1. Quesungual Slash and Mulch Agroforestry System (QSMAS)

2. Soil water balance in the dry season in Lempira shows water deficit (marked in red and orange)

3. Burning as a traditional system

4. No burning No tillage Use of crop residues and soil cover Spot fertilization Quesungual Slash and Mulch Agroforestry System IMPLIES:

5. SYSTEM BENEFITS TO PEOPLE: Production surplus Food security Improvement in the availability and quality of water Good source of firewood for domestic consumption SYSTEM BENEFITS TO PEOPLE: Production surplus Food security Improvement in the availability and quality of water Good source of firewood for domestic consumption

6. SYSTEM BENEFITS TO COMMUNITIES: Two-fold increase in crop (maize, beans and sorghum) yields Diversification Profitability Linkages to market SYSTEM BENEFITS TO COMMUNITIES: Two-fold increase in crop (maize, beans and sorghum) yields Diversification Profitability Linkages to market

7. SYSTEM BENEFITS TO FARMS: Resilience Productivity and sustainability SYSTEM BENEFITS TO FARMS: Resilience Productivity and sustainability

8. SYSTEM BENEFITS TO LANDSCAPE: Improvement of water related services Maintenance or recovery of local biodiversity and populations Contribution to environmental quality through the reduction of: Soil losses Burning and cutting of forests Land degradation Emission of greenhouse gases SYSTEM BENEFITS TO LANDSCAPE: Improvement of water related services Maintenance or recovery of local biodiversity and populations Contribution to environmental quality through the reduction of: Soil losses Burning and cutting of forests Land degradation Emission of greenhouse gases

9. CPWF Project PN15 “Quesungual slash and mulch agroforestry system: Improving crop water productivity, food security and resource quality in the sub-humid tropics” Institutional Partners: Consortium for the Integrated Management of Soils in Central America (MIS): INTA, Nicaragua UNA, Nicaragua ESNACIFOR, Honduras National University of Colombia FAO, Honduras CIAT-Nicaragua, Honduras y Colombia

10. Soil losses in two production systems with (+F) and without (-F) fertilization compared with the fallow

11. QSMAS reduces the emission of methane generating an environmental benefit Tiempo (días) Finca 1Finca 2Finca 3

12. Validation of QSMAS in Nicaragua advanced beyond expected level mainly through dissemination mechanism of farmer-to-farmer