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Written by Max Johansson, student at the Landscape engineering programme in Alnarp, about his Bachelor’s thesis in Thailand. 

In January 2025 I happily received the Minor Fields Study grant through SLU Global, financed by Sida. This grant made it possible for me to write my bachelor thesis about Magnolia in Thailand and to see these fantastic trees up close.

My journey starts in the capital of Thailand, Bangkok or Krung Thep – which is a shorter version of the very long, here translated to English, full name of the city that reads: ‘’City of Angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra’s behest.’’ With such a fancy name you can only begin to think that the city has a lot in store for any visitor.

My supervisor and help in the country Dr. Voradol Chamchumroon welcomed me to the BKF Herbarium at the Royal Forest Department. At BKF their mission is to complete and categorize the floras of Thailand, and luckily enough for me, the magnolia flora of Thailand had already been completed and systemized in their collection. This allowed me to examine dry specimens up close. The dry specimens does not contain preserved flowers but dried leaves and pods with seeds are still interesting to look at, I indeed spent almost two whole days scrolling through the filing cabinets containing Magnoliaceae specimens. Besides this the building of the BKF contained many interesting live specimens mainly from guesting researchers that have come to Thailand and given names to earlierly undiscovered species.

Building of BKF Herbarium and filing cabinet containing dry specimens.

My thesis focuses on the magnolias native to Thailand with the aim of exploring the possibilities for hybridization with temperate magnolias, and in extension to broaden available information for future hybridization efforts. I have focused on genetic compatibility between magnolia species and sections as well as researching the cultural importance of Thailands magnolias and also looking at their aesthetic values.

When one thinks of Thailand what first comes to mind are beaches and coconuts, but that is not where you find the special and beautiful Magnolia but rather in the mountains. I traveled to the north of Thailand to the outskirts of Chiang Mai, a cooler and mountaineous province which offers a great climate for these trees. Well there I visited the magnolia- garden and collection of Satha Suesatchan whom I had established contact with prior to leaving for Thailand. In his garden I could view several native magnolias up close in different sizes and ages. Two species that were mentioned by practically everyone were the Champee and Champa or Magnolia x alba and Magnolia Champaca , which I now had the luck to see in person, unfortunately they did not carry flowers at the time but I did get more chances.

My journey in search of magnolia took me to a handful of the most famous botanical gardens of Thailand but something that was truly special to me was an excursion put together by Dr. Voradol Chamchumroon. He and another botanist of BKF took me for three very filled days of magnolia viewing. In a car together from Bangkok to Khao Yai national park and further to the ancient site of Sab Champa village. The village is named after the ancient and revered Champa magnolia. Well there I got to see an entire protected area dedicated to magnolia conservation of primarily Magnolia sirindhorniae. The trip went further to Phu Kae and Khao Hin Sorn botanical gardens where at the second one I finally had the chance to see the flowering Champee. About ten trees stood in an avenue and were were cut in a very peculiar way that resembled the pollarding so famously known in Sweden.

Enormous Ceiba pentandra in Khao Yai national park. Magnolia x alba in Khao Hin Sorn.

Something that really struck me were that almost nobody outside the botanical world had any idea what a magnolia tree was when I explained what I was looking for. But as soon as I said the words Champee and Champa a big smile and a very reassuring ‘’Ohhhh Champee Champaaa!’’ broke out every time. The flowers are truly known to everyone and they are commonly used for crafting Puang Malai flower garlands which is given as a gift to another person or as offering at the buddhist temples. You can see people running between cars at the red lights trying to sell the garlands from these two flowers but they are also to be seen in a plastic miniature version in every other taxi in the country.

Puang Malai from Magnolia champaca. Sab Champa magnolia conservational area.

From my interviews and talks with botanist and collectors/breeders I got to know that the Champee and Champa is so popular in Thailand because it is a very easily grown tree, it is cheap and historically readily available in most parts of the country perhaps except for the most coastal regions. So why were or are the people in Thailand need of a magnolia tree at their house? In short because they use it as offering to the temple, or simply as fragrant and beautiful flowers in their homes. The good scent of the magnolia is supposed to symbolize cleanliness or purity of ones soul, and a visit to a temple is not complete without an offering making the magnolia flowers an important element in Thai life.

More than any literature review could, simply living there would confirm to me what magnolias really are the most important to Thailand.

One challenge that arose early on was that not all trees were flowering at the same time. I planned the visits as early as possible so that I would have a ‘’face’’ to the species when I would do my literature review. Luckily I had access to the digitalized Magnoliaceae flora of Thailand from BKF. I was sent categorized pictures of ones that I had not yet seen in bloom which helped me in visualizing what a potential hybrid could possibly look like.

