Forestry Training & Finance for 800 Farms in Kenya

INTRODUCTION

New Year Greetings from Drylands Natural Resources Centre (DNRC) family. We hope that you and yours are doing great and the year is off for a good start. We are happy to share with you this progress report on Forestry training and finance for the 800 farmers and schools which you have generously being supporting. We feel honoured for supporting us as we work with our smallholder farmers and schools in the drylands of Kenya to bring about environmental, social and economical regeneration. As the effects of climate change continue to worsen and negatively impact lives and livelihoods globally, DNRC continue to tackle this problem by propagating and planting diverse tree species which are adapted to drylands environment for fodder, food, fuel fibre, timber, biodiversity, medicinal among other uses. The established older trees continue to create forest microclimate and famers continue to benefit from in different ways ranging from selling of extra pruned firewood for income, harvesting timber for sale or domestic use, poles among others uses. We continue to train farmers on the importance of diverse tree planting as well as dryland strategies to use so as to increase survival rates of the newly planted seedlings. During this reporting quarter, the main activities achieved include but not limited to: managing the diverse seedlings in the nursery till there were issued to the farmers during October-December rains, Issuance of the ready to plant tree seedlings to the farmers and follow ups to make sure they are planted and farmers’ trainings on the same. Below are detailed activities during this reporting quarter.

DNRC TREE NURSERY

During the reporting quarter, DNRC nursery staff were busy managing the nursery i.e. watering, weeding, pests and disease control, as well as helping with tree seedlings issuance to the farmers and the schools. As at the closing of the year 2022, the nursery had a capacity of 93,000 with over 40 diverse seedlings which included: Melia vonkensii, sennas, ecaulyptus camandulesis, gravelia robust, paw paw, Mangoes, Guavas, Banana passion, Sweet yellow passion, castered apple, Lemon, Mull berry, Acacias, cypress, Casuarina, Balanities, Terminalia brownii, Taminalia indica, Moringa oleifera, Zygium gumini among others.

DNRC OUTREACH DEPARTMENT

During the reporting quarter, the outreach department were involved in training farmers majorly on hole preparation and planting to their farms. The farmers and schools were issued with the seedlings and provided with transport to their individual farmers for planting after the rains. The outreach department was also involved in party organizing and preparation and the party took place on the 9^th /Dec /2023. This activity brought together all the farmers to celebrate, share experience and display the culture of Kamba community through preparing, displaying and testing different Kamba traditional foods as well as performing Kamba dances which are majorly made to entertain, educate and bring the farmers together so as to strengthen their social fibre.

CHALLENGES

• Water has remained as our major challenge for seedlings propagation and maintenance since we don’t have permanent water source. We continue to plead support for the same.

FOCUS FOR NEXT QUARTER

• Continue to propagate more diverse seedlings with an annual target of 90,000
• Continue to take care of the ready seedlings in the nursery.
• Continue doing individual farmer follow ups.
• Continue farmer and schools training program
• Planning for the mid of year farmers get together