Forestry Training & Finance for 800 Farms in Kenya

Introduction

Once again we are happy to send greetings from Drylands Natural Resource Centre family. We hope that you all had a great beginning of the year 2018. As the year begins we all look forward to continue realizing our goal of environmental regeneration, economic development and community social strengthening. Your continued financial support has enabled us to continue working with our current 600 farmers and the 6 schools we work with in order to realize these goals.

During this reporting quarter, the major activity was annual planning for the year 2018 both for the tree nursery and the outreach and training program. We had end of year party to plan for the year 2018 informed by learnt lessons in 2017 .During the meeting we discussed what worked best for this project, learnt lessons and setting the target for the year 2018.We all to increase our current target of 70,000 tree seedlings to 80,000 seedling for the year 2018.

Other activities included farm follow ups for the just planted tree seedlings during November- December 2017 rains and working in the nursery to propagate more tree seedlings. We had also to rearrange the tree nursery after issuance of seedlings in order to continue taking care of the remaining few seedlings.

Below are detailed activities during the quarter.

DNRC tree nursery.

During the quarter, major activity in the nursery was arranging of the empty pots as well as the left over small seedlings for care and maintenance. During the reporting quarter also, the planning of the nursery capacity for the year 2018 was done. The capacity was increased from 70,000 to 80,000 due to the demand of tree seedlings both from the farmers and none farmers. During the quarter, we have also started putting our nursery beds ready. We have so far sowed Gravellia Rubusta, Senna Siemea, Senna Spectabilis and eucalyptus camandulesis.

Farmer trainings and outreach

.During the quarter the outreach personnel was majorly involved on follow ups of the just planted seedlings and training new farmers on early seedling management. They were also involved in recruiting more farmers with a target of 700 years accumulatively by the end of 2018.

Challenges

Water- water continues to be our major challenge to increasing our tree seedlings to supply enough for the farmers we are working with and the increase market demand of the same.

Next quarter focus

• Recruitment of more farmers
• Trainings and follow ups
• Tree seedlings propagation

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)