Towards the end of my study I was invited by the Botanical Society- and the National Biobank of Thailand to give a lecture of my own choice for their monthly seminar. I chose to talk about magnolia in Sweden and Thailand and to include findings from my thesis. I also had the chance to proudly present SLU Alnarp and the Karl Evert Flinck magnolia forest.

What is even more fun is that the National Biobank used the information I presented about the Swedish hybrid Magnolia x gotoburgensis for one of their quiz questions to win prizes.

Poster from the seminar. Magnolia virginiana in Chiang Mai.

During my time in Thailand I took the opportunity to practice the language every day, and I am now proud to say that I have learnt something that years ago would seem impossible to me. I also practiced the virtues of patience and curiosity, I took every chance I could to gain knowledge and to look at all the trees and flowers in the parks and not just the magnolias. It is a powerful contrast to Sweden to see the incredible trees, flowers and leaves of all colors shapes and sizes.

Thank you to MFS and to SLU Global for giving me the truly special opportunity to conduct my bachelor thesis in another part of the world. Thanks to my supervisors Anna Levinsson and Voradol Chamchumroon for guiding and helping me. Thank you to all staff at BKF.

Max Johansson

This is a blog post by Sanna Brithéll a master student in Environment, Politics, and Global Development and an intern at SLU Global, referencing her experiences on SIANI (The Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative) and FOCALI’s (The Forest, Climate, and Livelihood research network) annual meetings 2025.

Did you know that there is a difference between agroecology and sustainable intensification[1]? Or that farmers in Kyrgyzstan not only carry the burden of providing food for the population, but also get subsidises from the state to use fertilisers? These are jut two examples of what was discussed that I thought were interesting out of everything that was brought up at SIANI’s Annual Meeting 2025. (By Klara Fischer, an associate professor in rural development at SLU, and Tatiana Stebneva, boars´d member at the Central Asia Solidarity Groups.)

The event started out with encouraging people to write down what organisation they represented on Menti.com. It was very clear, looking at the results, that the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) had most of the votes. Paul Egan from SLU Global was even a part of the expert group discussion.

A picture of the Menti results from the question “what organisation/school/company are you representing” Photo: Sanna Brithéll

Apart from interesting speakers and networking, participants at each table were assigned to brainstorm ideas on what is needed or would be beneficial for the cause we are striving for; sustainable development. After we presented our ideas, we were given six stickers in two different colours. The red stickers were the most innovative and the green stickers the most important. I had the pleasure to get to present the most innovative ideas, alongside the others on the podium. This was because the group moderator thought I would be able to explain my own ideas, since most of them were selected.

The red arrows in the photo mark which ideas where mine. Photo:  Sanna Brithéll

We had an interesting discussion at my table. You can see me sitting to the right in a black t-shirt. Photo borrowed from SIANI’s website.

Helene Forslund, a speaker from the Red Cross, used the word “empowerment,” which I felt perfectly captured the atmosphere at SIANI. She discussed the significance of the term in a different context, supporting vulnerable communities. She spoke about the fact that when one enters such a community, their goal should be to empower the people and not to “lead them”. This means shifting the mindset from expecting people to look up to or follow you, to instead focusing on helping them build their own connections. Your role is to provide the roadmap that enables them to do so. Respect is essential for a successful collaboration not only in these situations.

Marie Stenseke, brought this up as well and put it out beautifully at FOCALI “Interdisciplinary is like a dish, we are not the same ingredient, but we should be able to work together”

FOCALI had ongoing themes brought up by different researchers. They emphasised the needs for collaboration, the importance of finding synergies and having the ability to present that to decision makers and others important stakeholders. So, it was only fitting when the “IPBES Nexus Assessment Report”. Even though it was a summary, I felt it was important and relevant to the theme of synergies, because that is what the report presents. I know this because I read and summarised the whole report myself, to later be present it for my colleagues at SLU Global.

It was inspiring and fun to be present on both events. I got a lot of insights during the two days I participated, not only on the things presented or discussed but also the culture of academia.

If I had to take away one key insight from these events, it would be the importance of “getting dirt under my fingernails.” As Marie-Clair Feller, a student at SLU Alnarp, put it: “It’s a bit strange to learn about agriculture without knowing how to grow a carrot.”

 

[1] Fischer, K., Vico, G., Röcklinsberg, H., Liljenström, H. & Bommarco, R., 2025. Progress towards sustainable agriculture hampered by siloed scientific discourses. Nature Sustainability, 8, s. 66–74.

