Forestry Training & Finance for 800 Farms in Kenya

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

Introduction

Receive much greetings from DNRC family. We continue to deeply appreciate and thank you for your continued financial support through global giving. Through your kind support, we continue to dream and realize our drums of community regeneration in terms of social, economic and environmental sustainability. As we write this report, 600 households each with an average 6 -10 family members continue to receive agroforestry training and tree seedlings every year to plant in their own individual farms. 6 schools each with an average 300 students also continue to be trained and issued tree seedlings to plant in their schools.

During this quarter, we continued to train both the farmers and schools on how to plant and also manage their increasing trees planted in their farms. . As the school going students are planting trees in the schools and so are their parents planting their home, the whole community is involved in regenerating their environment. As the tree grow and produce market products such a fruits, firewood etc, they are securing their economy. As they all come together to work, their social fabric strengthened. Your generous support is enabling us to address these three pillars of sustainability and regenerating communities living in the drylands of Kenya. The following activities took place during this quarter in the following programs.

The Tree Nursery.

During the quarter, 15,850 seedlings were propagated. Most of the seedlings propagated included the following: A.polycantha, A. xanthopolea, A.tortilis, Faudhebia albida, Senna seamea, Markhamia lutea, CrotonTamaridus, Neem, Leacena, Grevellia, Mango, Eucalyptus, Cypress, Guava, Lemon, Moringa, Sazygium, Passion, Pawpaw, Avocado, Balanities egyptica. During the same time, watering and maintaining the existing tree seedlings in the nursery continued. This year’s target is to propagate 80,000 seedlings which is an increase from 70,000 tree seedlings planted last year. These seedlings will be issued in October. – December rains to be planted in their individual farms.

Farmer’s training/ outreach program.

During the quarter, the farmers were formally trained in tree management especially on spot weeding and pruning. They were also visited in their own individual farms and advised accordingly. The schools were also visited and advised accordingly.

Challenges

• Water scarcity
• Transport to reach the many farmers

Focus for the next quarter

• Maintain the tree nursery and continue to propagate more seedlings to reach the 80,000 target
• Farmers’ follow- ups in their individual farms