Methodology and Audience

TUSIP will be executed using participatory methodologies where the beneficiaries are key actors in all the levels of name implementation. Four family farms and one community farm in Tugi have been selected as pilots to test the technology over eighteen months from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. The pilot farms have been selected to represent the ecological pattern of the entire village taking into account farm resource-base differentials.

Intensification of livestock production systems will be promoted through the rehabilitation of degraded pastures and the implementation of rotational grazing, establishment of multi-strata live fencing, alley farming with cut and carry forages, and other silvo-pastoral technologies based on the proven successes of the technologies and methods applied by CATIE in Latin America.

Farm intensification is expected to promote the integration of livestock - crop production systems, integrated farm management and the efficient use of livestock farm waste and crop by-products for animal feed. It is expected that through this model of farm-animal-human relationship farming system, the beneficiaries will be able to diversify agricultural production, increase farm production and productivity, realize high profits, cope with the effects of climate change and the risks it brings to agriculture, increase food security and improve the livelihoods of farm operators and their families.

The target audience is the livestock and food crop farmers of Tugi village in a gender-sensitive mainstreaming model and will involve the following specific activities: Collection, collation and analysis of baseline technical and socio-economic data for all farms wherein the principal farm operator will be the unit of analysis;

Establish improved silvo-pastoral and agroforestry technologies on four pilot family farms and one community farm..The five pilot farms have been located on the basis of the geographical representativeness, social soundness and economic feasibility. Of great significance for cultural relevance and environmental protection is the location of the community farm in the Gyindong Forest Reserve of Tugi Village. Each of the farms will be under the leadership of the family head and the community farm naturally be under the leadership of the Fon who is the traditional custodian of village/community land in Tugi; rain farmers and livestock keepers on the improved technologies promoted by the name and assess their attitudes, perceptions and adoption pattern.