Farmer knowledge and experimentation with trees and tree cultivation in agroforestry systems in Rwanda

A dissertation submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Forestry.

Although Rwandan farmers have used trees for numerous purposes for centuries, the active planting and management of woody vegetation on-farm has been a relatively recent innovation. The goal of this research was to determine and understand the processes of agroforestry knowledge generation by farmers underlying these changes in resource management and usage. In particular, the study focused on farmer experimental methods related to the integration of trees on the farm. As agriculture is both a social and technico-economic endeavor, and as knowledge generation is embedded within productive processes, a social-constructivist perspective of science and technology was used as a framework for this study.

The research focused on a group of 44 locally identified tree experts, chosen in a two stage process using a ranking game and community interviews. A comparison group of 71 farmers was chosen randomly from those identified in the game as less-knowledgeable about agroforestry. In-depth methods used to study knowledge/technology generation included biographical case studies of tree experts, tree inventories, a socio-economic survey, participant observation and focus group interviews.

Ranking game informants identified tree experts as farmers cultivation a diversity of trees on their farm in accordance with the philosophical meaning of knowledge: knowing a plurality of objects or notions. Ranking game and socioeconomic survey results showed agreement on key variables used to distinguish farmers. Tree experts had more land, trees and tree species, but the tree density on comparison farms was more than two times higher. This points to a differentiation in knowledge between expert and comparison farms which was more than two times higher. This points to a differentiation in knowledge between expert and comparison farmers. Consultants identified the lack of local communication and information exchange networks as the major draw back to advancing endogenous agroforestry knowledge.

The study concludes that collaboration between knowledge systems may be beneficial for both. A synthesis between systems will increase the effectiveness of ongoing scientific agroforestry research and development but, more importantly, it will empower, legitimize and enhance the existing endogenous capacities for identifying problems and developing solutions, which will be an important step towards enabling rural people themselves to alleviate their poverty. (author)

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