Forestry Training & Finance for 800 Farms in Kenya

INTRODUCTION

We hope this report finds all of us well. We are happy to share with us our progress report on forestry training and finance for the last three months. The now 800 small holder farmers we work with continue to establish both woodlots and food forests to continue achieving our goals of environmental regeneration, community strengthening and economic development and sustainability. So far, the trees we have been planting continue to grow and we are slowly getting to our goals as the tree canopies broaden and their barks widening for quality timber. The soils are more fertile as the vegetation cover has reduced erosion and increased water retention. With the current rains in Kenya, some springs have started to show up in the covered areas implying that the vegetation cover has really helped in raising the water table with reduced evaporation. The community is more organised and the social fabric continue to strengthen as they work together, train together, eat and dance together. Farmers now have enough firewood for home use something they used to buy and they have excess which they sale to DNRC and make extra money. Moringa which is one of the trees they have continued to grow, apart from the agro forestry benefits, farmers continue to get income from the sale of seeds and leaves for powder. Thank you so much for your financial support which has played a role for us to get this far.

During the reporting quarter, the following activities took place: finalised transplanting of remaining seedlings in the seedbeds, constant maintenance of the entire tree nursery, constant follows ups of the farmers to make sure they are ready for planting, seedling issuance and preparing for the end of year party.

Below are detailed activities during the reporting quarter.

DNRC tree nursery program

During the reporting quarter, the nursery staff were busy finalising transplanting the remaining seedlings from the nursery beds as follows : Moringa oleifera 1000, pawpaw 160, passion 41, banalities 360, kigelia Africana 50, Gakeana gakii 20..For the year 2019, DNRC propagated a total of 60,124. During the reporting quarter, farmers were issued a total of 27,851 diverse seedlings. Total of 2000 seedlings was issued to the 12 schools we work with as a sign of giving back to the community. Over 5,000 seedlings were sold to non-farmers. We continue to issue more as the rains continue.

Outreach and training program

During the reporting quarter, the outreach staff were majorly involved in follow ups to make sure farmers are ready for planting more trees. All the 14 groups were visited and were trained in whole farm design. Also the 14 fifteen groups were issued with tree seedlings. Famers are encouraged to take more seedlings to take advantage of the prolonged and good rains in Kenya now. During the reporting quarter, the outreach staff were busy also coordinating and mobilising farmers for the end of year farmers get together party which scheduled on 6^th Dec 2019 at DNRC grounds.

Challenges

Water was a major challenge especially during the dry seasons

Next quarter

• Famers annual get together
• Plan for the year 2020
• Do follow ups on the planted tree seedlings