MITI 13

Beauty from firewood Appreciating medicinal trees Protecting trees from termites Gum talha offers a business option in drylands

Subscription only only Sold by subscription I s s u e N o.1 3 J an u ar y- M a r c h 2 0 1 2

A success story

A dry riverbed provides 100,000 litres of fresh water daily

Better than money in the bank

Trees offer a viable retirement plan, as tree-growers in Uasin Gishu can testify

The tree that Zacchaeus climbed

The fig tree is important today, as it was in biblical times

Where are the foresters?

Professionals should provide leadership in forestry management

Better Globe Forestry Ltd

Making Africa greener

Making Africa greener Better Globe Forestry (BGF) is part of The Better Globe Group from Norway, which focuses on the need to fight poverty through promoting massive tree planting and sustainable agricultural programmes.

BGF’s vision is to create secure commercial projects with vital humanitarian and environmental activities and as a result become the biggest tree planting company in the world within 20 years.

Land in Kiambere before planting.

Note the omnipresent soil erosion

The mission of BGF is to make Africa a greener, healthier place in which to live and eradicate poverty by focusing on the development of profitable, commercial tree plantations that will deliver environmental as well as humanitarian benefits.

Miti magazine is a publication of Better Globe.

It is the policy of BGF to, among other things: • Create attractive financial opportunities for present and future investors, Continuously identify and address the needs of employees, suppliers, customers, shareholders, the community at large and any other stakeholders, • Focus on the need to help fight poverty, through promoting massive tree planting • Create and sustain motivation throughout the organisation for meeting its business objectives, • Continuously maintain and review an effective and efficient Quality System which as a minimum satisfies the requirements of the appropriate Quality System standard(s), • Continuously improve the performance of all aspects of the organisation.

Workers clearing a thicket in Nyangoro in preparation for tree planting

Our nursery at Kiambere

A two-year-old plantation of Melia volkensii in Kiambere

Workers in BGF’s plantation in Kiambere, after receiving a food donation

A Melia volkensii plus -tree part of our genetic improved programme

Preparing for planting in Kiambere

The committee of Witu Nyongoro ranch with Rino Solberg and Jean-Paul Deprins

www.betterglobeforestry.com

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Editorial

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News

KEFRI celebrates its Silver Jubilee

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Foresters missing in action

Professionals should define good forestry and provide leadership in forestry management

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Still going strong

Oldest forestry training institution adapts to change to remain relevant

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Nurturing young foresters

VVOB’s Healthy Learning programme is teaching tree-planting and agro forestry skills to school children

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Beyond the classroom

International Climate Challenge equips the young to mitigate the effects of climate change

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Appreciating medicinal trees

KEFRI involves schools in the domestication and conservation of healing plants

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Equipping farmers to care for forests

The role of KFS in sustainable forestry management

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Eating into profits

Termites consume wood; so if not controlled, they can destroy trees, leading to massive losses

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Business in drylands

Gum talha from Acacia seyal offers an opportunity for livelihood diversification for Kenya’s arid lands

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Trees for beautiful cities

Yes, you can enjoy the benefits of vegetation even in crowded residential areas

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Reaching out to the people

Homa Lime’s tree-planting efforts make a difference in the community

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Let us make briquettes

The materials community groups use and the heating quality of the product

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A diverse collection of trees

Ugandan grower plants an assortment of species to ensure a steady supply of timber

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Beauty from firewood

H-Tes produces quality timber-works out of eucalypts that would be destined for the fireplace

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Better than money in the bank

Trees offer a viable retirement plan, as Moses Burer, a tree-grower in Uasin Gishu, can testify

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Whither the wood industry in Uganda?

A short history of forest utilisation in the country

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The tree Zacchaeus climbed

The fig tree remains important today, just as it was in biblical times

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A success story

A ‘dry’ riverbed provides 100,000 litres of fresh water every day

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Good-bye Herman

An authority on water management

in drylands calls it a day

Mukau: A Keny with a brigh an drylands tree t future Yatta farme r makes farming big busin tree ess Interview with George Maya Ugandan farme r, nja

Beauty from firewood Appreciating medicinal trees Protecting trees from termit Gum talha offers a busine es ss option in Subsc Sold byription subscription only only

On the cover: BGF’s donation programme: pupils of Kambusu Primary School (Kyuso district) receive mukau (Melia volkensii) seedlings for planting in the school compound.

drylands

A succes

Issue No.13

s story A dry rive rbed prov ides 100,000 litres of fres h water dail

Bette n monery tha in the Tree

y

s offe ba plan, as r a viable retir nk Gishu cantree-growers in ement Uasin testify

Janua ry-Ma

rch 2012

The tree t Zacchatha eus The fig tree climbed is imp today, as ortant it was biblical timein s

Whe e the forerear ster

s?

