Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) face worsening cycles of poverty, deforestation and environmental degradation. Millions of people face drought and crop failure. We equip subsistence farmers in ASALs with materials, expertise and capital so they can restore their land's productivity and long-term health. Our farmers: improve soil, tree cover and agricultural yields; harvest trees sustainably for fuel; and generate income from tree products. For $25k we'll plant 120k trees on 300 farms.
A crisis is brewing in Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Population pressure, unemployment and energy poverty beget deforestation, soil erosion, and falling crop yields. This cycle can be broken by helping subsistence farmers invest in education and intelligent reforestation. Cultivated correctly, indigenous tree species resist drought, improve soil and crop yields, and provide valuable products. We offer farmers the tree saplings, expertise and support they need to restore their land.
We work directly with farmers, who regret clearing land, but resort to it because they need fuel and income. We make them the following proposition: if you dig the required holes and commit to our education program, we'll provide appropriate tree saplings on credit and help you plan how to plant and manage your trees so they improve your land, complement your crops, and, after around 5 years, become a sustainable income source. Our clients reforest their land and rebuild their communities.
In the first 2 years, farmers develop expertise and solidarity with others in their class; 2-5 years out, they see better water retention in riparian buffers, higher yields from crops planted among nitrogen-fixing trees and income from tree products such as fruit; in years 6-15, they manage their trees as a renewable source of fuel and enjoy consistently higher yields on healthier soils within a revived ecosystem. 100 households have planted 50,000 trees so far - we'll double our reach annually.
We need to cook and heat our homes, but our wood supplies are running out. We need to farm, but soil erosion and water loss threaten our crops. This project gives us a chance to turn things around.
- Lucas Munyao, Farmer, Program Participant and Nursery Manager
Total Funding Received to Date: $12,700
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $12,299
Total Funding Goal: $25,000
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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