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A magazine on drylands development and sustainable agriculture / Issue 62, June 2011
Trees
and
Farming
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 1
Editorial
Dear Reader,
W
elcome to Issue 62 of the Baobab. In this issue, we focus on the importance of planting trees
together with crops and also keeping livestock - a practice known as Agroforestry. Trees
are an important contributor to climate change adaptation and have multiple benefits to
humankind.
This issue follows the declaration of the year 2011 by the United Nations General Assembly as the International
Year of Forests and aims at raising awareness on sustainable management, conservation and development of
all types of forests. Baobab joins this noble cause in emphasizing the importance of tree planting as a way of
improving forest cover and boosting agriculture.
Over the years, forests and natural vegetation have been cleared as the demand for land for agriculture and
development increases. To cope with this situation, farmers are now increasingly being encouraged to plant
more trees to meet the ever increasing demands and enjoy other benefits such as; food, fodder, medicine, water
conservation and soil fertility.
Agroforestry enhances a climate-smart agriculture, increasing food security, alleviating rural poverty, and
therefore facilitating achievement of truly sustainable development. According to the World Agroforestry
Centre (ICRAF, 2011), investments in agroforestry over the next 50 years could remove 50 billion tonnes of
additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. For more on this read the ‘Theme Overview’ as well as other
informative articles in this edition. The ‘Technical Note’ will guide you on how to plant and manage trees.
ALIN’s work continues to gain wide recognition. In April 2011 the international board of the Ashoka Foundation
selected me to be an Ashoka Fellow. This was in recognition of the work we have done in running a wellmanaged and sustainable network of Maarifa (Knowledge) centers that continue to improve the quality of life
of rural small-scale farmers in East Africa. I thank the entire ALIN team, partners, network members and our
readers for making this possible.
We welcome your feedback on this issue and encourage you to share your best practices. The September issue
of Baobab will be on regional food systems. See page 33 of this issue for guidelines on how you can contribute.
o
u
g
N
s
e
Jam
Regional Director
2 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
Contents
4
8
12
20
THEME OVERVIEW:
Cropping under a canopy
PROJECT FOCUS:
PROSOPIS: A
despised tree that is
a key resource for
communities in Baringo
OPEN COLUMN:
Leguminous Fodder Trees
on the subject of:
Agroforestry practices in
Uganda
Other Pages...
Stork Story ...........................................................................................................................Pg 18
TECHNICAL NOTE: Tree Care ................................................................. Pg 26
GUEST COLUMN: Geospatial Technologies ................................. Pg 28
ISSN: 0966-9035
Baobab is published four times a year to create a forum for ALIN
members to network, share their experiences and learn from
experiences of other people working in similar areas.
Editorial Board
James Nguo
Anthony Mugo
Noah Lusaka
Esther Lung’ahi
Susan Mwangi – Chief Editor
Illustrations
Shadrack Melly
Layout and Design
Lisa Waweru (Noel Creative Media)
Important Notices
Copyright
Articles, pictures and illustrations from Baobab may be adapted for
use in materials that are development oriented, provided the materials
are distributed free of charge and ALIN and the author(s) are credited.
Copies of the samples should be sent to ALIN.
Disclaimer
Opinions and views expressed in the letters and articles do not necessarily
reflect the views of the editors or ALIN. Technical information supplied
should be cross-checked as thoroughly as possible as ALIN cannot accept
responsibility should any problems occur.
Regional Editions
1. Farming Matters global edition by ileia
2. LEISA revista de agroecologia, Latin America edition by
Asociacion ETC andes.
3. LEISA India, by AME foundation
4. Majalah Petani by VECO Indonesia
5. AGRIDAPE, French West African edition by IED Afrique
6. Agriculture, Experiences em Agroecologia, the Brazilian edition
by AS-PTA
7. Chinese edition by CBIK
Talk to us
The Baobab magazine
Arid Lands Information Network, ALIN
P. O. Box 10098, 00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya
AAYMCA Building, Ground floor, Along State House Crescent,
Off State House Avenue, Nairobi
Tel. +254 20 2731557 • Telefax. +254 20 2737813
Cell: +254 722 561006
E-mail: Baobab@alin.net • Or visit us at www.alin.net
About ALIN
Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) is an NGO that facilitates
information and knowledge exchange to and between extension
workers or infomediaries and arid lands communities in the East
Africa region. The information exchange activities focus on smallscale sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, natural
resources management and other livelihood issues.
OPEN COLUMN: Degradation of Mau Forests .......................... Pg 30
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 3
themeoverview
The global community is crying
out for innovative approaches that
can reduce poverty and improve
agricultural productivity while
making sure the environment is
managed sustainably. Agroforestry
- incorporating working trees
that provide continuous benefits
throughout their life cycle into
farming systems - is gaining
momentum as a global land use
and practice which can balance
environment and development needs.
By Kate Langford
4 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
Cropping
under a
canopy
the future of farming?
A
groforestry
is becoming increasingly
important throughout the world. Data from
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
of the United Nations confirms that while the
number of trees in forests is still declining
every year, the number of trees on farms is
steadily increasing.
Agroforestry is not a new practice. It has been used by subsistence
farmers throughout most of the world for many generations. The
2009 Trees on Farm study conducted by the World Agroforestry
Centre found that 48 per cent of all agricultural land – which is
home to almost a third of the 1.8 billion people – has at least 10
per cent tree cover. And six million square kilometers – or 27 per
cent of agricultural land globally - has more than 20 per cent tree
cover.
In the last 40 years, agroforestry has become a subject for
systematic study and improvement, and a livelihood option
promoted by land use managers and international development
efforts. Agroforestry systems range from home gardens to
subsistence livestock and pastoral systems, on-farm timber
production, tree crops of all types integrated with other crops,
and biomass plantations.
Benefits of trees in farms
There are multiple livelihood benefits of trees to farmers, in
particular smallholders in the developing world, who are the
focus of the World Agroforestry Centre’s work. Trees provide
farmers with a range of goods and services; from fruits and nuts
to livestock fodder, fuel for heating and timber for housing,
medicines and green fertilizers. In numerous countries, including
India and Kenya, the majority of the nation’s wood is derived
from farm-grown timber.
Aaron Nahawa from Kulimbuka village in
Malawi has significantly increased his maize
yields through the use of fertilizer trees.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 5
Additionally, trees grown on farms have
environmental benefits in the form of shelter, erosion
control, watershed protection, water retention and
increased biodiversity. Carbon storage both aboveground and below-ground is greatly enhanced
compared to conventional agriculture, thus
improving opportunities for rewards in the form of
agricultural carbon offsets for farmers. Agroforestry
can also enhance resilience to climate variability and
climate change. According to the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, “Transformation of
degraded agricultural lands to agroforestry has far
greater potential to sequester carbon than any other
managed land use change.”
The United Nations has designated 2011 as
the International Year of Forests, which is
an opportunity to more fully recognize the
tremendous importance of agroforestry in a
future world. Agroforestry is one of humankind’s
best hopes to create a climate-smart agriculture,
increase food security, alleviate rural poverty, and
achieve truly sustainable development.
Future of Agroforestry
The Director General of the World Agroforestry
Centre, Dr Dennis Garrity, has a vision of a future
where much of our annual food crop production
occurs under a full canopy of trees. Garrity has spent
his career developing small-scale farming systems
and promoting innovative solutions to natural
resource management. His vision is already being
fulfilled in many countries in Africa with extremely
encouraging results in terms of higher food crop
yields and restoration of degraded soils. The
challenge that lies ahead is to extend these practices
to millions of other poor farmers who desperately
need homegrown solutions to their food production
problems.
Through what is termed Evergreen Agriculture,
particular types of trees are intercropped in annual
food crop and livestock systems. As with most forms
of agroforestry, the trees offer multiple benefits to
farmers. They can provide sources of green fertilizer
to build healthier soils and enhance crop production,
increase soil fertility by fixing nitrogen in their roots,
or provide fruits, medicines, livestock fodder, timber
and fuel wood.
In Africa, the most promising results of Evergreen
Agriculture comes from the integration of fertilizer
trees into cropping systems. These trees improve
soil fertility by drawing nitrogen from the air and
transferring it to the soil through their roots and
6 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
Maize growing under a canopy of Faidherbia trees in southern Tanzania.
leaf litter. Scientists have been evaluating various
species of fertilizer trees for many years, including
Sesbania, Gliricidia, Tephrosia and Faidherbia.
