The objective of this priority is to ensure that farmers and forest managers have access to the planting material they need. The priority investigates:

• • How can approaches for delivery of tree planting material be more efficient, cost-effective and equitable, and how can this be properly assessed?
  • How can planting material delivery systems be made more adaptable to changing grower requirements and altering environmental conditions?

FTA’s work on reliable and efficient delivery systems of tree planting material, for farmers and other growers (including large restoration projects) aims at bridging the misalignment between knowledge and practice in existing delivery systems and addresses remaining knowledge gaps. It advises on delivery system redesign and tests the efficacy of adjusted approaches. FTA enquires whether annual crop delivery approaches can be adapted to trees, given trees’ differing characteristics with respect to annual crops (time to maturity, fecundity, range of species, level of domestication, etc.). Research considers how the involvement of entrepreneurial women (and young entrepreneurs) in delivery systems can be enhanced, seeking specific comparative advantages through understanding their existing knowledge, skills and experiences. FTA also explores how the few successful delivery systems that do exist for tree commodities can be extended to a wider range of trees. A range of innovative decision-support tools that link planters with appropriate planting material, based on available sources, sites and the purpose of planting, is also being developed.

More efficient and inclusive tree planting material delivery options and support tools, developed through coresearch and through engagement with stakeholders, result in the upgrading and commercialization of input suppliers, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involving women and youth. These suppliers more effectively provide growers with a range of more productive, diverse and/or site-matched tree planting materials that provide for greater profitabilty and/or resilience.