Researchers converted 482 unproductive cashew plantations to Dynamic Agroforestry (DAF) in Burkina Faso. This happened between 2022 and 2024, across 11 villages and 120.5 hectares. Farmers had aged 15 to 30 years old before conversion.
DAF plots kept 736 planted trees per hectare on average. They also gained over 2,000 naturally regenerated trees per hectare. Farmers planted 16 tree species deliberately. More than 20 other species regenerated on their own.
Researchers tracked 14 paired plots across seven villages for direct comparison. DAF yields consistently beat non-DAF yields. Non-DAF yields rose only slightly, from 266 to 337 kg/ha between 2022 and 2024. DAF yields climbed sharply, from 383 to 654 kg/ha over the same period. The gap between systems nearly tripled, growing from 117 to 318 kg/ha. All differences reached high statistical significance.
Farm-level data across all 482 plots confirmed this pattern. Average DAF yield reached 532 kg/ha. Non-DAF yield reached only 376 kg/ha. This represents a 29% increase for DAF.
Yield gains grew stronger as systems matured. In the first year after conversion, DAF outyielded non-DAF by 29%. By the third year, that gap reached nearly 32%.
Training and infrastructure supported this shift. Over 1,800 producers received hands-on biomass management training. Cooperative-run nurseries produced more than 30,000 seedlings. Visual training tools helped farmers replicate the system independently.