The indigenous African acacia, Faidherbia albida
is perhaps the most remarkable of these fertilizer
trees. Faidherbia sheds its nitrogen-rich leaves
during the early rainy season and remains dormant
throughout the crop-growing period. The leaves
grow again when the dry season begins. This makes
it highly compatible with food crops, because it
does not compete with them for light, nutrients,
or water during the growing season: only its bare
branches spread overhead while the food crops
grow to maturity.
In Niger, satellite imagery shows close to 5 million
hectares of land covered by Faidherbia albida. Millet
and sorghum production has been significantly
enhanced on these fields where up to 160 trees are
grown per hectare. In Malawi, maize yields have
increased up to 280 per cent when they are grown
under the canopy of Faidherbia trees. In Zambia,
Photos: Charlie Pye-Smith / World Agroforestry Centre
160,000 farmers have extended their conservation
farming practices to include the cultivation of food
crops within agroforests of Faidherbia trees. Extensive
observations have indicated that growing maize in the
vicinity of the trees dramatically increases production,
and the health of the soils is improved.
Dr Garrity is quick to point out that farmers
have recognized the values of these trees for
generations. “I met women farmers in Malawi who
had been growing maize under a full canopy of
Faidherbia trees for 20 years,” Garrity recalls. “Their
yields are three times higher than before they
planted the trees.”
As scientists, development practitioners and farmers
seek innovative solutions to global concerns, the
spotlight is being turned towards practices such
as Evergreen Agriculture. At a high-level meeting
in November 2010 in The Hague, Netherlands,
representatives from more than 115 countries
developed a roadmap for agriculture to meet the
challenges of climate change and food security.
These ministers of agriculture, government officials,
...We urgently
need to
refine, adapt
and extend
evergreen
agriculture
and other
agroforestry
technologies...
scientists and representatives from
civil society organizations and the
private sector called for ‘climate
smart’ agriculture to address the
one third of global greenhouse
gas emissions generated by agriculture and
deforestation.
Evergreen Agriculture is emerging as an affordable
and accessible science-based practice which is both
climate smart and able to increase smallholder food
production.
“We urgently need to refine, adapt and extend
evergreen agriculture and other agroforestry
technologies,” says Garrity. “Not just in addressing
climate change, but also to drastically improve the
incomes and livelihoods of smallholder farmers
and help meet the challenge of feeding the world’s
projected population of 9 billion by 2050.”
About the author
Kate Langford works at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in
the Communications department. E-mail: k.langford@cgiar.org
For general information, visit http://www.
worldagroforestrycentre.org and to find out more about the
suitability of individual agroforestry species, check out the
Agroforestree database at http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.
org/resources/databases/agroforestree
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 7
projectfocus
Prosopis
Prosopis is a tree native to Arid and SemiArid Lands (ASALs) of South and Central
America namely Argentina, Chile, Columbia,
Mexico, Paraguay and Peru with only a few
of the species being of major ecological and
socio-economic importance. Missionaries,
colonial administrators, travellers and
researchers among others introduced the
tree across the globe in the last 200 years.
In Africa, Prosopis is found in nearly all
countries with marginal areas and deserts
including Kenya.
By Martin Welimo and Simon Choge
8 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
Camels feeding on
Prosopis pods.
Reasons for introduction
◆ Ensuring self-sufficiency in wood (firewood,
poles, posts and charcoal) and non-wood
products (fodder, honey, dye and fibre)
carried out near the coastal city of Mombasa for
rehabilitation of quarries. Although several Prosopis
species were introduced in Kenya, Prosopis juliflora
is the dominant species associated with invasive
tendencies.
◆ Making the environment habitable for human
beings and animals
Its invasive nature
◆ Mitigating the impacts of drought and famine
◆ Safeguarding the existing natural vegetation
from over-exploitation caused by the increasing
human populations
◆ Reducing water and wind erosion
Surveys have shown that Prosopis pallida species was
first introduced in Kenya in 1948 at Taveta Township
as a fodder tree. Several other introductions of
Prosopis juliflora, Prosopis chilensis, Prosopis alba and
others were done in 1960s and 1970s. However, 1973
stands out as the time when the first documented
introduction of Prosopis pallida into the country was
The popularity of Prosopis spp in the ASALs of the
world for the last two centuries revolves around
its perceived benefits as a valuable resource
(fodder, wood and fuel) and it’s resilience under
conditions where few or virtually no other tree
species can survive. Fodder production (mainly
through fruit/pod production) starts at an age of
3-4 years. Its pods are very nutritious and palatable
to livestock. With the ability of producing a lot of
pods at an early age (10 year old tree producing
about 90 kgs of pods per annum), with each pod
producing averagely 10-30 seeds, the rate of its
spread becomes very rapid. This is facilitated by
the fact that the seeds are largely indigestible and
A despised tree that is a key
resource for communities in Baringo
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 9
hence dispersed through the animal droppings. The
seeds remain dormant in the soil for many years
until conditions for germination are favorable. The
species grows aggressively in high densities thus
making it invasive. If left unmanaged, it colonizes
pastureland, waterways, farmlands, roadsides and
even settlement areas. Its negative impact is made
worse by the lack of knowledge and technologies
for its management as well as for the processing
and utilizing of its products by communities
affected by the invasions.
Uses of Prosopis juliflora
In ASAL areas such as the Baringo County in Kenya,
the tree comes in handy since it has many uses,
some of which have not been fully exploited
by the local populations. It is a hard wood and
therefore produces very high quality timber for
construction or fencing poles. It produces good
quality firewood and charcoal of high calorific
value (quantity of heat or energy produced).
Flowers of Prosopis juliflora are good for bee
foraging, hence an important resource to the large
number of bee farmers within Baringo. Prosopis
juliflora pods are high in carbohydrates, proteins
and sugar. They are good for livestock and human
consumption. Goats and cattle that feed on these
pods grow and fatten within a short time.
Cutting of Prosopis juliflora for charcoal burning.
10 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
Benefits to the Baringo Community
Charcoal production
The Kenyan energy sector has continued to suffer
a great deal after the government imposed a ban
on charcoal production and transportation from
its forests and woodlands. This has created a big
shortage of charcoal in Kenya resulting in prices
going to as high as Kshs 1,200 (US$ 15) per bag in
urban areas. The sanctioning of Prosopis juliflora
harvesting in Baringo County through clearing,
thinning and pruning has provided an opportunity
for processing of biomass and subsequent
production of massive quantities of charcoal. An
important source of income to the community since
the Prosopis management programme began four
years ago.
Reports from Mr. Justus Kyambo, of Kenya Forest
Service (KFS) Marigat District’s Office indicate that
communities earn in excess of Ksh 20 million (US$
250,000) each month from the sale of Prosopis
based charcoal alone. The KFS is charged with the
responsibility of coordinating issuance of forest
produce movement permits. Most community
members operate as individuals but in Salabani,
the Salabani Farmers Field School (FFS) undertakes
their operations as a group. They link up with lorry
operators at various collection centres.
A farmer preparing to burn charcoal from prosopis
Prosopis- pods collection
Prosopis pods are now an important commodity
for commerce among Baringo communities.
They harvest and sell the pods to neighboring
communities where this species is not available.
30 kg of pods (1 bag) is sold on average at Kshs
200 (US$2.5) in the local market. With an estimated
Prosopis coverage of over 2,000 Ha in Baringo
County alone, between 500 to 1000 tons per
year are available for harvesting if an organized
system of collection is made, thereby earning a
significant levels of income to collectors, between
Ksh 400,000 to 800,000 per year (US$ 5,000 to
10,000). This could be several times higher if
value addition through milling and local livestock
feed formulations were done. Milling the pods
and mixing with ground maize cobs and stock
produces a good animal feed for livestock. Milling
of 1 tonne of pods destroys more than two million
potential seeds that would have otherwise been
spread by livestock.
Strategy for Prosopis juliflora control and
management
Prosopis has successfully performed the functions
for which it was introduced: ensuring selfsufficiency in wood fuel, fodder for livestock
and making the fragile arid and semi-arid
environments more habitable. It has helped
mitigate the impacts of drought and famine
as well as safeguarding the existing natural
vegetation from decimation. On the other hand, it
is a weed that spreads sporadically invading land
on which other trees and crops grow.
