricidia as a source of firewood, which reduces deforestation by saving other trees from being cut down.

Would you share the situation of your farm before and after you started planting Gliricidia?

Before we planted Gliricidia in our crop fields, the yields were lower than now. For us to have a good harvest, we had to use four basal dressings of fertilizer and four top dressing of fertilizer per hectare. But these days, even if we don’t have enough fertilizer, we can harvest a lot because the leaves of Gliricidia rot and improve soil fertility. Also, we have reduced the number of trees we cut for firewood because we get firewood from Gliricidia. So Gliricidia is a way of looking after our environment.

Has growing Gliricidia helped to curb tree cutting and illegal hunting in your area?

Yes, very much. In villages here, apart from clearing land for fields, trees are cut down for firewood and charcoal production. But, through the lessons we get from COMACO and continuous planting of Gliricidia, we have reduced cutting down trees because we get firewood from Gliricidia. One other thing I can mention is that this tree grows very fast compared to indigenous trees like Mfendaluzi, kamphoni, or Japanese gooseberry, mubanga or East African afrormosia, msoro, also called mountain rock fig, and others. Our trees take many years to grow, but with Gliricidia, you start benefiting from firewood within a few years.

What is your advice to farmers that do not know about this tree?

Try it in your field and you will testify to its goodness. I have even planted it in my compound at home. So I don’t worry about firewood anymore because the tree is here at home.

We are privileged to have another farmer from Mnkhanya village, in Mambwe district.

Kindly introduce yourself.

My name is Gloria Phiri from Mnkhanya. I am a 32-year- old married woman with three children.

What is your history in farming?

I started farming when I was young and staying with my grandmother and grandfather. My parents died a long time ago when I was still very young. Unfortunately, my grandfather died in 2019 when I was finishing my teaching training at Chipata College of Education. I have applied twice to government for a job, but I have not been picked. So I am now into serious farming and I make more money than some employees.

How did you learn about Gliricidia sepium?

When I was in Chipata for college, I used to listen a lot to Radio Breeze and that’s where I first heard about it. Also, grandmother had joined a group under COMACO and she mentioned it to me too.

As a farmer, how have you used Gliricidia sepium?

I have positively embraced it. I describe it as a farmer’s friend because of its benefits, including fuelwood, increased crop yields, and shade.

In the field, it helps to improve soil fertility. I call it a magic tree and game changer. In terms of firewood, Gliricidia is saving our trees here from being cut down.

As you know, South Luangwa National Park is in Mambwe district. So every tree that is cut down not only has an impact on human beings, but also wild animals. I remember how we used to suffer to find firewood. But now, we get it through Gliricidia. We are able to use a cook stove which uses very little firewood and there is reduced charcoal production.

This place is hot. As you know we are in the valley near the Luangwa River, so Gliricidia is a good source of shade.

Does Gliricidia have any other benefits?

Gliricidia is not very difficult to grow. Apart from fruit trees, I think it’s one of the easiest trees one can grow. Because Gliricidia grows fast and is easy to take care of, a lot of people are happy to plant it. Its multiple benefits also come in handy. (LAUGHTER). Today you get firewood, tomorrow you are enjoying healthy crops in your field from the same tree. Who wouldn’t want to associate himself or herself with such a wonderful tree?

Has it helped in curbing tree cutting and illegal hunting?

Yes! Let me give you an example. My elder brother is a tobacco grower in Mphomwa, just inside Mambwe district. Before he planted a line of Gliricidia trees, he was cutting down trees for his curing shelter. But the Gliricidia he planted changed his life. He doesn’t need to cut down trees every year or build a new shelter. For curing his tobacco, he gets most of the firewood from the Gliricidia trees. He has almost a plantation and slowly becoming a mini-forest of Gliricidia trees at his farm. That helps to reduce cutting down trees because people can get firewood and small poles from the tree. Imagine if all tobacco farmers stopped cutting down trees and just used Gliricidia?

What is your advice to farmers who do not know about this tree?

I tell them that they are delaying. You should have embraced it yesterday! I repeat, it’s a farmer’s all-weather friend. So who wouldn’t want to have such a good and reliable friend?

Thank you to all our listeners and guests.

From today’s interviews, dear listener, we have learnt the effectiveness of agroforestry and how it is practiced in the Mambwe district of Eastern Zambia. Environmentally-focused NGOs like COMACO and Green Living Movement have explained how they are working with farmers to promote conservation agriculture and agroforestry through planting Gliricidia sepium, which has proved to be an effective method of fighting deforestation whilst increasing crop yields.

Until next time, it’s bye for now.