A PLATFORM FOR STAKEHOLDERS IN AFRICAN FORESTRY
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF TREE BREEDING
AND TREE GERMPLASM SUPPLY IN AFRICA: UNDERPINNING SUSTAINABLE FOREST
MANAGEMENT
AFRICAN FOREST FORUM WORKING PAPER SERIES
ISSUE 3 VOLUME 1, 201 7
Copyright © African Forest Forum 2017. All rights reserved. African Forest Forum P.O. Box 30677 - 00100
Nairobi GPO Kenya Tel: +254 20 7224203 Fax: +254 20 722 4001 Website: www.afforum.org
Correct citation: Marunda, C. T., Avana-Tientcheu, M. L. & Msanga, H. P. ( 2017). Situational analysis of tree
breeding and tree ge rmplasm supply in Africa: under pinning sustainable forest management . AFF Working
Paper (3) 1. Nairobi. African Forest Forum .
Front cover photos:
Left : Four -month old seedlings of P. oocarpa, Katuugo Nursery, Uganda . (Photo by Heriel Msanga, 2014)
Middle : A demonstration of safe tree climbing during seed harvesting, TTSA, Morogoro, Tanzania. ( Photo
by Heriel Msanga, 2014)
Right : Seed germination tests in a germination room, TTSA, Morogoro, Tanzania (Photo by Heriel Msanga,
2014)
Back cover photo:
Left:
Eucalyptus plantation in Congo near Pointe -Noire Diosso. ( Photo by jbdodane, 2014); Right: Teak
plantation. (Photo by Amber Karnes, 2008)
Disclaimer
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of
any opinion whatsoever on the part of the African Forest Forum concerning the legal status of any country,
territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries regarding
its economic system or degree of development. Excerpts may be reproduced without authorization, on
condition that the source is indicated. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of
the African Forest Forum.
i
Situational analysis of tree
breeding and tree
germplasm supply in Africa:
under pinning sustainable
forest management
Crispen T. Marunda
Marie Louise Avana-Tientcheu
Heriel Petro Msanga
ii
Table of contents
List of tables .......................................................................................................................... iv
List of figures ......................................................................................................................... v
Acronyms .............................................................................................................................. vi
Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. vii
Executive summary ........................................................................................................... viii
1. Background .................................................................................................................... 1
1.1. Objectives of the study ............................................................................................ 1
1.2. Approach to the review ............................................................................................ 1
1.3. Contextualising SFM in Africa ................................................................................ 2
1.4. Forests in Africa ...................................................................................................... 2
1.4.1. Natural forests in Africa ................................................................................... 2
1.4.2. Planted forests in Africa ................................................................................... 3
1.5. Forest decline in Africa ........................................................................................... 5
1.6. Reversing the trend – pointing to the need for more tree germplasm ..................... 6
1.7. Sustainable forest management in Africa ................................................................ 6
1.8. Tree breeding and seed production –cornerstone for SFM in Africa ...................... 8
2. Defining the forest genetic resources in Africa – candidate species for planting .. 10
2.1. Eucalypt species for planting in Africa ................................................................. 11
2.1.1 Clonal eucalypt forestry ................................................................................. 12
2.1.2. Eucalypt seed production ............................................................................... 13
2.2. Pine species for planting in Africa ........................................................................ 14
2.2.1. Clonal forestry for pines ................................................................................. 15
2.2.2. Pine seed production ...................................................................................... 16
2.3. Tectona grandis planting in Africa ........................................................................ 16
2.3.1. Seed production for Tectona grandis ............................................................. 17
2.4. Gmelina arborea planting in Africa ....................................................................... 18
2.4.1 Seed production for G. arborea ...................................................................... 18
2.5. Acacia species for planting in Africa .................................................................... 18
2.5.1. Seed production for Acacia species ............................................................... 20
2.6. Australian Acacia species grown in Africa ........................................................... 20
2.7. Indigenous commercial species ............................................................................. 21
2.7.1. Tree germplasm for indigenous commercial species ..................................... 22
iii
2.8. Agroforestry - Indigenous fruit trees ..................................................................... 23
2.8.1. Germplasm supply for indigenous fruit tree species ...................................... 24
2.9. Agroforestry (MPTS) species planted in Africa .................................................... 25
2.9.1. Seed production and supply for MPTS .......................................................... 25
3. Threats to tree germplasm in Africa - pests, diseases and climate change ............ 27
4. National tree seed centres (NTSCs) ........................................................................... 28
4.1. Challenges facing NTSC ....................................................................................... 28
4.2. Germplasm deployment models ............................................................................ 29