For the last ten years, the Ministry of Forestry and
Wildlife has been involved in a comprehensive and
intensive plan to understand the nature and scope
of the Prosopis problem in Kenya through piloted
participatory approach to its management, control
and utilization.
Experience gained so far by the sub-sector, from
local and international studies has shown that
the uncontrolled spread of Prosopis is purely a
management problem. There is no know-how on
technologies to manage and control it. It is against
this background that a sectoral strategic plan is now
in the process of being jointly produced between
KFS and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) to
address the management gaps.
About the writers
Martin Welimo works at the Baringo Forestry Research Subcentre as a Forester. E-mail:mwelimo@yahoo.com.
Simon Choge works at the Drylands Programme (KEFRI) as the
Principal Research Officer. E-mail: skchoge2002@yahoo.com.
Cattle feeding on Prosopis juliflora pods.
Photos: KEFRI
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 11
opencolumn
Leguminous
Fodder
Trees
Rising demand for land in Kenya’s high potential areas has forced the more than
800,000 smallholder dairy farmers to seek viable fodder alternatives for their herds.
By Mwangi Mumero
T
raditionally,
smallholder
dairy farmers have relied solely
on Napier grass as their livestock
feed. Diminishing land has over
the years led to decline in acreage
under Napier.
Increasingly, leguminous fodder – promoted by
research bodies and the Ministry of Livestock has
proved to be cheap and viable supplements to Napier
and Rhodes grass.
On his two-acre plot, Simon Githambo grows various
types of crops such as beans, capsicum, maize and
a variety of horticulture crops. A number of tree
species are also found on the farm and include
avocado, guava, Eucalyptus, Grevillea and the pepper
tree. The farm also has an orchard comprising mainly
of citrus fruits.
But the tree species that have transformed and
influenced most of the farming activities are the
leguminous shrubs like Leucaena leucocephala,
Sesbania sesbans and Calliandra carothyrsus.
Alternative fodder
Leucaena pods.
12 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
Research in Kenya by World Agroforestry Centre
(ICRAF) has shown that Calliandra calothyrsus can
be fed to lactating cows in either addition or as a
replacement for commercial concentrates such as
dairy meal. Three kilograms (kgs) of fresh leaves and
edible stems of Calliandra could replace about one
kg dairy meal and still give the same milk yield with a
crude protein content of 16 per cent.
With the cost of commercial feed always on the rise,
smallholder dairy farmers have been making huge
savings with the inclusion of the leguminous fodder in
their daily livestock rations.
“Use of the fodder shrubs to feed my cow has saved
me at least Kshs 1000 (about US$ 12) monthly since
I do not have to buy commercial feed any more
to supplement the grass fodder like Napier”, says
Githambo, a dairy farmer in Uruku area of Ndaragwa
Division in Nyandarua District.
Increased milk volumes
A new study by ICRAF shows how the adoption of
fodder trees by more than 200,000 smallholder dairy
farmers in East Africa has improved milk production
and livelihoods.
The study found that the overall impact of the trees
in terms of additional net income from milk is high, at
US$19.7 million to US$29.6 million in Kenya alone over
the past 15 years.
On average, the estimated 800,000 smallholder dairy
farmers in Kenya with an average two to three acres
of land would gain a lot if they adapted the use of
fodder shrubs as supplements and alternatives to
commercial feed.
“Fodder from Calliandra is good for cattle and goats. It
has really reduced over-reliance on Napier as one can
easily cut the leaves and feed the livestock directly”,
say Timothy Gichuru, a farmer in Othaya, Nyeri. On his
two-acre farm, Gichuru has a Calliandra hedge that
also serves as a source of his fodder.
For the feeding program to be sustainable, a farmer
needs 500 shrubs per cow annually while a goat will
require 100 shrubs.
Soil benefits
Mr. Githambo explained that during the wet season,
cows are given six or more kilos but the amount
drops to just three to four kilos once the dry season
sets in.
The benefits of the leguminous fodder go beyond
feeding livestock. They fix nitrogen in the soil
revitalizing soil nutrients and are considered good
for crop rotation. High rates of nitrogen fixation and
rapid decomposition of its foliage make Leucaena an
excellent mulch or green manure crop.
A young girl feeds leguminous fodder to a cow.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 13
Photos: Mwangi Mumero
A Calliandra tree nursery.
Foliage and shoots collected by coppicing (cutting the
stem above the ground to stimulate sprouting of new
shoots) can supply some or all of the nitrogen and
other nutrients required by an intercrop such as maize.
At the same time, farmers report that in areas with a
dense canopy of the fodder, frost - a common problem
in the dry season - does not destroy crops.
western Kenya have grown the shrub as live fences or
on plot boundaries.
It seems the shrubs create some form of micro-climate
around the crops which reduces the effect of frost.
Wood from Sesbania tree can also be used for fencing,
construction of houses and as firewood.
Maize yields were even higher with incorporation
of Tithonia biomass than with commercial mineral
fertilizer at equivalent rates of N, P and K. Use of
the shrub has also increased beneficial bacteria
populations in the soil such as those that fix nitrogen.
Intercropping
In western Kenya, the shrubs have been intermixed
with maize and other crops such as sorghum with
remarkable increase in cereal yields.
ICRAF has in the past demonstrated that the leaves
and stems of a local shrub - Tithonia diversifolia
when incorporated with a rock phosphate
-common in western Kenya - can improve
food production and reduce over-reliance on
commercial fertilizers.
Green leaf biomass of Tithonia is high in nutrients,
averaging about 3.5 per cent nitrogen (N), 0.37 per
cent phosphorus (P) and 4.1 per cent potassium (K) on
a dry matter basis.
Boundary hedges of sole Tithonia can produce about
one kilo of biomass - tender stems and leaves - yearly.
Most farmers using this soil enriching method in
14 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
The materials decompose rapidly after application to
soil, and the incorporated biomass can be an effective
source of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium
(K) for crops.
The use of Tithonia has been recommended for
farmers growing profitable-fast growing crops like
cabbages and kales.
Green biomass of Tithonia has been recognized as an
effective source of nutrients for lowland rice (Oryza
sativa) in Asia and more recently for maize (Zea mays)
and vegetables in eastern and southern Africa.
Researchers believe that this agroforestry system
will not only increase maize yields and provide
greater food security, the increased growth of trees
will improve drought resilience and build carbon
sequestration- thereby contributing to climate change
adaptation.
About the Writer
Mwangi Mumero is a freelance journalist based in Kitengela,
Kenya. E-mail: mwangimumero@gmail.com
Implementing
REDD in
Tanzania
Energy saving cooking stoves.
Growing concerns about the impacts of climate change
have generated interest in developing mechanisms to slow
down deforestation and forest degradation rates. Tanzania
is one of nine countries serving as a pilot for the United
Nations’ Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and
Forest Degradation (REDD) programme.
By Pastory Mwesiga
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 15
Stakeholders at the launch of the REDD pilot project in Shinyanga, Tanzania.
W
ith financial support
from the Norwegian
Government, Tanzania
is implementing REDD
projects in several parts of
the country, among them
the Shinyanga region.
the project, and it is projected that 108,285 tones of
carbon dioxide emissions will have been kept out of
the atmosphere.
Key project outputs include:
◆ An institutional framework for REDD
implementation at community level;
Shinyanga region is prone to deforestation as
a result of the heavy pressure from agricultural
expansion, overgrazing, wild fires, the unsustainable
use of wood resources, and other human
activities. The pilot project is being implemented
in two districts (Shinyanga rural and Kahama).
The potential number of beneficiaries in the
two districts is about 6000 households. Project
partners include: Development Associates Ltd; the
Natural Forest Resources Management; the World
Agroforestry Centre, and; Kahama and Shinyanga
Rural District Councils.
◆ Established baseline scenarios for potential
carbon sources;
The four year REDD pilot project (January 2010 to
December 2013) aims to promote sustainable natural
resource management and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from deforestation and forest degradation
in the dry miombo (Swahili word for Brachystegia)
and acacia ecosystems in the region.
