On-farm production and marketing of high-value tree products in the central highlands of Kenya

Abstract

The High-Value Tree Initiative (HVTI), located in the coffee growing area of the Mt. Kenya region began in May 1998 as a joint KARI/KEFRI/ICRAF project. High-Value Trees (HVTs) are considered to be trees that could provide the smallholder farmer with either an increased income or savings through reduced farmer expenditure such as timber, fruit and medicinal tree species. Conservation of biological diversity is an additional factor particularly with regard to timber and medicinal tree species since the fruit species used in this area are all exotics. This initial stage of the HVTI has concentrated on researching the production and marketing of HVT products in order to facilitate their domestication. This paper presents the main methodologies used and the key results. A farmer survey was conducted using questionnaires and rapid reconnaissance market surveys