5. Tree germplasm documentation, regulation and agreements ................................. 31
6. Main recommendations .............................................................................................. 32
6.1. Policies on afforestation and reforestation ............................................................ 32
6.2. Identifying priority species for action ................................................................... 32
6.3. Development of forest genetic resources ............................................................... 33
6.4. Documentation of forest genetic resources ........................................................... 34
6.5. Deployment of forest genetic resources ................................................................ 34
6.6. Enrichment of forest genetic resources ................................................................. 34
6.7. Understanding the ecology and regeneration of indigenous commercial species . 35
6.8. Patterns of flowering and seed production ............................................................ 35
6.9 Clonal forestry ....................................................................................................... 35
6.10. Development of new models to deploy agroforestry germplasm .......................... 36
6.11. Tree germplasm transfer agreements ..................................................................... 36
6.12. Documenting genetic quality ................................................................................. 36
6.13. Tree germplasm supply in a changing climate ...................................................... 36
6.14. Regional networking and strengthening institutions ............................................. 37
7. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 38
8. References .................................................................................................................... 40
iv
List of tab les
Table 1. Forest statistics for countries in Africa (adapted from FAO, 2015) ........................... 3
Table 2. Commonly planted species in Africa by percentage and area planted ..................... 10
Table 3. List of the commonly planted eucalypt species in Africa. ........................................ 12
Table 4. Common inter -specific hybrids of eucalypt species planted in Africa. .................... 13
Table 5. List of commonly planted pine species in Africa. .................................................... 15
Table 6. Some of the hybrids planted or being evaluated in South Africa ............................. 16
Table 7. List of common indigenous commercial species for planting .................................. 22
Table 8. Priority indigenous fruit trees for domestication in sub- Sahara Africa. ................... 24
Table 9. Priority indigenous fruit trees for domestication in sub- Sahara Africa. ................... 33
v
List of figures
Figure 1. Interrelations amongst tree planting activities, tree bre eding and seed systems ....... 1
Figure 2. Proportion of Forest plantation areas in sub- Sahara Africa (AFORNET, 2015) ...... 4
Figure 3. Processes involved in conventional tree breeding programme (adapted from Pottinger, 2003) ......................................................................................................... 8
Figure 4. 5 year old E. grandis in Lichinga, Mozambique (Photo by C. Marunda, 2014). .... 11
Figure 5. 10 year old Pinus patula tree in Stapleford, Zimbabwe (Photo by C. Marunda, 2014) ........................................................................................................................ 14
Figure 6 Tectona grandis trees (source: http://www.fincaleola.com/t eak.htm) ...................... 17
Figure 7. Figure 8. Plantation of G. arborea (http://vikaspedia.in/ agriculture/crop-
production/package -of -practices/tree- crops/gmelina -arborea) ............................... 18
Figure 8. Gum Arabic trees at Kilo 26 refugee camp, Sudan (Photo source: IUCN Photo Library © Intu Boedhihartono) ............................................................................... 19
F igure 9. Planted baobab trees in a farmer’s field near Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (Photo
by Henri Bouda 2005). ............................................................................................ 23
vi
Acronyms
AGM Annual General Meeting
AFF African Forest Forum
ATSC Australian Tree Seed Centre
AFORNET African Forest Research Network
BSO Breeding Seedling Orchard
CA Central Africa
CAMCORE Central American Coniferous Resources
CIRAD Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomiq ue pour le
développement
CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
CSO Clonal Seed Orchard
DRC Democratic Republic of Congo
DANIDA Danish International Development Agency
EA Eastern Africa
EFC Eucalyptus Fibre du Congo
FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation
FGR Forest Genetic Resources
FRA Forest Resource Assessment
GxC Grandis x Camaldulensis hybrid
GxT Grandis x Tereticornis hybrid
GxU Grandis x Urophylla hybrid
GCF Gatsby Charitable Foundation
GTZ German Agency for Technical Co -operation
ICFR Institute for Commercial Forestry Research
ICRAF International Centre for Research in Agroforestry
ICS Indigenous Commercial Species
IFT Indigenous Fruit Trees
ISTA International Seed Testing Association
KEFRI Kenya Forest ry Research Institute
NGO Non-Governmental Organisation
NTFP Non Timber Forest Products
NTSC National Tree Seed Centre
NORAD Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation
PROTA Plant Resources of Tropical Afri ca
SA Southern Africa
SAIF Southern Africa Institute of Forestry
SFM Sustainable Forest Management
Sida Swedish International Development Agency
SODEFOR Society for the Development of Forests
SSO Seedling Seed Orchard
TPF Timber Producers Federat ion
WA Western Africa
WAC World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
ZAR Zuid Afrika Rand
vii
Acknowledgements
This pan-African situational analysis of tree breeding and tree germplasm supply was
supported by the African Forest Forum (AFF). We are grateful to the AFF for giving us the
opportunity to review tree breeding and tree germplasm production throughout Afri ca. We
would like to thank Professor Godwin Kowero for the support and encouragement, Dr Doris
Mutta for effective guidance and support, and all the staff at AFF for their administrative and
professional help during the course of this assignment.
