CISAF, the Centre for Innovation, Dissemination and Lifelong Learning
in Agroforestry System in Mozambique

Innovating Successional Agroforestry for resilient landscapes and food systems.

CISAF – Innovating Successional Agroforestry for resilient landscapes and food systems.

CISAF – Innovating Successional Agroforestry for resilient landscapes and food systems.

Advancing innovation and knowledge in
Successional Agroforestry.

CISAF – Centre for Innovation, Dissemination and Lifelong Learning in Agroforestry Systems is an international hub that promotes Successional Agroforestry Systems as a key pathway to resilient landscapes, sustainable food systems, and inclusive rural development.

Located in Quelimane, in Mozambique’s Zambezia Province, inside the campus of Licungo University, CISAF was designed and developed by ICEI, drawing on nearly ten years of hands-on experience in implementing Successional Agroforestry Systems (SAF) in Mozambique and other countries.

Through applied research, lifelong learning, demonstration fields, and policy dialogue, CISAF works to scale up regenerative agroforestry practices, strengthen local capacities, and support farmers, institutions, and decision-makers in managing natural resources sustainably in Mozambique and beyond. CISAF aims to:

  • Strengthen capacities of technicians, extension officers, academic staff, and students through training, extension services, and lifelong learning on Successional Agroforestry Systems (SAFS).

  • Conduct applied research and experimentation to adapt and replicate SAFS across different ecosystems and geographical areas, promoting integrated natural resource management.

  • Disseminate and promote SAFS as a sustainable agricultural model that integrates environmental and economic perspectives, supporting its scalability and institutional recognition.

  • Support the adoption of SAFS by rural farming communities, fostering long-term behavioural change for improved livelihoods and environmental sustainability.

  • Promote reforestation and biodiversity conservation, with a focus on indigenous and endangered species relevant for rural development in Zambezia, Mozambique, and the wider region.

    Services & Activities

    CISAF provides a wide range of services aimed at innovation, capacity building, and sustainable development:

    • Technical and vocational training for agronomists, teachers, students, and rural extension officers.
    • Demonstration and experimental plots showcasing different agroforestry models (beekeeping, aquaculture, fodder, horticulture).
    • Study visits and knowledge exchanges among universities, NGOs, local authorities, and farmers’ cooperatives.
    • Rural advisory and soil analysis services, through the Center’s equipped laboratory.
    • Dissemination and visibility events, including conferences, seed fairs, and technical-scientific publications.
    • Provincial Tree Nursery, developed in partnership with the Zambezia Provincial Government, for producing and distributing native plant species.

What we’re doing

CISAF (Centre for Innovation in Successional Agroforestry) is an initiative of ICEI that fosters innovation, applied research, and capacity building on Successional Agroforestry Systems.


The Centre supports the transition towards resilient and sustainable food systems by combining field-based experimentation, training programmes, and knowledge dissemination, engaging farmers, technicians, research institutions, and public stakeholders at local and international levels.

  • Strengthen capacities of technicians, extension officers, academic staff, and students through training, extension services, and lifelong learning on Successional Agroforestry Systems (SAFS).

  • Conduct applied research and experimentation to adapt and replicate SAFS across different ecosystems and geographical areas, promoting integrated natural resource management.

  • Disseminate and promote SAFS as a sustainable agricultural model that integrates environmental and economic perspectives, supporting its scalability and institutional recognition.

  • Support the adoption of SAFS by rural farming communities, fostering long-term behavioural change for improved livelihoods and environmental sustainability.

  • Promote reforestation and biodiversity conservation, with a focus on indigenous and endangered species relevant for rural development in Zambezia, Mozambique, and the wider region.

Cultivating resilience through agroforestry innovation

At CISAF, we promote innovation, training, and knowledge exchange on Successional Agroforestry Systems, supporting farmers, technicians, institutions, and researchers through applied research, demonstration fields, lifelong learning, and policy dialogue.

Our activities combine field-based experimentation, capacity building, and dissemination to scale regenerative agroforestry practices and strengthen sustainable food systems.

Download the brochure to learn more about CISAF and its activities.

Understanding impact is essential for change

ICEI’s long-standing commitment to agroforestry innovation is rooted in its experience with Successional Agroforestry Systems: an approach that regenerates ecosystems, strengthens local communities, and creates sustainable economic opportunities.

Discover how ICEI is contributing to more resilient food systems and building a fairer, more sustainable future.

What is Successional Agroforestry?

Pathways to regenerative agroforestry: types of Successional Agroforestry Systems (SAFs) and their benefits. Download ICEI’s brochure on Successional Agroforestry Systems.

Would you like to support our projects on Agroforestry?

Contact us at info@icei.it

 

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CISAF – Centre for Innovation, Dissemination and Lifelong Learning in Agroforestry Systems is an ICEI-led project funded by the Italian Cooperation thorugh the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), within Project ETHAKA – A sustainable agricultural production and consumption model for climate resilience and food and nutrition security (AID 012590-02-5).