1890 Agroforestry Consortium
The 1890 Agroforestry Consortium is a team
of 1890 land-grant university and USDA government
agency partners. Its mission is to develop
and advance agroforestry research, teaching,
and extension among the 1890 land-grant universities
plus Tuskegee University, using multi-disciplinary
teams of faculty and staff working in partnership
with government agencies and other entities.
This initiative will significantly expand
1890 university agroforestry partnership
opportunities with NIFA, Forest Service,
and NRCS.
Many small farms and woodland owners are
reluctant to produce tree-based products
using traditional forestry practices because
of the lag time between planting and income
generation. Agroforestry is a land use practice
that combines the production of agricultural
crops with that of timber and other tree-based
products. Agroforestry offers advantages
over forestry in producing agricultural products
throughout the life of the tree so that income
flow is not interrupted. Agroforestry was
identified by the USDA Advisory Committee
on Small Farms in their report “Building
on A Time to Act” as a means of increasing
the sustainability of small farms. However,
agroforestry is a new land use practice in
the United States and requires further research,
education, and outreach activities if adoption
by landowners is to increase.
The agricultural and forestry professionals
are ideally positioned to lead research,
education, and extension activities because
of their long-standing commitment and success
in serving small farmers, small woodland
owners, alternative farming practice operators,
cooperatives owners/managers and collaborators.
The consortium’s strategic directions
are:
- develop and/or enhance agroforestry
capabilities at the 1890s;
- collaborate with other institutions;
- identify agroforestry research, education,
and extension needs;
- advocate for agroforestry; and
- create and foster international linkages
The consortium is developing an organizational
structure, business plan, and communication
strategy.
Consortium members are:
Gwendolyn Boyd, Assistant Professor-Agriculture,
Alcorn State University
George Brown, Retired, Alabama A&M University
Rory Fraser, Assistant Professor-Soil and Plant Science, Alabama A&M University
James Hill, 1890 SARE Liaison, Fort Valley State University
Joshua Idassi¸ Consortium Chair, NIFA Summer Fellow, and Extension
Forester, Tennessee State University
Fulbert Namwamba, Assistant Professor-Urban Forestry, Southern University
Jim Robinson, USDA NRCS Agroforester
Karl Dalla Rosa, Forest Stewardship Program Manager, USDA Forest Service
Pete Roussopoulos, Director, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service
Greg Ruark, Director of the USDA National Agroforestry Center,
Catalino Blanche, NIFA Forest Biology National Program Leader
Eric Norland, NIFA Forest Resources Management National Program Leader
For more information, contact Catalino
Blanche, Eric
Norland, or Joshua Idassi, jidassi@tnstate.edu.
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