Forestry Training & Finance for 800 Farms in Kenya

DRYLAND NATURAL RESOURCES CENTRE (DNRC) JANUARY-MARCH 2012 QUARTERLY REPORT

Activities Conducted During The Quarter

During January-March 2012, the DNRC planned and executed the following activities:

Tree Nursery

The 2012 annual work plan is to propagate 35,000-40,000 tree saplings of at least 15 different species. This quarter, we aimed to propagate at least 10,000 saplings, but water shortages during the Feb-March dry spell constrained us. We were still able to propagate 6,865 tree saplings, and are confident we can cover the deficit by planning 13,000 saplings in Q2 2012. To take advantage of the late-March to May rainy season, which has provided above-average rainfall, we expanded the nursery, purchased a donkey to carry water, and increased the number of part-time laborers we have working the nursery.

Training

So far, DNRC is working with 5 groups in 5 areas (Maiuni, Kyooni, Ivumbu, Kalimani, and Kivani). According to the work plan, each group is scheduled to receive one formal training session per month. During the quarter, 15 trainings were conducted by the Project Coordinator, Daniel Mwenda, with assistance from Executive Director Nicholas Syano. Nicholas explained how and why planting trees is a foundation for poverty eradication, and Mwenda discussed the details of pruning, establishing proper tree planting holes, live mulching and using nitrogen-fixing plants to improve soil fertility. In total, 234 farmers received this training. Our 27 new recruits also received an additional training welcoming them to the DNRC program.

Woodlot Establishment and Follow-Up

There were no trees planted in this quarter, because it was a dry spell. (Trees are issued and planted just before or during the April and December rains.) In Q1 we focused on visiting farmers at their properties to monitor progress and provide technical guidance and motivation as they manage trees they have already planted. During the quarter, DNRC staff visited 171 farmers, collecting baseline data to help track tree growth, health, and survival rates.

Farmer Recruitment

Our target is to recruit 100 more farmers this year to achieve a total of 307 farmers by the end of this year. We began the quarter with 207 farmers, and recruited 27 more over the quarter, putting us on track to achieve this target. Every indication suggests that as long as we continue to effectively implement the project, we will attract more than enough new recruits.

Water Harvesting

We received a donation of 3 cisterns which were installed by the whole group working together. This is unplanned activity and happens only when we get a cistern donated. It’s about $1200 for a 10,000 litre cistern, to buy, transport and put the fittings and gutters. It’s an activity that strengthens the community’s social fabric, as everyone comes together to install the cistern and also share the water with those without. The cisterns are given to those with the best woodlots. By the end of this quarter 15 families had benefited (15 cisterns were given out, one to each family). Those who have benefited contribute monthly to a fund that will contribute to purchasing more cisterns for more people. The beneficiaries during this quarter were Beatrice David, Wanza Muoki and Elizabeth Mwende.

Conclusion

The first three months of the year are the driest and most difficult for the families who live in the community we serve. Despite this, we were able to expand and improve our services and attract new recruits, and after April and May rains are back on track to meet our annual targets for seed propagation, training, and recruitment. Thanks to its hard-working staff, the strength and commitment of participant farmers, and the support of its donors, the DNRC is positively changing the lives of the people of Maiuni and demonstrating how to conduct poverty alleviation projects in drylands areas. Examples of practical methods that work in drylands are lacking, and therefore these marginalized habitats continue to suffer from extreme poverty and social exclusion. By experimenting and establishing best practices that work in the drylands of Maiuni, we are building a strong base for sustainable dryland development models that can be duplicated in other drylands regions. We look forward to continued steady growth in the second and third quarters of 2012. On-the-ground operations and recruitment are running well; the biggest risk we face right now is failing to reach our 2012 fundraising goals. This will be our main focus of our US-based staff this summer. 

It's been three months since our last report, when the rainy season in Makueni District was just beginning. The most important news is that the rains this season have been very generous, which is wonderful for our project and for all families in the surrounding area.

While the rains have been falling, we've continued to strengthen bonds between the DNRC, participating farmers and the surrounding community, while improving our education programs and expanding our capacity to grow in 2012. We're set to double our client base this year, and hope to raise an additional $3,000 to build our first office.

In December, we held a Christmas Party for DNRC farmers and community members. About 170 people came, enjoying two goats, chapati and sodas. Afterwards, Nicholas led a training meeting and people toured the woodlot of Lucas Munyao. The party was a huge success in terms of bringing people closer together and demonstrating the growth of the project to all involved. Everyone's already looking forward to our next party in June. Please see the pictures from the party below.

We also hired our third fulltime paid employee, Triza Mbinya Mutua, who is studying for a degree in Community Development at Daystar University in Nairobi. She will be responsible for administration and accounting, supporting project coordinator Daniel Mwenda, Nursery Manager Lucas Munyao and CEO Nicholas Syano as they plant saplings, train farmers and build relationships with the surrounding community.

In January, Nicholas Syano took 3 weeks leave from his other job to focus on training our new employees, meeting new client farmers, and improving our education curriculum. He also established a site, design and budget for the DNRC's first office, which would provide us with storage for equipment, seeds and files, as well as a central hub for interaction with the community.

We now have in place the team and the plan we need to expand in 2012. We aim to add an additional 100-150 farmers this year, bringing our total client base to 250-300 farmers by year end.  We already have five separate geographic farmer groups, who Daniel Mwenda trains separately once a month. We plan to deepen our reach, rather than expand it, recruiting as many additional farmers as possible from within these five geographies before moving on to new villages. This will help keep costs down, and has many spillover microclimate benefits. 

We also aim to raise $2,500 in additional funds to build our first office. We're looking to you, our many supporters, to assist us in this effort. Of course, any donations would be much appreciated. But in addition to that, we want your ideas and your energy! Please spread the word about the project to friends, family and other potential donors. If you have fundraising ideas, suggestions for grants we should apply for, or would like to host a fundraising drive in your community, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.