Long-Term Food Security for 4000 Samburus in Kenya

We plant a variety of food-bearing trees to support local nutrition and ecosystems.

Three of the species we commonly plant across Samburu County are the African Olive, Kei Apple, and Meru Oak. Read on to learn how these remarkable trees support both the diet and culture of the community!

1. African (Wild) Olive

• Samburu name: Lng’erriyioi
• Scientific name: Olea africana
• Size: Up to 9 meters high and 12 meters wide

The Fruit
The African Olive produces a deep, dark purple fruit. These olives are exceptionally rich in the antioxidant Vitamin E and heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fatty acids. They are also an excellent source of essential minerals, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. Because they store well and are so nutrient-dense, these olives serve as a vital subsistence food during droughts.

Cultural & Practical Uses
This resilient tree can live for centuries, growing slowly to produce a hard, durable wood known as lorien in Samburu. Lorien plays a deeply important role in traditional rites: it is burned in ceremonies and is considered a source of protection against evil. The bark of the tree is used for medicinal purposes and boiled into a tea to treat various ailments, including tapeworms.

2. Kei Apple

• Samburu name: Imoroo
• Scientific name: Dovyalis caffra
• Size: Up to 6 meters tall

The Fruit
The kei apple produces plentiful, bright yellow fruit measuring 4–5 cm in diameter. Like the African olive, this fruit is incredibly nutrient-dense, boasting 83 milligrams of Vitamin C per 100 grams, nearly double that of an orange! It is rich in essential and non-essential amino acids (including glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and leucine), as well as potassium, phosphate, and sodium. The fruit can be enjoyed fresh or made into delicious jams.

Cultural & Practical Uses
An evergreen species native to dry woodlands, the kei apple is highly drought-resistant and remarkably hardy. Much like Moringa, it thrives in nutrient-poor soils where other fruit trees struggle. It has long, sharp thorns that naturally protect its leaves and fruit from grazing animals. Because of this built-in defense system, we frequently plant kei apple trees close together to form a "live fence" around homes and school agroforests.

3. Meru Oak

• Samburu name: Muhuru
• Scientific name: Vitex keniensis
• Size: 12 to 30 meters tall

The Fruit
The Meru Oak bears a soft, black fruit that is commonly eaten during food shortages. It is a powerful protection against "hidden hunger" (nutrient deficiencies) because it contains high concentrations of Vitamins A and C.

Cultural & Practical Uses
This majestic tree is endemic to Kenya. Because its hard, durable wood is highly prized as timber for furniture and paneling, overharvesting has unfortunately landed the meru oak on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. With proper care, especially during the dry seasons, it grows beautifully. It has become highly valued by local communities for both conservation and nutrition.

If you would like to learn more about our projects or if you are interested in volunteering with us please email us at kenya@sadhanaforest.org.  There is also an opportunity to leave feedback at the end of this report.

Ashe Oleng! (“Thank you very much!” in Kisamburu)

When the first Moringa stenopetala trees were planted at his home, four-year-old Shadrak and his two older brothers were each assigned by their family a seedling to care for. Now Shadrak is 12 years old and his Moringa tree towers over his family's house.  Shadrak frequently harvests the nutritious leaves for cooking and, once a year, he collects the pods. His young tree currently produces 1–2 kg and in the future, when the tree is fully mature, it can yield 2,000 pods (roughly 6 kg of seeds).

Shadrak and his brothers then remove the seeds from their pods, so that they can be germinated at the tree nursery at Sadhana Forest Kenya. Here, Joseph, the nursery manager, carefully extracts each seed from its spongy casing and soaks them overnight in warm water. This crucial step softens the outer layer and jumpstarts the seed's metabolism, breaking dormancy and significantly increasing its chances of germinating into a healthy tree.

The next day, Joseph prepares planting bags with a well-draining blend of topsoil, sand, and compost from Sadhana Forest. After draining the soaked seeds, he presses a shallow hole into each bag with his finger and nests them half an inch deep. This careful planting ensures the seeds are perfectly positioned to break through the loose soil. For about two weeks, all progress remains hidden underground while Joseph waters and tends to them daily. As the seeds transform into seedlings over the next two months, he keeps Naisherua, the Sadhana Forest Kenya planting manager, updated on their growth and readiness for transplanting.

Naisherua consults her records to schedule the next tree recipients, then mobilizes the team for community planting. At dawn on planting day, the team crates the Moringa seedlings and loads them onto the lorry along with the day’s essentials: tools, topsoil, water, and mulch. Sabik takes the wheel, this time heading for Kurdai village, to help a local family establish a small food-forest next to their home. Upon arrival, Naisherua assesses the land’s contours and water flow pattern. The team, together with the family, then spends the morning preparing the site, digging catchment trenches, and thoroughly soaking the soil. Late in the afternoon, once the air cools and the water has fully saturated the earth, the Moringa seedlings are planted in their new homes. Each is provided with rich topsoil, a wick irrigation bottle, and a thick protective layer of dry grass mulch.

Now, the family will water the seedlings and keep them mulched and protected from animals, ensuring they have the best chance to thrive. The Sadhana Forest team will continue to support them as the need arises. One of the children in the family, perhaps inspired by Shadrak’s example, may take responsibility for a special tree, nurturing it as it grows each year. In time, that tree will produce seeds ready to be planted again, and this beautiful cycle will begin anew.