5. Borlaug Dialogue, WFP: Smallholder agriculture and biodiversity--Garrity
Channel: International Rice Research Institute
Date: 11/12/2010

During the Borlaug Dialogue ( http://www.worldfoodprize.org/index.cfm?nodeID=25375&audienceID=1 ), Dennis Garrity, agronomist (1981-92) at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI; http://irri.org ), and currently director general of the World Agroforestry Center, contributes to a conversation on "Smallholder agriculture and biodiversity" discussing evergreen agriculture in Africa.

He said: "We call this "evergreen agriculture," a form of more intensive farming that integrates trees with annual crops, maintaining a green cover on the land throughout the year. Evergreen farming systems feature both perennial and annual species that are producing food and income.

Imagine that producing food crops like maize, sorghum, millets, and other cereals under these agroforests
dramatically increases their drought resilience also in dry years, because of positive soil moisture regimes and
a better microclimate."

Full transcript of conversation at http://www.worldfoodprize.org/documents/filelibrary/documents/borlaugdialogue2010_/2010transcripts/2010_Borlaug_Dialogue_Biodiversity_A53DC8DF48A4E.pdf