Enhancing the Economic Stability of Select Limited Resource Farms through the Establishment of Micropropagated Pecan Orchards Integrated with Crops and Animals

Enhancing the Economic Stability of Select Limited Resource Farms through the Establishment of Micropropagated Pecan Orchards Integrated with Crops and Animals

Summary

This request for planning grant was submitted by a team of researchers and extension professionals in a bid to develop a proposal on agroforestry. The proposal will involve the use of pecan orchards integrated with vegetable, forage, and small ruminants, for resource poor farmers in five states-Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia. Limited resource farmers and woodland owners in these states have faced significant production problems due to the ever increasing cost of farm inputs. These producers desire to extend their on-farm productive careers while providing an operation that can be sustained for future generations by converting existing farm operations to alternative agroforestry enterprise. The research and extension team aspire to develop a program for resource limited farmers that will incorporate innovative low-input technology of growing pecans intercropped with nitrogen fixing vegetables and forage crops, with small ruminants , for efficient forage utilization,nutrient cycling, weed control, and diversification of the production system.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The main objetive of this project was to facilitate networking of research scientists and extension specialists and to develop grant proposal that target assisting limited resource farmers in five states-Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia. The ulimate goal is to develop a low-cost, ecologically friendly system that integrates pecans, vegetable,forage crops and small ruminants for these farmers.

Accomplishments/Milestones

July 15, 2010: First Teleconference with collaborating researchers and extension educators to discuss tentative program plan and draw a work time frame.

August 13, 2010: Second Teleconference with collaborating researchers and extension educators to assign research and educational topics.

September 17, 2010: Third Teleconference with collaborating researchers and extension educators to discuss a detailed work program.

January 26-29, 2011: First face-to-face meeting in Arkansas for researchers and educators to assess the benchmarks of teleconferences and outline the challenges and opportunities. Discussion of preliminary work plan. Initial draft of the proposal.

January to March, 2011. Proposal development to be submitted to SSARE Research and Education Program. Title of the proposal: Enhancing the economic sustainability of small farmers by integrating pecan orchards with small ruminants.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Collaborators: