Forestry Training & Finance for 800 Farms in Kenya

INTRODUCTION

Christmas greetings from DNRC family. As we come to the end of the year, we wish to share with you our progress report on forest training and finance for the 600 farmers in Kenya. First we thank you sincerely for your continuous support of this project since we started global giving fundraising platform in 2010.The impact of this project can only better be experienced when you visit and feel the microclimate, talk to the farmers and listen to their appreciation of the project and see the income generating activities coming out of this project. (Green charcoal production, moringa leave powder, timber and non- timber products.)

As over 70,000 trees are been planted every year by 600 farmers who are adjacent to each other, this is quickly influencing microclimate as the tree form canopy and create forest climate. The farmers stories is that the wild animals which used to be there are coming back, water table is raising and farmers natural wealth is building besides a strong sense of community. The schools are also benefiting from this project as we work with 6 schools within the community and directly reaching over 2,000 kids who are the future of the community. The impact to the schools are captured by a testimony by one principal of the first school we started with. “I cannot imagine how we can now sit outside and enjoy the shade and the cool breeze in our compound which was bear and dusty and as well as having pupils take exams outside and under shade during hot days. Am really grateful for this project and will want we continue working together and involve more schools”. It’s through your generous and continued support which has enabled us touch lives like this. So thanks again.

Again, trees which were planted since the inception of the project are mature and farmers are benefiting from them. Currently the farmers are testifying how they have enough fire wood at home and able to sale the extra firewood for green charcoal thus making extra in come for their household. Moringa trees have matured and farmers are now selling both seeds and powder for income despite the slow market for the products. Fruits like guavas, passion, and pawpaw etc. have reached maturity and the households continue to enjoy the diverse fruit production from their farm thus improving their nutrition.

We had targeted to plant at least 80,000 seedlings this year which we exceeded by 5,000 seedlings. The rains came late October and we were able to issue the seedlings to over 600 farmers which they have already planting and benefiting from the rains. The farmers who came from nearby to the nursery used motorbikes but those who came from far we hired a lorry (track) to carry for them (See attached pictures)

Project Synopsis

DNRC Forestry training and finance for 600 farms in Kenya project continue to flourish. Its ecological and socio-economic impacts are evident and felt by the 600 farmers in Maiuni community .As earlier indicated, first trees planted are big enough to be pruned as part of management and the prunings big enough to provide farmers with enough firewood and extra sold for income. There are testimonies from the farmers to this effect for example “Before we started planting trees, I remember we had to go to a government forest which is about 7 kilometres to collect firewood and risk punishment of caught. I remember one day I left my 3 months’ old child with my niece to go to collect firewood illegally from the government forest. I will never forget for it took me about 6 hours and when I came back I found my child had cried all the 6 hours till she lost her voice. Thanks to the project for I can’t imagine I have enough firewood on my doorstep and also extra to sell for income.” said Catherine

In terms of ecological benefits, most of the trees have formed canopies and since they are adjacent to each other as the farmers boarder each other, they have created microclimate and the farmers testify that the area is now cooler than before and it’s raining more.

Other social and economical benefits is that some trees like Moringa aloefera is providing nutrition as the farmers continue to consume the leaves and dry the extra for moringa powder for sale. Some fruit trees planted earlier have also started producing like guavas and pawpaw thus boosting farmers’ food and nutrition security. The social fabric of the community continue to be strengthened as farmers work together and solve their social and economic needs together and interact during trainings and social events..

During this reporting quarter, we continued mainly with seed propagation, seedling watering and maintenance and farmer trainings and outreach. Below are the detailed activities for the quarter.

DNRC tree nursery

Our goal for this year is to propagate 80,000 seedlings to be issued to the farmers during November-December rains. Within 3 months, we propagated 30,400 seedlings making a total of 61,920 seedlings by the end of the quarter. Most of the species include; Senna siemea, senna spectabilis, A. polyantha, A.xanthophlea, A.tortilis, Melia vonkensii, neem, Tamaridus indica ,Balanities egyptica, Gravellia rubusta , Mangos , Eucalyptus camandulensis, jacaranda mimosiferia, dulbergia, castered apple, cypress, guava, luceana, moringa olevera, pawpaw, passion fruit, citrus, terminalia brownii, zymenhihia mericana and Croton megalocupus, syzygium cumini.

Other major activity in the nursery during the last 3 months was fetching and watering all the current 61,920 seedlings in the nursery. Its dry season and we use donkey to fetch water and being a dry season, this was a major activity. Other activities in the nursery involved potting for more seedlings and general cleaning and weeding at the tree nursery.(see attached pictures)

Farmers training and outreach

During the quarter, the training and outreach personnel was majorly involved in individual farmers farm follow-ups of the farmers as well as the 6 schools we work with. The follow ups were mainly to advice on woodlots maintenance and digging of more holes for planting in November-December rains (see attached picture)

Field day (bi- annual party)

During the quarter, the farmers had their bi-annual get together which brought all the 600 farmers together at DNRC site to eat, interact, share experience and dance the Kamba traditional music. During this function, the farmers also share experiences, feedback and acts as our general meeting for major decisions (see attached pictures).

Major Challenges

• Scarcity of water
• Means of transport to visit all the farmers

Focus for next quarter

• Maintaining the seedlings in the nursery.
• Propagating the remaining tree seedlings to attain our 80,000 target
• Transplanting the few remaining seedlings in the nursery
• Follow ups and preparing for seedlings issuance during the coming November-December rains