Most of the ground work towards achieving the
project outputs has been completed including; project
site selection, institutional assessments, surveys and
mappings of project villages and Ngitili areas, socioeconomic baseline surveys and group formation.
Project interventions focus on integrating REDD
with the indigenous agro-pastoralist systems called
Ngitili –traditional enclosures of acacia-miombo
woodland. These provide local people with food for
their cattle, firewood and other essential products.
Ngitili involves the conservation of fallow and range
lands by encouraging vegetation regeneration,
particularly for browse and fodder. The project
therefore focuses on households (men and women)
who own and manage Ngitilis ranging in size from
10 to 50 hectares. It is expected that 2,500 hectares
of Ngitili will be sustainably managed by the end of
16 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
◆ The development and implementation of
measures for addressing drivers of deforestation
and forest degradation;
◆ Established mechanisms for benefit sharing and
empowered Ngitili groups;
◆ The monitoring, evaluation and documentation
of project performance and impacts.
Implementation status
The processes of creating awareness and sensitising
communities, and conducting baseline assessments
for Ngitili resources and carbon levels are in progress.
Challenges and lessons
The project is in its early stages however, some early
lessons have been learnt.
◆ Many people at the community level have very
little knowledge about REDD.
◆ Awareness and sensitisation needs to be
increased and intensified using various media
and materials.
Photos: Pastory Mwesiga and Innocent Minja
Field visits during the project activities in 2010.
◆ Several institutions, including government
and traditional institutions, are involved and
have considerable interest in the management
of Ngitilis. Traditional institutions such as the
Sungusungu and the Kitongoji are key players in
the management of Ngitilis for REDD. The village
leaders need to be particularly well informed
and sensitised about aspects of the project,
as governance issues seem to be critical in the
implementation and success of the project.
◆ Incentives for people to manage Ngitilis
include the provision of space for balancing
immediate household needs. Deliberate efforts
need to be taken to incorporate sustainable
development concerns in REDD initiatives,
including opportunities for economic and social
development for local communities.
◆ REDD is targeted to benefit the poorest, in order to
achieve this aspects of gender and poverty should
not be left out of implementation processes.
REDD preparedness
To implement a national REDD programme efficiently,
several issues must be addressed. These include:
◆ A favourable policy environment to support the
implementation of REDD
◆ Programmes incentives to encourage poor
people and disadvantaged groups to participate
effectively in the implementation process
◆ A conducive institutional setup for decision
making uninterrupted information flows and
adequate physical and human capacity at all
levels to effectively assess carbon in all pools and
measure changes
◆ Transparent incentive sharing mechanisms
◆ And established financial management
system for funds to flow to beneficiaries and
stakeholders flawlessly.
REDD projects
To be effective as a mitigation strategy, REDD projects
and programmes must meet several stringent criteria.
◆ They must avoid ‘leakage’ – where conservation
in one area simply shifts deforestation to another.
◆ They need to be ‘additional’ – leading directly to
reductions in deforestation and degradation that
would not have happened simply because of
wider changes in the economy.
◆ There must be a project baseline against which
to measure progress in reducing greenhouse gas
emissions.
Before REDD projects can cut carbon emissions and
benefit livelihoods, many developing countries will
require substantial investments in capacity building,
science and institutions. For example, countries will
need technical support to develop carbon inventory
systems and their remote sensing capacity. In addition,
they will need support to set up the institutional
infrastructure required to distribute REDD benefits
and implement the various incentive schemes.
Land tenure and forest governance are key factors
determining the success or failure of REDD initiatives.
About the writer
Pastory Mwesiga is a project field team leader with Tanzania
Traditional Energy Development and Environment Organisation
(TaTEDO), Centre for Sustainable Modern Energy. E-mail: pastory@
nafrac.go.tz or mwesiga@yahoo.com. Mobile +255 786843925
For more information contact:
Robert Otysina, Director, Development Associates Limited (DASS).
E-mail: rotsyina@gmail.com.
Mary Swai, Project Manager, Tanzania Traditional Energy
Development and Environment Organisation (TaTEDO), Centre for
Sustainable Modern Energy. E-mail: energy@tatedo.org or mary.
swai@tatedo.org.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 17
storkstory
18 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 19
onthesubjectof
Agroforestry
practices in
Uganda
Declining food and wood
security coupled with lowincome levels are major
problems faced by small-scale
farmers in Uganda.
By Noah Bamulabire
20 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
A
groforestry programs
in Uganda are trying to solve
these problems by generating
technologies that enhance
integration of trees on farms
for increased production and
environmental sustainability.
Small-scale farmers can have multiple products and
benefits such as timber, food, fuel, poles, fodder,
medicine, spices, gums, soil fertility improvement
and control of soil erosion among others.
Types of Agroforestry
There are three principle types of agroforestry
systems - agrisilviculture, silvopastoral and
agrisilvopastoral. Agrisilviculture is a system that
involves simultaneously growing of crops and trees
on the same piece of land, providing the benefit of
both crops and forest. In the same way, silvopastoral
is a system that involves raising livestock on pastures
grown in association with trees. The trees are grown
for harvesting purpose and provide shade, shelter
and food for the livestock. Agrisilviculture is a
system that involves a three-way mixture based on
a combination of crops, trees and livestock. Such a
system requires skillful management, and can be
sustainable even in harsh environments and fragile
soils. All these are conservation methods are aimed
at protecting natural ecosystems.
Popular Agroforestry Practices
The type of agroforestry techniques that is practiced
depends on factors such as the region, type of
crops, soil and climatic conditions. A wide selection
of tree species and woody shrubs can be used for
agroforestry systems. Some of these trees are suited
for erosion control and some are more appropriate
as forage trees. The choice of appropriate species
is critical to the success of agroforestry system. In
addition to the intended use, the choice of tree and
associated crop species also depends on cultural
and ethnic factors. Some of the most popular
agroforestry practices adopted worldwide are
outlined below.
Alley Cropping
In this practice agricultural crops are grown along
with long-term tree crops. It involves growing crops
in-between trees planted in rows. The spacing
between the rows is appropriately designed to
accommodate a matured tree size while leaving
plenty of space for agricultural crop to grow and
receive sunlight. This requires skillful management
and careful planning. The agricultural crop provides
the annual income while the tree crop matures.
Hardwoods like oak and walnut are generally
preferred in alley cropping system.
Forest Farming
This practice involves cultivation of exotic and high
value forest products, along with high quality trees
for wood products. Crops like mushrooms, fruit, nuts,
berries, herbs and medicinal plants are just few of the
many that forest farming can produce. These types
of forest products can yield high value while the tree
matures.
Riparian Buffer Strips
This practice is popularly also known as “filter
strips”. The purpose of riparian buffer strip is to
catch soil, nutrients and pesticides from flowing
into water bodies. The trees and shrubs are
planted along the river or lake, which in turn also
prevents streambank erosion. Buffer strips can be
planned to provide habitation for wildlife and also
production of exotic forest products as in the case
of forest farming.
Windbreaks or Shelterbelts
In this type of agroforestry practice multiple or a
single layer of trees and shrubs are planted along
edges of the fields. This shields the crops or the
livestock from the effects of the wind, snow or
extreme temperatures. They protect the fields from
soil and water erosions as well, therefore creating a
more favorable environment for the crops to grow.
This system can also be designed to specifically build
natural shelter for livestock; this reduces feed costs,
odour, animal stress and mortality while pleasing the
eyes aesthetically.
Advantages of Agroforestry
A farmer benefits in many ways from a well designed,
planned and executed agroforestry system. The
presence of trees and shrubs aid the crops in making
better utilization of the soil nutrients and light,
hence resulting in better production as compared
to monocrop method. Enhancement in the nutrient
cycling capabilities of the soil reduces the cost for
weed and pest control.
Agroforestry systems provide an option of extra
income to the farmers. Diversification between forest
and agricultural crops reduces labour and resource
costs along with the risks undertaken by farmers.
Mixing long-term forest crops with yearly agricultural
income makes the overall system more profitable.
