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.

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

2. Data Generation
Project sites: Kakamega, Siaya, Machakos, Laikipia, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui & Kwale Counties, Kenya

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

5. Decision support tools: current and future climates

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)

7. Outreach,
influence & impact

8. Outreach, influence
& impact
Farmer and stakeholder training: fruit tree propagation, management and delivery
systems, 2014- 2016

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

10. Thank you
Stepha McMullin
s.mcmullin@cgiar.org
Project webpage:
www.worldagroforestry.org/project/food-trees-
diversified-diets-improved-nutrition-and-better-
livelihoods-smallholders-east