Agricultural land

This research area seeks to answer the following questions:

What are the optimum levels of tree density and diversity in different contexts required to increase total factor productivity of smallholder livelihood systems while conferring resilience at farm and landscape scales? How can the desired tree density and diversity be most effectively promoted, given a widespread history of removing trees from agricultural land, conflicts between grazing animals and tree regeneration and promoting a few, largely exotic tree species on farms and in woodlots, rather than more diverse options? What is the relationship between tree cover (density and diversity) and soil health and where are there tradeoffs and synergies between production goals and the provision of other ecosystem services? How can key tipping points for land degradation be recognized, and used to avoid further degradation and prioritize restoration?