Lastly, forest provides food and shelter for the
livestock that is beneficial in many ways.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 21
Photos: Noah Bamulabire
Intercropping
From an environmental point of view, the advantages
of agroforestry are many, it is an improved version of
traditional farming and ecologically, it is extremely
compatible. The ability of trees to prevent soil
erosion and conserve nutrients in the soil is well
known. In case of legumes crops, trees fix nitrogen
hence improving soil fertility. Hedges of trees and
shrubs protect crops and livestock from harsh
climatic conditions resulting from vicious winds,
hot or cold extremes. Trees also function as “bio
filters” of dusts, noise, odour, and prevent pesticide
contamination of the water. Many birds, insects
and wild life find a natural habitat in these forests
boosting the ecological diversity of an area.
Policies supporting tree farming
practices in Uganda
In many districts of Uganda, structures that connect
small forest enterprises and their associations to
markets, service providers and policy processes are
already in place. Agro ecological enterprises and
forest based enterprises (FBE) such as bee keeping
22 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
projects by local farmers are set up to promote
income activities while considering environmental
sustainability. In the latest report of a study
undertaken by the National Biomass Study (NBS) Unit
of National Forest Authority (NFA) 2008, Uganda’s
forest cover has reduced from 24 per cent to 17 per
cent of total land area of the country between 1990
and 2005. Most of the degradation was on private
forests. As a result, forest cover on private land has
reduced from 70 to 64 percent of the total land
area (NFA, 2008). Promotion of the FBEs is therefore
seen as one of the clear ways to rejuvenate the
deteriorating forest covers across the country.
About the writer
Noah Bamulabire is a Field Officer with ALIN in Lukwanga,
Uganda. E-mail: lukwangamaarifa@alin.net.
References
UNDP/NEMA/UNEP Poverty Environment Initiative (2009),
Enhancing Forests’ Contribution to Growth, Employment and
Prosperity. Kampala, Uganda.
MEDICINALTREES
Community gains
financially from
conserving
the Kakamega
rainforest
Kakamega forest is the only
surviving rainforest in Kenya;
a remnant of the GuineoCongolian rainforest, which once
stretched from western Kenya
across East and Central
Africa to the coastline of
West Africa. Communities around
the forest now make income
from the Ocimum
kilimandscharicum
(African blue basil) by
selling medicine made from
the plant.
By John Luseno
Top: Muliro Farmers Conservation
Group cultivating and
bottom: harvesting Ocimum
kilimandscharicum plant.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 23
K
akamega Forest in
Kenya is the home to an
extraordinary diversity of
endemic birds, plants and
insects not found anywhere
else. In addition, it provides
the surrounding communities
with timber, medicinal products, and wood for fuel.
Over the years the forest has been under immense
pressure due to high rates of exploitation.
To stem the tide of degradation at this forest, the
Muliru Farmers Conservation Group (MFCG), with
technical support and guidance from the International
Center for Insect and Physiology (ICIPE) received a
grant from the Global Environmental Facility Small
Grant Program (GEF SGP) in 2000 with the aim of
conserving the forest and sustainability of the group.
Ocimum cultivation on farms
In total MFCG has 360 farmers that plant Ocimum
kilimandscharicum, a medicinal plant whose leaves
are used for processing aroma therapeutic balm
and ointment. It is currently found in leading
supermarkets nationwide under the brand
name of Naturub®.
Ocimum kilimandscharicum, is a wild
indigenous medicinal plant. Traditionally,
the local community used it to treat
ailments such as flu, chest congestion,
insect bites, and muscular pain. Key to note
is that the plant is also used largely to treat
opportunistic infections for people living
with HIV/AIDS. Its leaves are immersed in
boiling water, and the patient asked to
inhale the vapour. The same plant is also
used to repel mosquitoes and to ward off
pests that destroy food stored in granaries.
Since MFCG inception in 2000, the number
of farmers growing the medicinal plant has
grown from 18 to 500 and the acreage under
cultivation has multiplied from 2.5 Ha in
2005 to over 20 Ha in 2010. Subsequently,
the farmers’ earnings from the sale of the
processed medicinal product have risen up
substantially. This translates to an average
annual income per household of Ksh 3000
(US$ 37.5), which provides essential revenue.
The initiative combines the following:
an indigenous medicinal and mosquito
repellent plant; traditional knowledge
and practices of the local community;
24 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
modern science and technology; and partnership
between the rural community, advanced research,
development institutions and the private sector.
Growing Ocimum
Ocimum kilimandscharicum, is one of the local
domesticated plants from Kakamega Forest. It is
raised normally with propagation from seeds grown
in a nursery for one month and then transplanted
to a well-tilled farm. It is planted in a spacing of 30
cm by 15 cm. After six months it is ready for harvest.
The harvesting is done by cutting the top part of
the stem and plucking of the leaves. The remains are
used as firewood thus helping to reduce the pressure
on the forest brought about by cutting of trees. The
plant is handy and can be planted with trees on the
farm. Thus the farmer is able to raise trees as well as
have additional income for the family from the sale
of Ocimum products.
The plant has an efficient rooting system and perennial
habits that prevent soil erosion where it is grown.
The 2010 Equator award ceremony in New York.
The Harvest
Leaves are packed in gunny bags and transported
to the processing facility. Over 770 tons of on-farm
cultivated Ocimum kilimandscharicum have been
supplied by the community. Over 700 kilograms
of essential oil has also been produced. Purified
essential oil is used in the production of Naturub®
medicinal products. 400,000 pieces of Naturub®
packages have been produced and sold in urban and
rural areas of Kenya.
Job opportunities have been created especially
for women and the youth. Women comprise 55
per cent of the participating members. Fifty per
cent of the leadership positions of the community
enterprise are women.
Improving community livelihoods
More than 2000 livelihoods have improved with the
alternative income that is over 300 per cent.
The packaging of Naturub® products also bears a
distinctive message on conservation of biodiversity.
With over 400,000 pieces of Naturub® sold, the
new nature-based medicine has contributed to the
improved health of thousands of urban and rural
people in Kenya and beyond.
Global recognition
2010 was a great year for the group. In September
2010, the group was awarded the prestigious
global “Equator Prize” to recognize and celebrate
their outstanding community efforts towards
biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.
In November 2010, the community group
was awarded the prestigious “SEED award” for
entrepreneurship in sustainable development for
the most promising, innovative and locally led
start-up social and environmental entrepreneurs
in countries with developing and emerging
economies.
Naturub® Ocimum products
About the writer
Photos: Muliru Farmers Conservation Group
John Luseno is a Community Knowledge
Facilitator in Kakamega. E-mail: jluseno2005@
yahoo.com
Additional information
James Ligarre, Marketing and Organising
Secretary Muliro Farmers Conservation Group
(MFCG). E -mail: mulirufcg@gmail.com, Cell no:254
728 738631.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 25
technicalnote
All
trees need
good care to
grow well
Many trees planted by farmers never grow to maturity due to lack of proper management.
By Peter Kamau
T
he rainy season is also the
time for planting trees. The first
step in any tree planting exercise
is to know the types of trees to
be planted in every part of the
farm. A wise farmer should have a
variety of trees in their farm. These
can include fodder trees, fruits trees and even trees
to provide the farm with shade, firewood and timber
in the future.
Choice of trees
Trees such as eucalyptus and pines should be
planted away from crops and water sources because
they affect crop growth and take up a lot of water.
The best trees to plant with crops are Grevillea and
leguminous trees that fix nitrogen into the soil. Trees
such as Calliandra, Lucaena and Sesbania sesban
bring up other nutrients from deep down the soil
into the surface, to benefit crops.
• Fruit and nut trees such as mangoes and
macadamia should be planted seven (7) metres
apart.
• Avocadoes require a spacing of 10 metres from
one tree to the next.
Digging holes
Dig a hole 60 cm square and 60 cm deep about four
weeks before you plant the tree. The holes must be
square in shape so that the roots can grow towards
the corners and then spread out into the soil. Dig
about 30 cm of the top-soil and put it on one side.
Continue digging the hole for another 30 cm and
put the bottom soil on the other side of the hole.
Water the hole a few days before you plant the tree.
Now mix the top-soil with half a wheelbarrow of
well-prepared compost and put this into the bottom
Top soil from another place can be used here.
Farmers can buy seedlings of these tree species
from private nurseries near them or from the nearest
forest station in their region.
Spacing
Before you plant the seedlings, decide how far apart
one tree should be from the next using the following
guidelines:
• Create adequate space between trees to enable
them get enough sunlight and reduce shading.
• Pawpaw trees, guavas or peaches can be planted
three (3) metres apart.
