By Dr. Dietrick Darr & Dr. Jyldyz Shigaeva
Dr. Dietrich Darr is a Professor of Agribusiness at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Kleve, Germany. He holds a MSc degree in tropical forestry and received his doctorate from TU Dresden, Germany, with a dissertation on the diffusion of agroforestry innovations in East Africa in 2008. Before his appointment at Rhine-Waal University, he worked for a leading international management consultancy.
Dr. Jyldyz Shigaeva is a Research Fellow in Mountain Societies Research Institute, University of Central Asia, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. She holds a Master’s degrees in ecology and defended her PhD in the frame of Swiss National Program (NCCR North-South) in ecology from Soil and Biology Institute of National Academy of Sciences, Kyrgyzstan in 2008. She is highly experienced in inter- and transdisciplinary research projects focused on natural resource management.
Extent of Natural and Planted Walnut Forests
With a total production area of more than 1.3 million hectares in 54 countries in 2019, the common walnut is probably one of the most widely distributed non-wood forest products globally. The species originated from the highlands of Central Asia, Persia and Anatolia, and is naturally distributed in the Silk Road countries. With an area of approximately 40,000 ha, Kyrgyzstan harbors the world’s largest natural walnut forests. From there, the walnut has been dispersed by human migration and exchange over millennia along major trade routes that connected the ancient economic and cultural centers of the Eastern and the Western hemisphere. The species’ high economic value has incentivized the establishment of walnut plantations in other regions. Global demand for walnuts has increased in line with the growing popularity of more healthy diets and the growth of the urban middle class in countries such as China and India. According to FAOSTAT, the current quantity of production approached 4.5 million metric tons (in shell) in 2019, with the total annual production value ranging from 5.8 to 13.2 billion US$ between 2016 and 2018. China (56% of global production), the US (13%) and Iran (7%) are the major global walnut producing countries. In China, approximately 90% of the plantations are managed by smallholder farmers[1].Ecological, Socio-economic and Nutritional Importance of Juglans regia
In addition to walnut, the natural walnut forests of Central Asia are home to several other fruit species. Due to their considerable intraspecific diversity, these forests have been described as an important genetic resource and biodiversity resistance of commercial varieties against pests or climate change. Walnut forests also provide important environmental benefits, as they reduce the seasonal variations of water flows, stabilize slopes, and sequester carbon.
The natural and planted walnut forests also possess significant socioeconomic importance for rural populations in terms of employment and income, and food security. They also contribute to foreign exchange earnings at the national level. For example, more than one million people living in and around these forests in Kyrgyzstan directly or indirectly benefit from the collection of walnuts and other forest products such as timber, firewood, forest fruits and feed, and approximately 16,000 rural smallholders are directly involved in walnut collection, cracking, trading or temporarily employed in local processing enterprises.
The natural and planted walnut forests also possess significant socioeconomic importance for rural populations in terms of employment and income, and food security. They also contribute to foreign exchange earnings at the national level. For example, more than one million people living in and around these forests in Kyrgyzstan directly or indirectly benefit from the collection of walnuts and other forest products such as timber, firewood, forest fruits and feed, and approximately 16,000 rural smallholders are directly involved in walnut collection, cracking, trading or temporarily employed in local processing enterprises.
Two Opposing Trends
While natural walnut forests have been dramatically affected by deforestation and forest degradation for centuries, the area of planted walnut forests is increasing globally. Market forces such as the demand for luxury furniture in Europe, changing climatic conditions, rapid population growth and agricultural expansion, infrastructure development and the socio-political transformations after the breakdown of the Soviet Union were among the most prominent deforestation drivers. Currently, only between 42,000-78,500 ha of natural walnut forests remain in the Silk Road countries.
At the same time, ambitious walnut plantation programs have been implemented in some countries, most notably in southwest China. Smallholder farmers received payments for ecosystem services when they established walnut plantations on steep farmland, and the local walnut processing industry was developed to increase domestic demand for walnut kernels, rural employment and the supply of processed walnut products to domestic consumers. These policies also promoted the consumption of walnuts through TV ads and public campaigns such as the ‘China Healthy Nut Day’. Consequently, China displaced the US as the leading global walnut producer in the 1990s.
At the same time, ambitious walnut plantation programs have been implemented in some countries, most notably in southwest China. Smallholder farmers received payments for ecosystem services when they established walnut plantations on steep farmland, and the local walnut processing industry was developed to increase domestic demand for walnut kernels, rural employment and the supply of processed walnut products to domestic consumers. These policies also promoted the consumption of walnuts through TV ads and public campaigns such as the ‘China Healthy Nut Day’. Consequently, China displaced the US as the leading global walnut producer in the 1990s.
Challenges Facing the Walnut Sector
Forest products collected from the natural walnut forests are often characterized by low and fluctuating yields, and inferior product characteristics compared to cultivated products. In many Silk Road countries, post-harvest, storage and market facilities for nuts are dilapidated, local processing technologies outdated and the profitability of processing enterprises low. Hence, these enterprises hardly invest in R&D and product development and many of their products don’t meet the hygienic or quality requirements of high-value international markets.
Moreover, the management of the natural walnut forests is currently not sustainable. Common management problems include overgrazing, illegal logging and overharvesting of commercialized forest products, which negatively affect forest regeneration and biodiversity. Walnut plantations in many Silk Road countries demonstrate remarkably lower yields compared to commercial plantations in other areas, pointing at a common lack of technology and management, such as suitable propagation methods, standard root stocks and cultivars, irrigation, fertilizer or pesticides.
Lessons for Research, Policy and Practice of Walnut Forest Management
At the supply side, conducive economic policies, well-funded breeding and extension programs and incentive schemes that compensate land users for the environmental services their walnut plantation provide to society could effectively increase the area of walnut plantations and diversify farming systems and rural incomes in some Silk Road countries. At the demand side, investment in product development and quality improvements to meet consumer preferences, and the development of a domestic processing industry and/or export opportunities are required to create stable and attractive market conditions. Organic, sustainable forest management, Fairtrade and similar certification can potentially enhance value-added and increase the smallholders’ incomes from walnut commercialization. However, limited knowledge on the ecology, reproductive capacity and allowable extraction levels in the natural walnut forests currently restrict this potential. As the compliance with such standards can considerably increase the cost of production to smallholders, initial public support may be required to promote organic certification of walnuts from these forests.
Total Annual Walnut Production (in shell) in the Silk Road Countries
This article is based on Shigaeva J, Darr D (2020): On the socio-economic importance of natural and planted walnut (Juglans regia L.) forests in the Silk Road countries: A systematic review. Forest Policy and Economics 118: 102233. DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2020.102233.
References
1. Yan, M., Terheggen, A., Mithofer, D., 2017. Who and what set the price of walnut for small scale farmers in Southwest China? J. Agribus. Dev. Merg. Econ. 7, 135–152.