Co-funded by the
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
of the German Government
Co-funded by the
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
of the German Government
Agroforestry reinvented - Agro-ecological, nutrition-sensitive intensification of vegetable cultivation under fruit trees in West and East Africa (AfriNutriForest)
In five work packages the project addresses the monitoring of sustainability challenges along selected value chains (WP1); performs scientist-led on-farm research of innovative agroecological practices (WP2) and farmer-led research through farmer field schools (WP3) in arbo-market gardens with solar-powered and digital technologies to increase productivity while reducing manual labour, production costs and use of agrochemicals. Co-learning and training on agroecological practices and innovations and South-South exchange will be disseminated through work package 4, while the project coordination and cooperation is performed in WP5.
Agro-ecological intensification through agroforestry systems (i.e. species-rich combinations of trees and crops on a single unit of land) is a powerful strategy for simultaneously addressing sev- eral of the global challenges we face today. These challenges –also referred to as the trilemma of land use – include:
Silke leads the research program at SLE. She is an experienced participatory action researcher and project developer. With over 25 years of experience in development-oriented research and as a consultant in international cooperation in Southeast Asia, Europe and Africa, she works according to the motto: work close to practice in research, and as a practitioner, stay research-oriented. Her main interests are climate-resilient agriculture, co-creating knowledge, and developing sustainable solutions with rural communities.
Katja is managing the AfriNutriForest project, which promotes innovative agroforestry systems in Senegal and Kenya to enhance local diets and resilient food systems. She lived and worked for almost 10 years in Indonesia and Kenya and has more than 15 years of experience in development-oriented agroforestry research, focusing mainly on Africa and Asia. In addition, Katja is engaged in teaching and supervising students. At SLE, Katja combines her expertise to advance sustainable, diverse food systems and nutrition security.
Aicha Mechri is an agricultural engineer with an additional degree in socio-ecological economics, born and raised in Tunisia. Her expertise includes ecological economics, agri-food systems, food value chains and sustainability assessment - both in theory and in practice. She has worked for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), where she contributed to the Agricultural Policy Division and the Global Strategy for Agricultural and Food Statistics. Throughout her career, Aicha has worked with individuals and institutions in Africa, the Middle East, South America and the Pacific. Currently, her research focuses on agri-food value chains, sustainability, systemic thinking and collective action. She investigates how collective action can drive the transformation of food systems and how communities interact and realize goals together. For Aicha, research and practice go hand in hand to develop strong communities of practice that combine knowledge and action for sustainable impact.
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