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Marta Cefaro, based on her research for her Master’s thesis in rural development and natural resource management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with Nelson Mandela University under the supervision of George Sekonya and Klara Fischer. Marta’s research is driven by an interest in the distribution of benefits within supply chains and the protection of Indigenous rights. First published on SIANI website.

Honeybush (Cyclopia spp.), a plant endemic to South Africa, has gained international popularity in recent decades for its health benefits, particularly as a tea. Linked to the Khoi and San peoples (Indigenous Peoples of southern Africa who were living in the area before Bantu-speaking agropastoralists), who hold traditional knowledge related to its use, honeybush has been a source of livelihood for generations. Despite their vital role in developing this knowledge, these communities are excluded from the commercial boom. Why? The answers are rooted in South Africa’s systemic inequalities.

Commercialization for whom?

Historically, honeybush was traditionally processed at home for household consumption or local sale, but since the 1990s the industry has shifted towards more formalized commercial structures. This shift has excluded local communities from value-added stages of production. Communities of traditional knowledge holders are only involved in the first stage of the supply chain: the wild harvesting of the plant. The harvested raw material is then sold to processing facilities where it is processed, packaged, and marketed. Without access to resources such as capital and technology, these communities are unable to process and market the tea themselves, leaving them with only a minimal share of the final product’s value.

The story of the Zoar community

The village of Zoar is located in the Kannaland Municipality in the Western Cape province of the country.  The story and challenges of commercializing honeybush in the Zoar community mirror the complexity of natural resource governance in rural South Africa. Within the community of Zoar, traditional leaders – who exist alongside state authorities in many rural villages of South Africa –  play a key role in the governance of honeybush. They claim control over who gets access to communal lands, where wild honeybush is harvested, and how the benefits from its sale are distributed. Community members who are not part of the traditional authority can only benefit from honeybush harvesting by selling their labor as wild harvesters during harvesting season.

Governance issues are further complicated by the overlap and competition between two different authorities: the local Communal Property Association and the village’s traditional authority. In rural villages undergoing land restitution, South African law permits the creation of Communal Property Associations (CPAs). These are legal entities that can be democratically elected by community members and their primary purpose is to manage communal land on behalf of the community. However, under customary law—recognized by South African legislation—land administration is the responsibility of traditional authorities, who have historically fulfilled this role in rural villages. This situation leads to an overlap between the roles of the two institutions and creates a permanent power struggle. In Zoar, while communal land has been transferred to the CPA, traditional leaders claim their role as decision-makers in local resource governance. This conflict raises questions about which institutions can be considered legitimate and accountable for local resource management, such as the one of honeybush.

Government solutions fall short

Confronted with such inequalities, the South African government has recognized the importance of integrating marginalized communities into the commercialization of biological resources, such as honeybush, through initiatives like Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) agreements. These agreements are intended to ensure that local communities receive a fair share of the benefits resulting from the commercial use of biological resources, particularly when traditional knowledge is involved. However, the implementation of ABS agreements faces significant challenges.

One of the key criticisms is that the negotiation process for ABS agreements often favors more powerful, organized actors, leaving out less-recognized communities or individuals. In many cases, these agreements are negotiated between the industry and traditional leaders, who may not represent and be recognized by all knowledge holders. This situation risks perpetuating inequalities within communities, as those with less access to power or resources are excluded from benefiting from the industry.

Inequalities rooted in the country’s colonial and apartheid history

A major issue with ABS agreements is that they do not address and challenge structural inequalities in access to resources such as land, capital and technology. By leaving power relations unchanged, they do not enable the development of community-based or -owned businesses.

The barriers to equitable inclusion in the honeybush industry are deeply rooted in South Africa’s colonial and apartheid history. These historical injustices have entrenched patterns of exclusion, through land dispossession and inequitable resource distribution, which continue to hinder communities’ access to the resources needed for meaningful participation in the development of a biodiversity economy.

A way forward

The commercialization of honeybush might offer economic potential for local communities in South Africa, but this can only be realized if deeply rooted inequalities are addressed. On one hand, reliance on traditional authorities for resource control and negotiations risks sidelining marginalized groups or individuals. On the other hand, mechanisms like ABS agreements fail to tackle the structural inequalities that underpin exclusion from the industry. A more inclusive approach to honeybush commercialization is needed – one that empowers communities through improved access to resources, supports community-owned enterprises, and ensures equitable governance structures.

This blog post was written by Mary Theodorah Ajal, Master’s student in Sustainable Food Systems at SLU.

Theodorah in one of the kitchen gardens in Uganda. Photo: Justin Kitibwa 

Returning to Sweden after 8 weeks of intense data collection/fieldwork in Moroto, Northeastern Uganda, is great. In October 2024, I received a Minor Field Study grant through SLU Global, financed by Sida, that facilitated my research and stay in Uganda. I travelled to Uganda in the first week of October 2024.

