| dc.description.abstract | Botswana is a semi-arid country which has 80% of the population living in rural areas and engaged mainly in agriculture. Rural populations in Botswana depend heavily on woodlands for fuelwood, fencing poles, building and raw materials for various local industries. Batswana are traditionally pastoralists who practice mixed farming with arable agriculture as a secondary occupation. Woodlands in Tribal areas are used communally with little or no management. Increasing pressure on woodlands, especially in the eastern and southern parts of the country is resulting in rapid depletion and scarcity of wood products around major settlements.
Dryland agroforestry and rural forestry have potentials in provision of woodland resources and diversification of traditional land use systems. This report reviews tree planting activities in the country and the following constraints have been identified: lack of water, wrong species or provenance choice, insufficient seedlings, lack of technical know how, animal damage on sseedlings, lack of labour and termite attack on young seedlings. Also, the existing land use systems, with special emphasis on Agroforestry were reviewed so that possibilities for improvement could be identified. The two main traditional Agroforestry systems in Botswana ’Silvopastoraland 'Agrosilvopastoral’ are described together with their management, potentials and constraints. Agroforestry research, training and extension needs were also identified. | en_US |
