The Network developed collaborative research linkages with some 35 NARS in a number of African countries. While AF is not a panacea for all agricultural problems in tropical Africa, good results and high adoption rates are possible, especially in moist savanna and transitional forest-savanna zones that are characterized by shortages of trees, fuel wood, and forage. These zones typically have a fallow period of less than two years. The performance in terms of survival, growth, and wood and foliage production of these species is now known and has been documented. Researchers also found that farmers preferred to plant familiar trees, rather than exotic species such as Leucaena.
Crop yields vary depending on initial soil fertility, spacing, care and maintenance.
Crops with a shorter growing period, such as cereals and pulses, were found to respond better than longer growing crops, such as cassava because of less underground competition for nutrients between the trees and the crop. Fuel wood yield can reach approximately 10 tonnes per hectare after a year or so of implementing an alley farming system. Information on yield estimates is important in protecting natural vegetation from deforestation. Enhanced knowledge of livestock integration with AF - The nutrient composition and digestibility by livestock of many of the MPTS studied have now been determined. Researchers found that using shoot prunings to supplement livestock feed depended on acceptance by the animals, for example, goats and sheep respond differently to varying quantities of shoots and foliage used as feed.