From 2001 to 2004, an evaluation was undertaken of prospects for using indigenous trees for agroforestry in an external buffer zone around Uganda's Budongo Forest. Six Parishes: Biiso, Kabango, Kibwona, Kasenene, Nyantonzi and Nyabyeya parishes were involved. The evaluation involved dialogue with Budongo Forest buffer zone residents and assessing tree populations in the forest. The dialogue ascertained how trees are incorporated into farm activities, their importance to local people for products, and how people ranked alternative species available. Assessment of tree population status was undertaken of extensively used species, by forest sectors adjacent to parishes.
The results challenge the belief that people living adjacent to forest resources depend principally upon them. Men and women acknowledge that forest products play many roles in their daily lives, but do not regard them as the major source of livelihoods (97% identify this as farming). Major timber species rank low among commonly used forest products and tree species. Greater interest is in poles and fuelwood species.
Budongo Forest, nevertheless, emerges as the major source of forest products for local people (75% fuelwood; 93% sawn wood; 73% poles). Relative availability varies with product from medicinal trees (most difficult) to woodfuel (easiest). There are differences in abundances and population structures of commonly used species with forest type.
Retention of trees on farms is common but differs with parishes. Trees retained are mostly growing together with agricultural crops. Density varies with agricultural crop: higher for banana and coffee than for cotton, maize, millet and tobacco. Participatory identification with farmers of suitable agroforestry technologies and priority tree species for the Budongo Forest buffer zone agroforestry initiatives indicates, in decreasing preference order, woodlots, boundary planting and, shade trees, as preferred priority technologies; and Maesopsis eminii, Vernonia amygdalina, and Khaya anthotheca as priority tree species.