My journey to Moroto by bus was filled with wonder, curiosity, and surprises as we drew closer to the Karamoja region. The 7-hour journey from my hometown, Tororo, to Moroto, was a fascinating experience, with the bus making numerous stops to pick up passengers along the trading centers. The most surprising twist was when goats, chickens, sacs of charcoal, and big jerrycans of local brew were added to the bus. We, the passengers, livestock, and other items, got tucked together like peas in a pod, utilizing all spaces including the bus aisle space. It was a journey filled with unexpected discoveries!

I was welcomed and received by the Drylands Transform team of Uganda, Professor Denis Mpairwe, Dr Alice Turinawe, and Mr. Zachary Angella, who offered me valuable guidance during my fieldwork and stay in Uganda.

My research on Characterization and productivity of kitchen gardens and their contributions to food security and livelihoods in Karamoja covered six sub-counties (Nadunget, Northern Division, Loputuk, Katikekile, Rupa, and Lotisan) and 16 villages (Ariamawoi, Kalkalet, kamera, Katamukono, Kidepo, Lakalia, Longoroko, Matheniko, Moroto hospital quarters, Moroto junior quarters, Moroto prisons, Municipal primary, Nabuin, Nadiket, Nakapelimen, and Okilala), within a 40km radius in Moroto district. The study respondent categories included households, development partners/NGOs, government, Drylands Transform team, and Kitchen garden trainers.

It was interesting interacting with the households in the study and learning about their experiences with kitchen gardening and why they started. The commonest motives for household kitchen gardening have been food, income, motivation by government and development partners, leisure, and others because of their great passion for gardening.

It was also interesting to know what different participants considered a kitchen garden and what the development partners/NGOs and the government considered the most successful kitchen gardening approach.

My research also uncovered a diverse range of kitchen gardening approaches. Some development partners/NGOs considered backyard gardening the most successful approach, while others believed the Farmer field school was the most successful. I also came across a fascinating kitchen gardening approach that uses E-learning books about kitchen garden use and construction—an approach where tablets are given to tablet teachers. The community can learn about kitchen gardening with tablets by watching short clips and illustrations on step-by-step guides and the materials used. The community members touch on an area of their choice on the tablet, which then pops up on the screen with audio translated into Karamojong. This diversity of approaches was truly enlightening.

It was interesting to know that respondents in the study perceived and defined a kitchen garden differently; however, the definitions had similar components, such as the purpose of the garden, its proximity to home, its proximity to a water source, the techniques used, and its size.

Although learning about kitchen gardens was interesting and enlightening, I experienced some challenges.

For instance, my translator and I had to travel long distances by foot to locate kitchen gardens since it was a dry season and few households had them. This was physically demanding and time-consuming. I also experienced challenges with access to the field, especially when it rained. The roads were very slippery when it rained, so I postponed fieldwork until the sun shone brightly. Once, we crossed a flowing river to get to the next village, which was a risky and challenging task.

Walking long distances to locate the kitchen gardens. Photo: Justin Kitibwa

Sometimes even crossing flowing rivers. Photo: Justin Kitibwa

Moroto town is close to a military training school. Whenever the soldiers had their training, the gunshots and other sounds made by the military equipment were loud. It always felt like there was a war going on. I am glad that by the time I left, the gunshots never bothered me like before.

During my research in Moroto, I learned the importance of being flexible and having an open mind. These qualities facilitate learning and fact-finding and create room for innovation.

I learned the importance of a sound support system comprised of networks and relationships. This support system played a crucial role in my research process. Whenever I struggled with my research or on one of those low days, I contacted one of my networks or relations for help. Their guidance and support were invaluable in overcoming challenges and staying motivated. I travelled with my children to Uganda; my family took care of my children while I focused on the research.

Parallel with writing this blog post, I am now writing on my master’s thesis.

All in all, I would like to thank my supervisor, Prof. Ingrid Öborn, Assoc. Prof. Sigrun Dahlin, Prof. Agneta Hörnell, Dr Alice Turinawe, Dr Stephen Mureithi, and Prof. Denis Mpairwe, thank you for your continuous support and guidance for my master’s thesis. I want to thank Ms. Kitibwa Justin, who helped me with translations during the research, and Mr. Zachary Angelle, who coordinated all the fieldwork activities and ensured I was safe and comfortable while in Moroto.  Lastly, I would like to thank my family, friends, and colleagues for their priceless support. Thanks to SLU Global for the Minor Field Study grant that facilitated my travel and research activities in Uganda.