Living with the Trees of Life: Towards the Transformation of Tropical Agriculture - Softcover

"Part personal journey, part scientific biography this book charts the evolution of agroforestry from an under-researched traditional farming practice to an interdisciplinary and transformative approach to agriculture. Roger Leakey's passion to use science to improve rural livelihoods shines through as does his conviction that domestication of indigenous trees lies at the heart of our ability to feed the world's growing population in a sustainable manner. Read it and be inspired!"--Dr Kate Schreckenberg, Coordinator, Centre for Underutilised Crops "Modern global society is coming to the realization that we need more trees to meet the challenges of mitigating the climate changes that we created. Roger Leakey shows the way to getting these trees to contribute to this challenge, while also getting them to do much much more, making his proposal a win-win-win option for global society, especially for the currently underdeveloped tropics. If you read only one book this year about the challenges facing global society, this is the one for you!"--Dr Charles Clement "Roger Leakey outlines a simple and effective strategy for sustainable living in the tropics, home to almost half of the world's population and to some of the fastest growing countries in the world. We cannot afford to ignore the principal message that unfolds as a legacy of Roger's rich experience in agroforestry: that we can empower the peoples of developing tropical economies with productive, and socially and environmentally sustainable strategies to ensure a brighter future for all."--Prof Paul Gadek, Centre for Tropical Agri-Tech Research "Trees play an important role in many people's lives, yet the history of international development suggests this simple fact has largely been ignored in the past. Roger Leakey has helped place trees at the centre of rural development efforts in many tropical countries, benefitting many people in the process. Roger is something of a visionary, and this inspirational book presents powerful evidence of what can be achieved through a lifetime's dedication, hard work and by building a multidisciplinary team."--Prof Adrian Newton, Professor of Conservation Science "Roger Leakey has given a great gift to the tropical forests he loves and which he has dedicated his life to protecting and nurturing. He has written a book which frankly 'kicks ass', using his mastery of science to tell a story of hope built on research and application that isn't rooted in a childlike romantic world of pristine Eden - the battleground between good and evil, conservation versus development. This is a story about people and the potential for making sustainable livelihoods in the tropics while at the same time stewarding this priceless resource on which the whole world depends for its services. Rarely does a book come along that you want to thrust into people's hands shouting 'read this'. This book should be compulsory reading not just for the NGOs, governments and individuals championing initiatives to protect the rainforest, it should be read by all those who want to wake up in the morning feeling that here is a challenge worth championing, a cause which can show that Homo sapiens is indeed a wise hominid and that it's time has come to prove it. A triumph."--Tim Smit KBE, Chief Executive "Roger Leakey brings agroforestry to life, in a unique style. This book is a 'must read' for all advocates of sustainable agriculture, and of tropical forestry and agroforestry....I recommend the book strongly."-- (01/01/2012) "If there is anyone who has worked on more tropical tree species, in more tropical countries and written more scientific articles on tropical development than Roger Leakey then we have yet to meet them..."-- (01/01/2012) "On the face of it, Roger Leakey's contention - that, through the careful integration of trees on farms, there is more than enough capacity to produce food to meet the needs of a growing world population - is a bold one. But in this very readable volume, which dovetails Roger's accumulated wisdom from a distinguished research career with his barely disguised passion to improve the lot of poor smallholders worldwide, he demonstrates convincingly that it actually can be done. Read it, believe it and pass the news on."-- (01/01/2012) "A fine, wise and enormously important book about trees and people, showing how we can live better by redesigning agricultural systems. More sustainable systems can work, and this book draws on evidence to show how production systems can be good for both people and the planet."-- (01/01/2012) "While the issue of a growing world population seems almost an insurmountable topic on the global stage, Roger Leakey's book shines a small beam of hope about practical means and ways to sustainable food security and more importantly nutritional security: where communities are able to source a balanced diet, including sufficient amounts of essential trace elements, micro-nutrients and vitamins, from the crops that they produce themselves. Roger Leakey's book is highly readable and written in an accessible and lively style. The chapters loosely follow some of the author's travels across the world, primarily in the tropics, as he travels for work and projects. Discussing both the successes and challenges of using trees as crops and incorporating them into various farming systems, the examples drawn directly from the field and written with much humanity and insight make for thought provoking reading."-- (03/01/2013) "Summarizing decades of his pioneering research and field work throughout the tropics, Roger Leakey validates the integrated use of trees in agricultural systems for sustainable food production, ecosystem management, and income generation. Based on his personal journey he presents solutions for reversing patterns of land degradation, climate change and poverty. Living with the Trees of Life presents practical, common sense solutions that will uplift and empower farmers, educators, assistance providers, and policymakers."--Craig Elevitch, Director

Based on the career of Roger Leakey, the former Director of Research at the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, this book presents the experiences of real life situations in rural villages of remote and distant places. Living with the Trees of Life demonstrates how the multi-disciplinary science of agroforestry, which embraces biology, genetics, ecology, agronomy, horticulture, forestry, soil science, food science, and the social sciences, can offer hope from the doom and gloom often emanating from the tropics. Written in an accessible and engaging style that will appeal to both a professional and general readership, this book takes a more positive approach to the issues facing agriculture and highlights an innovative approach to resolving the big issues of poverty, malnutrition, hunger and environmental degradation including climate change.