26 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
1/2 wheelbarrow of compost or manure mixed with top soil.
of the hole. Add more topsoil from elsewhere before
filling up the hole with the
soil you got from the bottom
of the hole. While filling up
the hole, make it in such a
way that it forms a basin
around the plant in order to
hold water when it rains.
•Choose your planting sites
carefully. Decide where each
of the trees is to be planted.
Take care of your
growing trees
A large proportion of trees
planted every year never
reach maturity due to lack
of regular attention and care
in order to grow normally
to maturity. To enable the
tree to grow up straight, it is
important to tie it to a strong
stick pushed into the ground.
Do not tie the string too tight.
Planting bare rooted
seedlings
For seedlings that are
not potted (bare rooted
seedlings) it is important
to prepare them before
planting, use the following
guidelines:
Animals for example cause
great destruction to young
trees. Before planting trees,
farmers should make sure the
area under trees is properly
fenced off to keep away goats,
sheep, cows and donkeys.
Every three months, spread
two or three spades full of
compost or manure around
the tree, as wide as the tree’s
canopy.
• Water the nursery bed
thoroughly the day
before you remove
them. This ensures the
seedlings have plenty of
water before planting.
• Remove the seedlings
from the bed and
separate their roots from
the soil carefully, do not
damage them.
• Cover the seedlings to
protect them from direct
sunlight. Keep them
moist.
Put mulch around the base
of the tree but not too close
to the tree trunk; mulch
conserves water and provides
organic matter.
• Plant one seedling in
each hole and fill with soil.
Watering
• Press the soil around the plant gently.
Potted seedlings
For potted seedlings farmers should remember the
following guidelines while planting the seedlings:
•
Do not uproot the seedlings until you are ready
to plant them.
•
Keep the seedlings in their pots and pack them
in small boxes or crates for easy transport to the
planting sites. Do not tie the seedlings.
•
Tear off the polythene cover or remove them
from their pots before you plant.
•
Do not remove the soil around the seedlings
while planting.
If the rains are inadequate, water the trees once
every two weeks. Some trees such as citrus trees
need a lot of water to grow well. Such trees can be
watered every week, during the period of reduced
rains.
Pruning
The main aim of pruning is to cut off some branches
so that others will grow better and get enough sun.
Prune the trees during dry days to avoid exposing
them to diseases, which are more common when it is
raining. Never break off branches; use a panga to cut
them off or use a pruning saw.
About the writer
Peter Kamau is a writer with The Organic Farmer, a magazine for
sustainable agriculture in Kenya. E-mail: info@organickenya.org
For more info visit: http://www.organicfarmermagazine.org
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 27
guestcolumn
GEOSPATIAL
TECHNOLOGIES in
The Role of
Livelihood and Natural Resources
Management: PES Analysis
Forests provide us with a range of
essential goods and services. From our
most basic needs - shelter, food, clean
water, oxygen and medicines - to cultural,
spiritual and recreational joys. Vital
environmental services that forests provide
include preventing severe water runoff and regulating climate (Tripathi et
al, 2004). Often, ecosystem goods and
services are taken for granted. While
the economic value of certain natural
products such as timber is reflected
through global trade, this often isn’t the
case for other environmental goods and
services provided by forests which are
largely perceived to be free of charge,
although their roles are often critical to
productive and life-sustaining processes.
By Samuel Munyua Kimani
28 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
P
ayment for
Environmental Services (PES)
ensures that those who benefit
from environmental goods and
services pay those who provide
these services (McCall et al,
2005). This means, for example,
that downstream users of water cleansed by an
upstream forest, such as bottling companies or
townsfolk who extract drinking water from the
river, pay those who manage these upstream
forests to ensure a sustainable flow of this service.
Charging for the benefits provided by forests and
other natural ecosystems is a way to recognize
their value and ensure that these benefits go
well beyond present generations. In addition
to benefiting biodiversity, such schemes also
have the potential to benefit poor landowners
who manage these environmental services.
PES schemes therefore require an assessment
of the economic value of the forest benefits to
the different stakeholders. Based on this value,
a fair market fee is derived as payment by the
beneficiaries to compensate those who help to
protect the forests so the forests can continue
providing their environmental services (Robbins,
2003).
The contribution of many of the environmental
services arising from forest ecosystems to local
and national economies are not well understood,
leading to under valuation, inadequate attribution
and lack of proper mechanisms. In order to
prepare the preliminary analysis of the area, a
rapid hydrological assessment was done.
Study Area
The Preliminary project study was conducted in
Moiben River ecosystem stretching from Cherangany
Hills to Chebara dam and water destination, Eldoret
town. The Cherangany Hills forests comprise a
number of forest reserves covering the hills on the
western ridge of the Great Rift Valley. The forest
covers an area of 120,000 Ha and forms the upper
catchments of Nzoia, Kerio and Turkwel rivers.
Despite the region having in place a wide range
of policy and legal frameworks, there is no specific
provision supporting valuation, attribution and
compensation of environmental services which
are mainly perceived as public goods (services).
The policy and institutional inadequacy in
this respect has contributed to accelerated
deterioration of riverine forest ecosystems and the
environmental services they provide. The project
therefore evaluated the existing or absence of
policy and institutional mechanisms that support
environmental services.
Major objectives of PES Analysis
1. To promote community driven environmental
conservation to enhance suitable productivity,
value added and competitiveness forest
ecosystem related environmental services flow.
2. Promote equity in cost and benefits generated
from conservation of forest.
Results
Overview of past conservation methods
Traditional knowledge Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) are the data, techniques, and
technologies designed to document and utilize local
knowledge in communities around the world. It is
information that encompasses the experiences of a
particular culture or society. Traditional knowledge
GIS are richer than ordinary cognitive maps
because they express environmental and spiritual
relationships among real and conceptual entities.
They comprise a formidable toolset for use in cultural
preservation; land rights disputes, natural resource
management, and economic development.
Technical aspects
Traditional knowledge GIS employs cartographic
and database management techniques such as
participatory GIS, map biographies, and historical
mapping. Participatory GIS aspires to a mutually
beneficial relationship between the governing and
the governed by fostering public involvement in
all aspects of a GIS. It is widely accepted that this
technique is necessary to sound environmental
and economic planning in developing areas
especially the hot spot catchment surroundings.
Participatory GIS can be effective for local resource
management and planning, but researchers doubt
its efficacy as a tool in attaining land tenure or
fighting legal battles because of lack of expertise
and access to technology among local individuals.
GIS technologies are powerful in their ability to
accommodate multimedia and multidimensional
data sets that allows the recording and playing
of oral histories and representations of abstract
ecological knowledge.
Identification of Environmental
Services
In this context, services include:
◆ Rehabilitation and maintenance of riparian zones
◆ Grass strips
◆ Terracing along the steep slopes
◆ Reduction of fertilizers and pesticide use
◆ Tree planting
The up stream users undertake activities such as
rehabilitation of riparian zones to ensure continued
and good flow into the final destination. The service
provider - referred to, as the seller - in this case is the
up stream landowners including small-scale farms,
households or private entities.
The service users on the other hand - referred to
as the buyer - are usually economic entities. These
could be small or large scale flower farms, tourism
establishments and even governments departments
or related institutions that benefit from the service
through continuous and assured flow from the river
into the lake.
About the writer
Samuel Kimani is an Environmentalist/ GIS Expert at Kenya Forestry
Research Institute (KEFRI). E-mail: kimanisam86@yahoo.com
References
McCall, Michael K., and Peter A. Minang, (2005). Assessing
Participatory GIS for Community-Based Natural Resource
Management. Claiming Community Forests in Cameroon.
Geographical Journal 171.4 340-358.
Robbins, Paul (2003). Beyond Ground Truth: GIS and the
Environmental Knowledge of Herders, Professional Foresters, and
Other Traditional Communities. Human Ecology 31.2: 233-254.
Tripathi, Nitesh and Bhattarya, Shefali (2004). Integrating
Indigenous Knowledge and GIS for Participatory Natural
Resource Management: State-of-the-Practice. Electronic Journal
on Information Systems in Developing Countries 17.3: 1-13.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 29
Degradation of Mau Forests
Threatens Agriculture and Kenya’s Economy
Photos: ALIN and Tonny Kimathi
The role of trees in agricultural production and water catchment has become starkly
apparent in Kenya following the now well known encroachment and degradation of
the Mau forests complex. The complex is one of Kenya’s five water towers, the others
being Mt. Kenya, Aberdare ranges, the Cherangani Hills and Mt. Elgon.
