Breadfruit Agroforestry – Overcoming Barriers to Adoption

Commodities

• Agronomic: other

Practices

• Crop Production: agroforestry

While agroforestry is promoted as a method of farming that can
increase social and environmental outcomes, there is a deficiency
of practical information on agroforestry outcomes to support
adoption. The proposed project builds upon an existing
collaboration between the University of Hawai’i, Hawai’i ‘Ulu
Producers Cooperative, and Propagate to build resources,
narratives, and tools to support the adoption of diversified
agroforestry production. This project most specifically targets
current and potential breadfruit agroforestry farmers in Hawai’i,
however, the findings and resources will be more broadly
applicable to potential agroforestry farmers throughout the
tropics, such as Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and other
US-affiliated Pacific Islands.

This project gathers data primarily documenting the economic
costs and benefits of agroforestry practices, specifically
centered around ‘ulu (breadfruit; Artocarpus
altilis) and other indigenous co-crops. This work expands
upon the recently created ‘Ulu Agroforestry Guide
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2263/2015/files/HUPC-Ulu-Agroforestry-Guide.pdf?v=1654287013)
and ‘Ulu Production Primer (https://ulu.coop/breadfruitprimer),
both co-produced with the project partners, to provide more
comprehensive quantitative and qualitative assessments of
benefits associated with agroforestry adoption in Hawai‘i. The
two overarching research objectives are: to gather and build
detailed data on the benefits and costs of agroforestry in
partnership with farmers who have adopted agroforestry; and to
survey non-agroforestry farmers about their barriers and
reservations in regards to adopting agroforestry. Through
on-farm, co-produced methods, and peer-to-peer learning of
genuine real-world skills, scenarios and problems, this project
helps overcome barriers while assessing them. It gives support to
improve existing agroforestry efforts and aims to provide
economic clarity and confidence for establishing new agrosystems
for both farmers and financiers.

This project’s educational objectives get research on the ground
by building and refining tools, curating resources that address
farmers’ barriers to agroforestry adoption, and providing direct
learning opportunities through peer-to-peer engagement as well as
through technical assistance and farmer training programs.
Specifically, education outputs transmit what we are researching
through: (1) community education, in-person engagement, and
hands-on learning of agroforestry at a demonstration agroforestry
system at O.K. Farms; (2) a compilation of existing resources
that address barriers to agroforestry adoption, as prescribed by
Hawai’i agribusiness professionals; (3) webinars, engagement with
GoFarms agroforestry training program, and peer-to-peer learning
networks; (4) creating an Agroforestry Guide that provides
quantitative examples of the costs and benefits of agroforestry
adoption in Hawai‘i; and (5) using finding to refine the
Overyield software for tropical ‘ulu agroforestry to more
accurately forecast economic viability and environmental
outcomes.

Research Objective 1: Quantifying benefits and costs of
‘ulu agroforestry

Research Objective 2: Surveying farmers about barriers to
adopting agroforestry

Education Objective 1: Community engagement through
Farmer Agroforestry Field Days

Education Objective 2: Resources and interventions to
address barriers to agroforestry adoption, prescribed by Hawai’i
agribusiness professionals

Education Objective 3: Agroforestry Adoption Webinars and
other Trainings

Education Objective 4: Expanded second edition of ‘Ulu
Agroforestry Guide

Education Objective 5: Overyield model
software development for tropical ‘ulu agroforestry