This document introduces the African Master TreeGrower Program, which is based on the successful Australian Master TreeGrower Program. It summarizes the origins and key aspects of the Australian program since 1996. This includes peer mentoring, farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing, and integrating science with practical on-farm experience. The document then outlines plans to trial an adapted version of the program in Uganda in 2012, including initial site visits and farmer workshops. Participant feedback indicates the trial was well-received and provided new skills and ideas to benefit local communities and livelihoods through agroforestry.

1. Introducing the
African Master TreeGrower Program

2. Rowan Reid
2
• Bach. Forest Science
• Masters in Agroforestry
• Senior Lecturer , 20 years
(University of Melbourne)
• Farmer and tree grower
Rowan.reid@agroforestry.net.au
www.agroforestry.net.au

3. Agroforestry books

4. http://audit.ea.gov.au/anra/people/docs/national/Final%20Audit%20Report%20Vol1.doc
Private
farmland
200,000 Australian Farmers
70% of the productive land

5. Farm families need trees!

6. Trees for Conservation and Profit!

7. Kenya 1986
The story begins

8. 1987
Making forestry ‘attractive’ to farmers

9. That’s what AGROFORESTRY is…
Forests that farmers want on their land

11. Productive Landcare

12. A good-news story for Australian farmers

14. The Australian Master TreeGrower
Since 1996
100 Courses
>2000 Participants

16. Farmers talk to farmers

17. Peer Group Mentoring

18. Science supporting farmers as they talk and
walk with other farmers

19. Networking – MTG – PGM

20. We felt we had something different
Agroforestry was about people – not trees

22. Trial African Master TreeGrower 2012

25. Andrew and Jill Stewart

27. 1994

28. Many tree products

29. Many bird species (106)
1

30. Mikeand Wendy Robinson-Koss

34. David Curry

35. Kenya 1962

39. Marianne Stewart

43. Kabale – Southwest Uganda

67. Value of Presentations
0
5
10
15
20
25
1 2 3 4 5
(n=41, Mean = 4.4)

68. • Learnt what we didn’t know
• Lovely, professional, inspiring
Value of the presentations?

69. Participant ratings:
Value of Field trips
0
5
10
15
20
1 2 3 4 5
(n=40, Mean = 4.1)

70. • Very encouraging
Participant ratings:
Value to your community
Value of the field trips?

71. Participant ratings:
Value to your community
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1 2 3 4 5
(n=37, Mean = 4.5)

72. • New skills to teach my community
• Mentoring fellow farmers
• Ideas to fight poverty
• Improve our programmes
Participant ratings:
Value to your community
What value has it been to your community?

73. • Gained skills
• I want to protect the forests
How has it changed the way you think about trees?

74. What is success?

75. It’s not actually a ‘course’
What matters is the outcome – not the curriculum

76. Create and support peer support
Science and technology can be introduced..

77. But, what matters is the converstation
• Verify
• Validate
• Adapt

78. The hat

79. The tape

80. The farm visits

81. Local leadership and support

82. You showed us what you do
We showed you what we’ve done
Jimmy

83. Kabale Agroforestry Network
Inaugural steering committee

84. First Farm Walk

85. Forest owners working with
landless farmers

86. Political support

87. Local Media

88. National Ugandan Media

89. David Curry: First ‘site visit’

91. Andrew and Jill

93. Mike and Wendy

94. What about the professionals
I now see the sky as the limit with regard to my professional development. (Forest Scientist)

95. What about the researchers?

96. People are the same

97. Like teaching someone to paint

98. Impact on our our rural landscapes

99. Impact on our your rural landscapes
Trees don’t change landscapes – People do

100. Thank You