Nutrition through food forests & gardens in Kenya

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