Nutrition through food forests & gardens in Kenya

INTRODUCTION

We hope this report finds all of you well and in God spirits. We are happy for this another opportunity to share with you the progress of our food forest and gardens project which you graciously support. In the last three months, the project has been flourishing due to the good rains in my community. Water loving fruits in the food forests such as bananas, fruit trees etc. grew fast and majority of them producing fruits. Food forests in schools we work with are also doing great. DNRC gardens planted with diverse vegetables also continue to flourish and are providing enough veg. for DNRC staff, visitors and interns. DNRC is also extending more Kitchen gardens to more farmers farms so that to ensure food and nutrition security in our community which is a major issue in our country. During this reporting period, the following activities took place: Produce harvest in the food forest and kitchen gardens, tending and weeding the food forest and kitchen gardens, establishment of vegetable nurseries, re-planting and maintaining both the food forest and kitchen gardens and trainings and follow ups of the same.

DNRC FOOD FOREST

During this reporting quarter, we were busy tending the food forest and maintaining it through chop and drop to open up for more lights for the production trees. We also applied manure and mulched smaller production trees. We earthed the sweet potatoes which are doing very well due to good rains experienced in the community. We also replanted the food forest and kitchen gardens and established vegetable nurseries. During the reporting period, we were able to harvest the following: passion fruits, sweet potatoes, and beans.

FARMERS’ KITCHEN GARDENS

During this reporting period, we were able to establish vegetable nursery to propagate vegetables saplings to be issued to the farmers to plant in their individual kitchen gardens. The farmers were also trained on kitchen gardens techniques such as Zai-pits and sunken beds.

CHALLENGES

• Excessive rain during this reporting period caused some water logging in the vegetable nurseries.

Plan for the next quarter

• Replant, tend and maintain both the kitchen gardens and food forest
• Train and follow up with farmers on both food forests and kitchen gardens

INTRODUCTION

Christmas greetings to all of you. We are happy to once again share with you our progress report on food forest and gardens in Kenya. The long ongoing rains in Kenya have been source of blessing to us despite the challenges associated with excess rains. Both DNRC and schools food forest have received more than enough rains and the production trees ranging from: Mango trees, citrus trees, paw paws, cassavas, avocados, banana etc are growing very first. Farmers continue to take advantage of the above normal rains we are receiving by planting more trees. DNRC staff, interns and visitors continue to have diverse vegetable supply from DNRC kitchen gardens ranging including Kales, spinach, black night shade, beat roots, coriander, eggplant, arrow roots, carrots etc. Kitchen gardens are helping DNRC to self-sustainability in terms of food supply for the staff and income from the sale of extra vegetables. DNRC vegetables and other crops are organic produced through permaculture/agro ecology so highly preferred. The school food forests are doing great and all the 12 schools we partner with were able to expand their plots this season and they were supplied with enough food trees to plant. Planting of this diverse trees and food crops not only benefits the nutrition part but also plays big role in the whole ecosystem services. We can only say thank you so much for your continued financial support to make this happen.

During the reporting quarter the following activities took place: Gapping and expansion DNRC and other food forests in schools as well as planting perennial crops and cover crops, Issuing fruits trees to the 12 school we partner with and helping them expand their food forests. Also supplying farmers with vegetable seedlings to plant in their individual kitchen gardens.

Below are detailed activities during the reporting quarter.

DNRC FOOD FOREST.

DURING THE REPORTING quarter, the following activities took place: Expansion of DNRC food forest by planting more fruit trees ranging from paw paws, bananas, citrus, Cassavas and sweet potatoes .Also beans and cowpeas were planted in the food forest. In terms of output, we harvested 13.3 kgs of Bananas and 7 passion fruits.

DNRC KITCHEN GARDEN

During the reporting quarter, DNRC staff in charge of the gardens were busy tending the gardens and weeding .They were also involved in establishing more vegetable nurseries for next quarter planting.

CHALLENGES

Water remains the main challenge for DNRC operations especially during dry season.