By A Correspondent
I
t is reported that the Mau forests complex forms the largest closed-canopy forest ecosystem of
Kenya, as large as the forests of Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare ranges combined. Being one of the five
water towers in Kenya and the single most important water catchment in Rift Valley and western
Kenya, it is a natural asset of national importance. It is also argued that forest complex biodiversity
and habitats provide vital ecological services to the country, in terms of water storage; river flow
regulation; flood mitigation; recharge of groundwater; reduced soil erosion and siltation; water
purification; conservation of biodiversity; and; micro-climate regulation. Through these ecological
services, the forests complex supports key economic sectors in Rift Valley and western Kenya, including energy,
tourism, agriculture, and industries.
30 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
The negative impact of the degradation of the
Mau forest has been felt most by farmers along
the valleys through which rivers originating from
the forest drain as well as the tea and tourism
industries in the neighbourhood. Production of tea
is only possible in the vicinity of tropical forests.
The crop, which ranks as the second highest
earner of foreign exchange in Kenya, requires a
cool climate which can only exist in the proximity
of established forests such as the Mau. The Mara
and Waso-Ngiro Rivers which feed the Maasai
Mara Game reserve and Lake Natron respectively,
originate from the Mau.
Encroachment threat
The threat posed by the encroachment and
degradation of the Mau over the decade between
1995 – 2006 led to a sustained public outcry
that in 2007 compelled the Government to set
up an Interim Coordinating Secretariat (ICS) for
the Restoration of the Mau Forest (ICS for the
Mau forest). To date the Secretariat has not only
managed to halt the encroachment and about 70
per cent of forest destruction, but has also put in
place a sustainable measures to restore the forests
complex in collaboration with Kenyan Forest Service
and other development partners.
This initiative was spearheaded by Kenya’s Prime
Minister, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga in 2008. At that point,
more than 100,000 hectares out the total of 416,000
hectares had disappeared. One of the most dramatic
manifestations of this destruction was that the then
newly constructed multi-million shilling Sondu Miriu
Hydro Electric Project could only achieve 50 per cent
of its potential hydropower production.
Intervention to save the Mau
In an interview with Baobab, a senior
official of the ICS for the Restoration
of the Mau Forest, Mr. Anthony Maina,
outlined the background of the ICS
for the Mau Forest. “The ICS for the
Mau Forest is a creature of Task Force
initiated in 2008 by Kenya’s Prime
Minister, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga. He
convened a stakeholders’ meeting at
the Kenyatta International Conference
Centre (KICC) to respond to increased
public outcry. One of the key
recommendations of that meeting was
the creation of an Interim Institution
that would eventually develop long
term institutional arrangements for
the sustainable management and
conservation of the Mau Forest Complex,” recalled Mr.
Maina.
The stakeholders’ consultative forum comprised
of some 300 persons representing Government
institutions, Members of Parliament, private sector
companies, community-based organizations (CBO),
local and national non-government organizations
(NGO), as well as international organizations.
It was held in Nairobi on 15 July 2008 and was
attended by the Prime Minister and ten Cabinet
Ministers. The forum agreed to establish a multistakeholder task force, comprising representatives
from relevant Government institutions, nongovernmental organizations, affected communities
and private sector.
The Mau Task Force was officially launched by the
Prime Minister on 23rd July 2008. The mandate of the
Task Force was to formulate recommendations to the
Government on:
◆ Providing for the relocation of the people who
were residing in the forests;
◆ The restoration of all degraded forests and critical
water catchment areas in the Mau Complex; and,
◆ Mobilizing resources to implement the
above mentioned objectives and secure the
sustainability of the entire ecosystem.
The ICS is established in the Office of the Prime
Minister for the restoration of the Mau Forest.
It was launched on 4 September 2009. The
objectives of the ICS:
◆ To coordinate the implementation of the
recommendations of the Mau Task Force
◆ To develop the framework for long-term
measures to restore and sustainably manage the
Mau Forests Complex and other water towers.
According to Mr.
Maina, the other
mandate of the
Committee is to
coordinate livelihood
program for the
communities who
live in the proximity
of the forest
towards alternative
livelihoods as
opposed to over
dependence and
direct exploitation of
forest resources.
Anthony Maina during the interview.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 31
How to water
Baobab Magazine
Introduction
The Baobab is a quarterly magazine that is
published in March, June, September and
December. Every issue has a theme that guides the
topic one can write on. Topics for 2011:
March: Youth & Farming
June: Trees & Farming
September: Regional Food Systems
December: Land Issues
How to Write
Know what you are writing about in advance and think
clearly, carefully reflecting on:
• WHAT was the initial context and what were the
difficulties faced?
• WHAT were the reasons for the approach taken to
improve the situation?
• HOW did they go about it and who took the initiative?
• WHEN did all this happen, and to what extent was the
timing important?
• WHAT happened as a result?
• WHY did it work out as it did? (We appreciate
opinions/analysis/conclusions relevant to field level,
as well as recommendations for policy makers).
• WHERE did the action take place?
Please Ensure that You
1) Thoroughly read the call for articles and check that
the article fits well with the theme being covered.
2) Explain any terms or ideas that may not be
understood in every part of the world.
3) Acknowledge all sources and references used.
4) Explain any abbreviations used.
Full editorial support is provided. As the articles go
through a rigorous editorial process, authors are
usually requested to provide additional information or
clarifications. We would therefore rather have too much
information than too little in the first draft!
Format
1. Articles should be about 700 to 1000 words (one,
two or three-page articles) and should be emailed
to baobab@alin.net or smwangi@alin.net as a word
document attachment.
2. Include no more than five references. Each reference
should include title, year of publication, name of
author, and publisher.
32 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
3. Please provide a current contact address at the
bottom of the article. This will also be published in the
magazine. We would also appreciate a contact phone
number for our own use.
The editor reserves the right to decide whether or not
to publish an article or contribution after receipt of the
first full draft. Articles that are accepted will be edited
to the Baobab house style and shortened if necessary.
Contributions edited in this way will be returned to
the authors for approval before publication. Articles
accepted for publication in the Baobab may be chosen
for translation in any of the six regional editions. We will
endeavour to inform authors if their article appears in
other editions.
Photos
Pictures speak volumes. Two to four pictures relevant to
what you have written must accompany your article.
Illustrations, drawings, or maps are also welcomed. Please
provide the name of the photographer or artist. Please
ensure the photos or illustrations are of suitable quality.
Send the pictures as attachments in jpeg format of at least
300kb and above. Also remember to include a caption
outlining the people or activity in the picture.
Creative Commons License
Please note that we use the “Creative Commons License
Attribution non-commercial share alike 3.0 unported’’
policy regarding copyright. We encourage free and open
exchange of information. As such readers and authors are
encouraged to copy and circulate articles from the Baobab
quoting the source. In addition, this means that we may
use submitted photos or text in our other publications. We
will try to contact you and credit your work in accordance
with the license.
Call for articles
Regional food systems
If there is one
thing that the
world food crisis
has shown us it
is that heavily
relying on global
food markets can
be dangerous
– especially
for the urban
areas and where
households rely
on imported
food. This is a
strong argument
in favour of strengthening local and regional food systems. These
are characterized by fewer intermediaries, lower transportation
costs and more personal forms of exchange, resulting in less
risky transactions. Producers and consumers can exert a greater
degree of control, allowing for quantities and prices to be
negotiated locally, and for more value to remain within the
region. Moreover, proponents of regional food systems argue
that this contributes to increased food security, benefits the
environment and increased the autonomy of farmers.
Regional food systems, however, run against the dominant
paradigm that sees global markets and modern technologies as
the way forward in agriculture. And they also run against another
paradigm: one that considers global food security mainly in
terms of the quantity of food available. But addressing hunger
and malnutrition is not just about calories. It is about the quality
of the diet, which inherently means variety. In many parts of the
world, regional food systems used to provide a large variety of
local grains, tubers, pulses, green leaves, wild fruits and berries,
meat and fish. Today, much of that diversity has gone.
