Day five

0800 - 0900 hrs.

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF AGROFORSTRY PROJECTS

Objective:

The participants will understand the methodology of determining the economic feasibility of agroforestry projects and therefore have the capability to determine whether a project should be implemented now, at a later date, or not at all.

Procedure: Lecture should include:

· An explanation of the need for economic evaluation, both preproject evaluation to determine if a project is economically feasible and postproject evaluation to ascertain whether the project is a success or failure.

· Factors that go into an economic evaluation:

- Scope of evaluation: level of evaluation, individual family plots, entire community or entire watershed.

- The time horizon: the time span to be included in the calculations of economic feasibility/evaluation of a project.

- Data collection: information on all physical inputs, outputs and residuals generated by the project.

- Valuation: the worth attached to benefits and costs.

- Discount rate: a determination of present value of all costs and benefits that will occur throughout the life of the project.

· Economic evaluation techniques with simple examples.

Resources:

Handout: New Directions in Agroforestry:

The Potential of Tropical Legume Trees;

Economic Evaluation of Agroforestry Projects. By Dr. Napoleon Vergara.

DAY FIVE

0900 - 1200 hrs.

SEED COLLECTION AND STORAGE (LECTURE AND FIELD)

Objective:

Participants will have a working knowledge of several methods of collecting and storing seeds. To provide an opportunity to practice this newly acquired skill of seed collection.

Procedure: Trainer gives lecture and leads group discussion:

· Methods of seed collection.

· Different types of seeds, e.g., fruit, hard coat, soft coat, winged, pulpy, etc.

· Various ways to store seeds and precautions that should be taken; i.e., precautions against fungal infections, insect damage, heat and frost damage, etc.

· Field trip to collect seeds.

NOTE

A location should be selected prior to the field trip. There should he a variety of tree species with at least a few of them in the seed bearing stage of development if possible.

1300 - 1815 hrs.

FRUIT TREES - GRAFTING AND PRUNING: "HANDS ON" PRACTICE

Objective:

The participants will be instructed in the selection of proper grafting materials (scion, root stock) and be able to graft fruit trees using a couple of methods. They will understand the principals and importance of pruning trees.

Procedure: Lecture and demonstration should include:

· Explanation of the purpose and advantages of grafting fruit trees;

- to achieve desired variety of fruit with stock adapted to local conditions,

- to gain time - grafted trees begin bearing fruit earlier than trees produced directly from seeds,

- to assure genetic purity,

- for repair purposes - renewing an old tree or repairing girdled trunks caused by rodents or mechanical damage.

· The process of selecting proper root stock and scions for grafting. Point out those characteristics desired in both.

· Review of the principles of pruning;

- space for every branch and a branch for every space,

- watch the timing - generally in the lowest growth period (dormancy) of the tree,

- prune so that the tree can heal clean cuts, no projecting stumps so that rain will not collect in the cut.

· Practice both grafting and pruning.

Resources:

Fruit tree seedlings, scions, grafting knives, sharpening stone, horning oil, pruning shears.

NOTE

It is desirable to have actual fruit tree seedlings to graft. Make arrangements to get them prior to the start of training.

1815 - 1845

REVIEW & PROCESSING