FOCUS FOR THE NEXT QUARTER

• Plant more parts of the gardens
• Tend and weed both gardens and food forests
• Propagate more vegetable seedlings  

Introduction

Kind greetings from Drylands Natural Resources Centre (DNRC). We are happy to share with you our progress report on nutrition through food forest and gardens in Kenya. The food forests we have established with the farmers and the schools continue to flourish and giving diverse nutrition to both households and the school going children. The first school we established a food forest continue to enjoy continued food and fruit supply throughout the year as the trees mature at different times of the year. Families are slowly moving towards food sovereignty because of the diversity of different vegetables and fruits in both kitchen gardens and food forests. Apart from nutritional supplements, the diverse trees and vegetables continue to increase biodiversity and soil building besides other ecosystems services. Despite the dry spell we are experiencing now, households have maintained their kitchen gardens so as to reduce the expenses on food. DNRC staff and interns have been able to get enough vegetables and seasonal fruits from DNRC food forest. We say thank again for your continued and kind support which has enabled has to achieve our goal of food and nutrition security to our vulnerable households in the drylands of Kenya.

During the reporting quarter, DNRC staff were busy tending the gardens as well as maintaining the food forest and below are detailed activities of the same.

DNRC Food forest

During this reporting period, we were busy tending and managing the food forest through chop and drop. We were able to harvest some bananas, beans, passion fruits, cassava and guavas. We are also digging and treating holes in the food forest so as to expand it during this coming October- December rains.

DNRC Kitchen Gardens

The main activities during this reporting period were: Establishing vegetable nursery to propagate saplings for both DNRC kitchen gardens and for the farmers, watering, mulching, constant pest management using biological pesticides, composting and top dressing. At DNRC kitchen gardens, we have more than enough vegetables for staff, visitors and interns and now selling extra for income.

Water remain our main challenge to all our projects as seasonal river has dried up and we have to scope sand to get water.

Next quarter focus

Hole preparation to expand the food forest.

Continue maintaining existing gardens and expansion of the same.

INTRODUCTION Once again receive much greetings from Drylands Natural Resource Centre (DNRC) family. As we share this quarter report, we wish to express our sincere gratitude to you for the continued financial support which has so far contributed to the DNRC success which continue to grow each other day. Our current 800 farmers we are working with continue to benefit from vegetables and fruits coming from both food forests and kitchen gardens we have been promoting among them. A food forest is a food production and agro forestry system based on woodland ecosystem incorporating fruits trees, nut trees, shrubs, vines, vegetables, perennials for timber and other non-timber products. By understanding how natural forests grow and sustain themselves, we are able to model our food forests filled with trees and plants that produce food, timber and other non-timber products for income generation. These fruit trees have been propagated in our tree nursery and the first's ones are already producing fruits like pawpaw, passion fruits, guavas, mulberry etc. Out farmers now are testifying reduced family expense on buying foods and fruits due to the ones they get from both food forests and gardens. DNRC staff, interns and visitors continue to enjoy diverse vegetables in their meals. This has as well reduced food expense for DNRC as we move towards self-sustainability. During the reporting quarter, the following activities took place: Planting and establishing more kitchen gardens at DNRC, gapping DNRC food forest as well as expanding. Below are detailed activities during the reporting quarter: DNRC Food forest During the reporting quarter, the major activities included expansion of the food forest which include hole preparation and planting, weeding and managing the trees in the food forest through chop and drop. We also managed to harvest 14.1kgs of bananas from DNRC food forest. DNRC kitchen gardens During the reporting quarter, we were busy establishing and planting more gardens with diverse vegetables including but not limited to Garlic, coriander, rosemary, spinach, kales, egg plants, traditional vegetables black night shade and amaranths. We have used different designs to develop our gardens with water saving methods recommended which included sunken beds with heavy mulching, key holes and multi-storey gardens. Other activities included constant spraying of natural concoctions for pests and disease control, wedding and watering. Challenges Water is always a big challenge since we have no permanent source of water within DNRC. Focus for the next Quarter General maintenance of both the food forest and kitchen gardens. Constant trainings and follow ups with farmer's kitchen gardens and food forests.

Attachments:

• NUTRITION THROUGH FOOD FOREST AND GARDENS IN KENYA QUARTELY REPORT-March 2019.docx (DOCX)