Joto Afrika Evaluation
Are you a Joto Afrika reader?
We welcome your participation in the Joto Afrika evaluation. The
evaluation will be conducted through questionnaires both print
and e-version, telephone interviews and face-to-face.
Let us know what you think about Joto Afrika! We value your
feedback!
You can send your feedback through post or by an email to
jotoafrica@alin.net. Please include your organisation and your
full postal address. You can also send via SMS, to +254717032322
and start with the word Joto.
Contribute to Joto Afrika
Do you want to tell people how your community is adapting to
climate change? Are you involved in a programme, project or
research that is helping people to find practical solutions to cope
with the effects of climate change? We want your contributions
for Joto Afrika!
We are looking for research work, community case studies,
videos, audio clips and photo essays about climate change
adaptation across sub-Saharan Africa. The case studies need
to be short (no more than 600 words), easy to understand and
provide practical information for other people facing these
problems. If you would like to contribute, please contact the
editor at jotoafrica@alin.net. We welcome contributions in French
and English.
We invite you to share your experiences in strengthening local
and regional food systems. How to create the conditions that can
support their development? What role can farmers, consumers,
farmer organisations, the private sector, field technicians,
government programmes and the media play to (re)create
regional food systems? How do they contribute to improved
food and nutrition security? We will examine initiatives taking
place and ask what farmers and consumers think about them
and what lessons we can draw from them.
We welcome an article on this topic including pictures and
suggestions of other people, experts or organizations that can
contribute for this Baobab. All pictures must be 300 KB and
above and should be in jpeg format.
Please write to the editor smwangi@alin.net by July 31, 2011.
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 33
Book Reviews
More People, More Trees: Environmental Recovery in Africa
This booklet is a companion to the film More People, More Trees. The film and book package covers the environment and
livelihoods including rainfall, population, ‘regreening’ and development trends. The booklet fills in more details on the film
with history and supporting data.
About the Film
Over 20 years ago, concerned famers groups in Kenya and Burkina Faso began to adopt new
measures to conserve soil and water and to re-establish trees in their fields. Two videos,
Looking after our Land and Building on Traditions, recorded the new participatory
approaches for land conservation being developed at that time in various countries.
More People, More Trees returns to the same communities, and some of the people, in
Kenya and Burkina Faso to document developments since the original filming. The film
shows spectacular changes; most obviously more trees planted and protected by the people
themselves aided and encouraged by continuing community projects. More People, More Trees
thus highlights a demonstrable success story for community participation in agricultural change
in Burkina Faso and Kenya.
It is written by William Critchley and published by Practical Action Ltd. It is also available in French.
It can be purchased from Practical Action Publishing:
http://developmentbookshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=1611
You can watch excerpts online at: www.iied.org/sustainable-markets/blog/more-people-more-trees
Or http://youtu.be/JcZIpG6Ay4M
You can watch it in full on Practical Action’s website: http://practicalaction.org/more-people-more-trees-1
Growing Trees and Gardens for Life: Practical Tips for Healthy Tree Nurseries and Home
Gardens
This booklet is based on the series of practical agroforestry and home gardening articles published in the Young African
Express educational newspapers of 2006 and 2007. It provides practical tips for healthy tree nurseries and home
gardens.
The booklet is meant to inspire young people to take action that goes into improving
the quality of their lives and those around them. It spurs young people to be
stakeholders in saving the planet by taking action. It features articles on growing
trees, controlling pests and diseases, planting food crops and fruits to replanting a
forest. The booklet uses a lot of pictures and illustration that makes it an interesting
read for school going children from primary to secondary school. It is also valuable for
all kind of Farmers, Gardeners and Nursery.
It is a monthly publication written by Katherine Moir who is the Art director on Young
African Express, Tom Vandenborsch who is the global coordinator for Farmers of the
Future at the World Agroforestry Centre and Susan Scull-Carvalho, managing director of
Learning for Life Initiative at Jacaranda Designs Limited.
To subscribe e-mail: subscriptions@youngafricanexpress.net.
Jacaranda Designs Ltd
PO Box 1202
Nairobi, 00606 Kenya.
www.jacaranda-africa.com
34 BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011
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Dear Editor
It’s my pleasure to write to you, I read
the Baobab 61, March 2011, and found
something very interesting in the use of
ICT in African agriculture in the subsection
on knowledge containers. As an extension
worker in the veterinary field I would like to
know how Maarifa centres work? I work with the
rural community where information is limited.
This approach will be of great help especially to
the youth. I would like to replicate the same idea
in my district. How best can I go through to reach
youth farmers in my district? I have few resources to
begin with which include a laptop and a digital camera.
Tito Kibona
Dear Joyce,
Mwaga District,
Kilimanjaro-Tanzania
Dear Tito,
Thank you for this feedback and your interest to adopt the
Maarifa centre idea. With a laptop and digital camera you
already have some basic equipment to start an information
centre. However, you would have to be prepared to avail
them for public use. To get more details about how a Maarifa
centre works you can visit ALIN’s website www.alin.net and
specifically the link http://www.alin.net/Introduction.
Editor
Dear Editor,
St. Martin Catholic Social Apostolate is a religious grass-roots
organization that responds to problems of vulnerable groups
in Nyandarua and Laikipia districts. The organization has five
programmes. It is through the community programme for
Savings and Micro credit that improves the social economic
status of the beneficiaries that we have continuously received
the Baobab magazine and Joto Afrika.
In this regard 19 groups have timely received these two
magazines that serve as a reference point on information related
to small-scale sustainable agriculture, adapting to climate
change and livelihood issues. This has resulted in transformed
individuals through reading and practicing some of the noble
initiatives and information that your publications promote
leading to an improved socio economic status. Thank you.
Joyce Mitieng’
Community Programme For Savings and Micro Credit.
Saint Martin Catholic Social Apostolate
Nyahururu, Kenya
Thank you for letting us know the positive change that the
Baobab brings to your community. Please share with us the
specific initiatives that communities are practicing after reading
the Baobab. This will be useful feedback for us! If you have
specific issues you would like us to write on in the magazine do
let us know.
Editor
Dear Editor,
I am a civil servant in charge of promoting small-scale
investments including farming as a business. I would like to
promote rabbit farming in Mbale and also establish networks
with our brothers and sisters in the East African Community.
I therefore wish to request you to assist me to get in touch with
the best rabbit entrepreneurs, including associations, in Kenya,
especially western Kenya so that we can collaborate to develop
and promote the rabbit industry in East Africa.
I can be easily reached at Mbale Municipal Council offices,
opposite the Post Office on Republic Street. My mobile phone
number is +256 712923949.
Soddo Paul, Senior Commercial Officer
Mbale Municipal Council
Uganda.
Dear Soddo,
Thank you for trusting the Baobab magazine to link you up with
other rabbit entrepreneurs. We have published your mobile
number so that the readers can also contact you. For a start you
can contact Samwel Lukale on phone no +254723544517 or
e-mail dynamic.rabbitkeepers@gmail.com for more on rabbit
keeping. We’ll keep you linked to others once we get their
contacts.
Editor
BAOBAB ISSUE 62, JUNE 2011 35
“Agroforestry is a crucial bridge between forestry and agriculture.
Essentially, agroforestry is about the role of working trees in agricultural
landscapes, particularly on, but not limited to, small-scale farms.”
Dennis Garrity, Director General of ICRAF at the International launch of IYF in New York in January
2011
“Agroforestry is possibly the most self-sustaining and ecologically sound of
any agricultural system.”
Dr. Franklin W. Martin, “Agroforestry Principles”, ECHO Technical Note, 1992
“If only the know-how could be equalled by the will-to-serve, by compassion
for human suffering cause by hunger and deficiency diseases, there is no
reason why fully balanced diets consisting largely of plant-foods should not
be made available for hundreds of millions of undernourished people in the
West as well as in the Third World.”
Robert Hart (Forest Gardening), Horticulturalist, United Kingdom
“People who will not sustain trees will soon live in a world which cannot
sustain people.”
Bryce Nelson, Prof. of Communications and Journalism, University of Southern California.
Baobab is published by ALIN with support from ileia - The Centre for learning on sustainable agriculture. ALIN and ileia are members of AgriCultures, a
global network of organisations that share knowledge and provide information on small-scale, sustainable agriculture worldwide.