Help Plant 533 Families out of Poverty in Uganda

Farmers in Uganda have been bust preparing their nurseries and planting their trees. In this most recent rainy season in March, farmers were taking great care of their nurseries to ensure the best survival rate for their young trees. During this time, farmers had nurseries of fruit and timber trees. Each tree in their nurseries has a purpose that will serve the family at home, or be able to be sold at market. Fruit trees provide delicious and nutritious food for families. The fruit tree varieties, such as citrus, mango, papaya, and avocado, are consumed at home, made into value-added products such as dried fruits, and also sold at market. The timber trees, such as albizia species, provide wood for home building, poles, and furniture crafting. Timber trees they are growing now will help them meet their household timber needs into the future and be a valuable financial asset as time goes on. 

When it comes time to out plant their young trees, farmers take great care to optimize the spacing of their trees on their land and make sure they have filled in any gaps on their farms that could otherwise be more smartly utilized. Trees for the Future technicians provide training and on-going guidance during this process so that farmers can make the most of their space and understand why planting trees in certain ways can be beneficial. For example, farmers consider the contour of their lands, so that when they plant, trees that need more water, such as citrus, are situated at the down slope of the land. That way, when water runs across the farm, the trees at the bottom of the slope can receive the most water. This helps certain trees get more water, but it also helps control erosion across the field. As farmers are now in the third year of the project, these techniques are increasingly important to ensure the sustainability of the land into the future.

Thank you for your support!