This pan- African report is a summary of regional reports and information on tree breeding and
tree germplasm collection and deployment in Central, Eastern, Southern and Western, Africa.
In the course of these assignments, we visited many countries and institutions , interviewed a
number of professionals working in forest departments, academic institutions, Non-
Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and international organisations. The names are too many
to mention, but have all been listed and cited as personal communica tions in the regional
reports. We also want to thank all the participants of the regional workshop on sharing
knowledge and experiences to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders in African forestry
held in Lomé, Togo from the 26th to the 30
th of September 2016. The questions and discussions
were informative and helped us in learning and articulating the situation throughout Africa.
While we acknowledge with thanks all those who availed information during the conduct of
this study, we however remain sol ely responsible for any omission and errors of interpretation.
viii
Executive summary
Forests and planted trees provide sustenance to many millions of people in Africa, particularly
the vulnerable, women and children. Balancing utilisation of forest resources and growth of
forests and trees forms the basis of sustainable forest management (SFM). Africa’s natural and
planted forests are not sustainably supplying wood and other products to meet the needs of the
growing population as well as the demand of national, regional and international markets.
Serious shortages of wood are forecast in many countries for the near future and this has
negative socio -economic implications. The African Forest Forum (AFF) recognised the need
to improve SFM in Africa through planting trees using genetically improved planting stock for
establishment of industrial plantations, community tree woodlots and agro- forests. This report
is based on situational analyses of tree breeding and tree germplasm supply conducted in West
an d Central Africa (Avana -Tientcheu, 2016), Eastern Africa (Msanga, 2016) and Southern
Africa (Marunda, 2016).
To understand trends in the choice of species and estimate seed demand, the studies looked at
forest statistics in selected African countries and r eviewed the history of tree planting
(introduction of species and provenances), afforestation, reforestation statistics and
conservation needs. Plantation development has been generally successful in countries where
the private sector has been encouraged a nd supported to invest in tree planting (e.g. South
Africa, Tanzania and Congo), research (Congo, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe)
and tree germplasm development (Burkina Faso). Community tree planting for agroforestry,
whilst still in the nasce nt stages of development, has been encouraged and supported by
international donors. Distribution of seed is mainly through informal farmer networks
supported by local and international organisations, national tree seed centres (e.g. Burkina
Faso) and the private sector (e.g. in South Africa). The users of tree germplasm in African
countries have become diverse - from large plantation corporations, community -based
organisations and city councils, to small -scale tree growers, including farmers groups and
individual farmers including women keen to plant indigenous fruit trees to improve their
livelihoods. This diversity brings with it challenges and opportunities. Challenges may include
how to supply a variety of high quality tree seed from a range of species whilst the diversity
offers opportunities for the rural communities to be involved in the supply chain of tree
germplasm.
The studies showed that Africa, like most parts of the world, has imported, tested, shared,
exchanged, sold and improved genetic resou rces for tree species. Use of genetically improved
planting stock was reported in all countries in Africa although the levels of use vary from
country to country, with countries such as South Africa having the most sophisticated tree
germplasm development and deployment systems. Some countries, e.g. South Africa and
Zimbabwe, acknowledged the presence of species and provenance trials which revealed the
best performing species and provenances, seed sources and provided the material for tree
improvement and f or subsequent deployment to operational plantings. Other countries,
especially in West and Central Africa (except Ghana), reported that most provenance trials
were abandoned and illegally exploited and most data and information has been lost.
A new wave of establishment of commercial plantations is sweeping through many parts of
Africa, for example in Congo (Eucalyptus Fibres du Congo), Ghana (Africa Plantations for
Sustainable Development, Siricec, Miro Forestry), Mozambique (New Forests Green
Resources, F lorestas Do Planalto, Chikweti Forests, Florestas de Niassa), Rwanda (New
Forests), South Africa (International Finance Corporation, Hans Merensky), South Sudan
