Tree crop production

CATIE will coordinate the project"s three components - information dissemination, research, and training. The first component will promote the advantages of new TC technologies to public and private sector leaders and policymakers as well as to farmers. CATIE will establish demonstration sites (DS"s), grouped in clusters, to show the uses and income potential of integrating TC"s onto small and medium farms; organize visits to the DS clusters; and provide assistance to extension agencies. To increase awareness of TC activities, CATIE will organize short orientation sessions and visits to DS"s for top and mid-level officials; sponsor at least one conference per country; and develop simple, practical instructional guidelines, educational materials, and audiovisual presentations (on silvicultural and socioeconomic aspects of TC"s) for extension agents. In addition, the project will expand TC library collections at CATIE and other institutions; develop field manuals, technical publications, and a management information system; and provide specialized TA to national institutions. The training component will: (1) develop a critical mass of technical field personnel with specialization in TC applications; (2) train professionals in TC research methods; and (3) fully train and utilize forestry extension agents. CATIE will increase the number of graduate students and courses in its programs, provide financial support to at least 22 students (for thesis research and M.Sc. degrees), and provide on the job training and short courses. At least 3 other institutions in the region will be selected for faculty upgrading (to gradually transfer the training focus to national institutions), and specialized training materials will be developed. Research will take place on small privately-owned holdings and will include study of multi-use trees in short rotation forestry. The project will standardize trial establishment and data collection methodologies; expand the network of research sites, quantify guidelines for predicting yields, and develop high quality germplasm. Applied socioeconomic research will help influence farmers to plant TC"s by gathering data on and evaluating demand for wood products, market and non-market benefits, production costs, wood lot trade operations, and incentives.