APOPO HeroTREEs - a Climate-Smart Solution

Thank you so much for your continued support of our HeroTREEs project! It has enabled so much over the last quarter, including the continued management of tree nurseries and the nurturing of seedlings, and the continuation of training for farmers so that they learn farming practices that nurture the environment and themselves, rather than harm the ecosystem. Tanzania has been going through a long dry spell and rain has been very sparse, as it has been in neighboring East African nations, and meteorologists are warning of drought.

During the past three months, there has been a focus on training and education, delivering training sessions to farmers across villages in the Uluguru Mountains. The current climate has offered good opportunities to educate people about the importance of our water sources and the best way to protect them. A total of 38 farmers from 3 groups were trained on record keeping, detailing what necessary information and activities should be conducted and recorded in their record keeping books. And how to minimize the use of water without compromising the trees.

Our partner organisation Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT) also organised group sessions, where existing farmers could collaborate and share best practices. This collaboration between farming communities allows for the farmers to learn from others and hear how real-life issues can be solved, leading to a stronger sense of community and improved methods.

Further monitoring visits were carried out over the last quarter assessing 14 farms and ensuring that all the trees were doing well and that farmers were using best water practices during this dry spell.

Further work has also been ongoing in terms of mapping out farms and we have been working in villages such as Ruvuma, Choma, Tulo, and Mgambazi. Farmers were trained on the completion of the drawn maps, so that we can better prepare farm plans and eventually, we will have a complete map of where trees have been planted and how the trees are doing! Now we are eagerly waiting for the short rains that are late, so we can begin planting!

Over the next three months, we will continue inspections and farm surveys, as well as preparing maps of the HeroTREEs planting. We plan to attend drone pilot training and gain certification, so that we can use these aerial tools for mapping. Tree management training will be provided for new farmers on their farms and continued group collaborations will be organised to continue the ability for farmers to share and combine their knowledge. 

Your support of our HeroTREEs project is helping people on a local scale, to farm and provide food for their families, but it also helps on a global scale, allowing the preservation of one of the world’s most important ecosystems – the Uluguru Mountains. The farming practices taught to the farmers prevent slash-and-burn methods and allow farmers to harvest food throughout the year. The agroforestry practices taught to these communities not only ensure trees are being planted instead of pulled down, but the practices also improve soil and water quality over time, ensuring that people will be able to farm sustainably for generations to come and with the environment in mind.

Thank you so much.

Links:

• HeroTREEs
• APOPO Annual Report

Dear Friend,

Thank you so much for your continued support, which has had a great impact over the last three months. This report will update you on the work APOPO in partnership with SAT has been up to, to empower farmers, save the important ecosystems of the Uluguru Mountains and educate people on better farming practices.

Your support has facilitated the training of 60 farmers specifically on transplanting trees, 32 monitoring visits to ensure that farmers are getting all the support they need to farm in a way that benefits both them and the environment.

The next three months’ plans:

• Training in grafting techniques for farmers
• Continued support for farmers with regard to their nursery management 
• Continued map compilation so that we can better measure outcomes and understand where the need is greatest.
• Continued site visits to support farmers, count and assess how planted trees are growing and provide further training where relevant.

We mentioned last time that we would be focussing on mapping the areas and farms that you help support, and we have indeed already prepared 156 maps of the farms! This survey will help us keep data on how many trees have been planted, what trees have not survived and why. We will also hope to get to a point where we can pinpoint on a map exactly where a tree has been planted! 

• Find more indigenous seeds /seedlings as well as exotic tree species to establish in our nurseries
• Take GPS measurements of farmers' plots with established trees, for the purpose of monitoring
• Conduct follow-up visits to the farmers, ensuring we have equipped them with everything they need for project success.

HeroTREEs is a concept that only exists thanks to your support – thank you.

As a result, more than planting trees and protecting the planet (which is pretty important we know!), your support also means that farmers learn how to better manage the land leading to sustainable change. Your support helps improve water quality for neighbouring villages and cities in Tanzania and indeed, it helps protect the species living in this ecologically important part of the world by protecting the habitats in which they thrive.

Thank you.

Links:

• HeroTREEs - APOPO website
• Latest Annual Report