ASILI B CC:

Farmer-Led Agroforestry for Climate Resilience, Biodiversity and Food Security

PROJECT TYPE: ONGOING

Project Duration: 2026–2028

Funding Partner: Vi Agroforestry

Geographical Coverage: Lindi, Mtwara, Dodoma, Manyara, Mara, and Kagera Regions, Tanzania

Strategic Partners: Vi Agroforestry and local partner organizations

Background

Smallholder farmers in Tanzania are increasingly facing the impacts of climate change, including prolonged droughts, declining soil fertility, loss of biodiversity, and unpredictable rainfall patterns. These challenges threaten food security, household incomes, and the resilience of rural communities. Conventional agricultural systems have often contributed to environmental degradation and reduced the capacity of farming systems to adapt to changing climatic conditions.

Agroforestry offers an effective and nature-based solution to these challenges. By integrating trees, crops, livestock, and biodiversity-friendly practices, agroforestry contributes to healthier ecosystems, improved soil fertility, enhanced carbon sequestration, diversified incomes, and greater resilience to climate shocks. At the same time, farmer-led approaches ensure that solutions are rooted in local knowledge, priorities, and experiences.

Recognizing the critical role of farmers as custodians of biodiversity and agents of change, the ASILI B CC project seeks to strengthen sustainable and resilient farming systems while improving livelihoods and ecosystem health across Tanzania.

Project Overview

ASILI B CC: Farmer-Led Agroforestry for Climate Resilience, Biodiversity and Food Security is a three-year initiative supported by Vi Agroforestry. The project aims to empower smallholder farmers to adopt sustainable and biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices that improve food and nutrition security while enhancing resilience to climate change.

The project places farmers at the center of innovation and decision-making, recognizing that locally driven solutions are essential for building sustainable food systems. Through the promotion of agroforestry and agroecological approaches, the initiative seeks to restore degraded landscapes, strengthen biodiversity, improve soil health, and diversify household livelihoods.

Working across six regions of Tanzania, the project supports communities to integrate trees into farming systems, conserve natural resources, and enhance ecosystem services while creating opportunities for sustainable economic development.

Goal

To improve food and nutrition security and strengthen climate resilience among smallholder farming communities through farmer-led agroforestry systems and biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices.

Specific Objectives

Promote the adoption of agroforestry and agroecological practices among smallholder farmers.
Strengthen climate resilience and adaptive capacities of rural communities.
Improve soil fertility and restore degraded landscapes.
Enhance biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services.
Diversify livelihoods and increase household incomes.
Promote sustainable natural resource management.
Strengthen farmer organizations and community capacities.
Improve food and nutrition security through diversified production systems.

Key Focus Areas

The project focuses on:

Farmer-led agroforestry systems.
Climate change adaptation and resilience.
Biodiversity conservation.
Landscape restoration.
Sustainable soil and water management.
Agroecological transitions.
Food and nutrition security.
Sustainable livelihoods and income diversification.
Community empowerment and local knowledge systems.

Key Activities

Major interventions include:

Training farmers on agroforestry and agroecological practices.
Establishment of demonstration plots and farmer learning sites.
Promotion of tree planting and landscape restoration initiatives.
Strengthening sustainable soil and water conservation practices.
Supporting diversification of crops and farming systems.
Enhancing farmer-to-farmer learning and knowledge exchange.
Promoting biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration.
Strengthening community organizations and local leadership.
Facilitating documentation and dissemination of best practices and lessons learned.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the project, it is expected that:

Smallholder farmers will adopt more sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices.
Soil fertility and ecosystem health will improve.
Biodiversity and ecosystem services will be strengthened.
Household food and nutrition security will increase.
Communities will become more resilient to climate-related shocks.
Farmer organizations and local institutions will be strengthened.
Sustainable livelihood opportunities and income sources will be diversified.
Degraded landscapes will be restored through farmer-led initiatives.

Long-Term Impact

The ASILI B CC project envisions thriving farming landscapes where biodiversity, productive agriculture, and resilient communities coexist. By placing farmers at the center of innovation and promoting nature-based solutions, the initiative contributes to sustainable food systems, ecosystem restoration, and improved livelihoods.

Ultimately, the project seeks to demonstrate that farmer-led agroforestry can serve as a powerful pathway toward climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and food security, while supporting communities to adapt to the challenges of a changing climate and safeguard natural resources for future generations.