Professiona leadership ls should provide in forestry managemen t

Editorial

We all need to learn new techniques

T

ree planting is increasingly a global issue. In the past, when the means of communication were not as developed as they are today, information on new ventures and new tree businesses based on new opportunities was very hard to get. This was mainly because people did not need knowledge about the possibilities and tools to reach afforestation goals, especially at the individual level.

This has changed tremendously.

Children need education to succeed in life and most of us are children when it comes to afforestation, especially in drylands.

We need to learn new techniques, adapt to climate change and the depleted environment and be aware of the changing socioeconomic context in which we operate our tree-planting businesses.

This issue of Miti has a strong educational element with very important contributions from some of the best in the sector.

However, first let us celebrate with and congratulate our partner, the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) who for achieving ISO certification and celebrating 25 years of existence. It shows the level of seriousness and commitment to quality in the numerous services KEFRI provides in the framework of their research mandate.

Incidentally, in this issue, Francis Gachathi explains how KEFRI involves schools in the domestication and conservation of medicinal plants. He also writes about gum talha and about the fig tree in his interesting series about trees of the Bible.

Moses Imo and Balozi Kirongo of Chepkoilel University College of Moi University, Kenya, deplore the role of foresters in forest management.

Donald Oyugi Ogweno and Johnstone Maloba Malingu, both from the Kenya Forestry College in Londiani enlighten us on the challenges facing the college today, which are similar to those being experienced by forestry training worldwide.

Vivian Nerea of VVOB Kenya has written on the Healthy Learning programme that teaches tree-planting and agro forestry skills to school children. Greig Whitehead gives us an insight on how International Climate Challenge equips children to cope with the effects of climate change.

We can of course not publish Miti without the valuable input of our partner the Kenya Forest Service (KFS). Oscar Simanto writes about the role of the organisation in sustainable forestry management and how the KFS forestry extension programme aims at disseminating relevant information and advice to small-farm holders and forest adjacent communities.

This time we also salute the input of August Temu, the Deputy Director General, Partnership and Impact of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).His article is all about urban trees and their management.

Wanjiru Ciira exposes us to the Homa Lime experience, a very special project in Koru, Kenya and Jan Vandenabeele cannot hide his aversion for termites as a major pest in the tree business. With authorisation from the researchers, we publish an article that presents findings of a doctoral study by the University of Nairobi and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) on fuel briquetting technologies using sawdust and charcoal dust from selected agroforestry tree species.

Jan Vandenabeele also had a look on how successful tree growers are doing in Uganda and, together with Joshua Cheboiwo, how they are doing in Kenya. Josephat Kawooya brings us a short history of forest utilisation in Uganda.

Erik Nissen-Petersen and Jan Vandenabeele bring us another article in our series on small and cost-effective ways to obtain water in drylands.

The issue, however, sadly ends with a tribute to Herman Verlodt, a true friend that we miss dearly. R.I.P. Herman.

Jean-Paul Deprins

Published by:

Chairman of the Editorial Board:

Technical Editor

TQML LTD P.O. Box 823 – 00606 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: + 254 20 434 3435 Mobile: + 254 722 758 745 Email: kenya@mitiafrica.com

Rino Solberg

Jan Vandenabeele

Uganda office: MITI MAGAZINE ® P.O. Box 22232 Kampala, Uganda Mobile: + 256 752 896 205

Editorial Committee

Managing Editor – Uganda

Joshua Cheboiwo, Francis Gachathi, Enock Kanyanya, James Kung’u, Fridah Mugo, Jackson Mulatya, Leakey Sonkoyo, Jean-Paul Deprins, Jan Vandenabeele and Wanjiru Ciira

Julie Solberg

Editor-in-chief Jean-Paul Deprins

Contributing Editor Mundia Muchiri

Designer Daniel Ngugi

Managing Editor – Kenya Wanjiru Ciira

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COPYRIGHT © BETTER GLOBE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Miti January-March 2012

News

KEFRI marks silver jubilee and ISO certification

By Stephen Ndegwa Mwangi

T

he Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) turned 25 last December and also acquired ISO 14001:2004 Environment Management Systems (EMS) certification.

The organisation marked the two events in a ceremony officiated by the Minister for Forestry and Wildlife, Dr Noah Wekesa, on December 15, 2011.

The Minister congratulated KEFRI for developing forestry technologies and disseminating its research findings, thus contributing greatly to forestry restoration efforts in Kenya and within the region. Since its inception in 1986, KEFRI has developed in research, infrastructure and human resource to become a recognised institution of forestry research in Africa.

Dr Wekesa urged citizens to plant more trees and increase forest cover from 1.7 per cent to 10 per cent of the total land area. He noted that trade in carbon credits is one way of empowering people to benefit from tree planting initiatives.

“There are many organisations and corporations looking for trade in carbon credit in Africa,” he said, adding that this is the time to take advantage of programmes such as the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) to sell carbon credits to developed countries.

“The Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife is collaborating with organisations offering good payment and also with communities in Mau Forest Complex and other water towers to benefit from these emerging opportunities,” said the Minister.

However, he lamented the harassment of farmers trading in wood products harvested onfarm and urged the experts to help in differentiating

wood products gathered on-farm and those illegally harvested from natural forests.

The Chairman of the KEFRI Board, Dr James Onsando, said KEFRI attained ISO 14001:2004 EMS status in June 2011, after demonstrating high environmental management standards in its operations, facilities and a commitment to maintaining these standards. He congratulated the Institute’s management and staff for their continued hard work.

The Deputy Chief of Mission in the Japanese Embassy, Mr Yoichiro Yamanda, said KEFRI has grown like a tree, with support from the governments of both Kenya and Japan. He praised the government of Japan for supporting forest projects for Arid and Semi Arid Lands in Kenya through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“Japan has worked with Kenya since independence to promote sustainable development.

In forestry as in other areas, Japan wishes to remain Kenya’s quality partner,” said Mr Yamanda, stating that the support has enabled KEFRI become an authority in social forestry and climate change initiatives.

KEFRI Director Dr Ben Chikamai led the guests through an exhibition showing KEFRI’s key achievements within the 25-year period. He thanked the donor community, development partners, stakeholders and collaborators for supporting KEFRI during the 25 years of its existence.

The writer is a Communication and Public Relations Officer at KEFRI. Email: smwangi@kefri.org

Forestry and Wildlife Minister Dr Noah Wekesa releases balloons to mark the twin events held at KEFRI headquarters in Muguga, Kiambu County. On his left is the chairman of the KEFRI board, Dr James Onsando and KEFRI Director Dr Ben Chikamai.

Forestry and Wildlife Minister, Dr Noah Wekesa, plants a tree to mark the occasion.

The views expressed in Miti magazine are the writers’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of Better Globe or TQML. WRITE TO US We welcome feedback on any article you have read in Miti magazine, or on any issue on tree planting, afforestation and related matters. Please include your name, address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for clarity or space.

We also invite you to send us any interesting photos you might have.

Please send your contributions to: The Editor Miti magazine P.O. Box 823 – 00606 Nairobi, Kenya.

Email: kenya@mitiafrica.com OR Miti magazine P.O. Box 22232 Kampala, Uganda.

www.betterglobeforestry.com Miti Magazine-Africa’s Tree Business Magazine

Children from neighbouring primary schools attended the celebrations.

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Miti January-March 2012

Forestry graduates must be able to direct plantation establishment like this of eucalypts at James Finlay in Kericho. (Photo: BGF) ... and (inset) also to work with communities.(Photo: Jan Vandenabeele)

Where are the foresters?

Professionals need to define what good forestry is all about and provide leadership in forestry management

By Moses Imo and Balozi B. Kirongo

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lthough Kenyan forestry has undergone many changes over the last 10 decades, of late ecological, social, economic and political changes have influenced profoundly the forestry sector, its professionals and institutions. Professional management of natural resources, and particularly forests, has suffered from political interference. Consequently, there has been a drastic decline in the forest cover, now estimated at less than 2 per cent of the total land area of Kenya. Unpredictable weather patterns and climate change have also impacted on forest cover.

Up to the late 1980s, Kenya’s forestry followed a general pattern of evolution of forestry management philosophies as has been witnessed previously in most other parts of the world.

This involved a paradigm shift from traditional exploitative (no explicit management regime), administrative (focusing on laws and rules), ecologically-based (including management for timber) to finally social forestry (emphasising multiple use), which is now the most acceptable practice worldwide. Unfortunately, none of these

Miti January-March 2012

classical management philosophies - in which management decisions are based on established knowledge, experience, and site-specific conditions - is strictly adhered to in Kenyan forestry.

Currently in Kenya, forest management decisions are rigid without regard to growing demand for limited forest resources by the increasing population. The decisions are marked by political interference, populist activism and, to some extent, selfishness among our leaders.

This has been compounded by systematic dismantling of taboos, customary regulations and rules that allowed sanctions for misuse.

In this regard, the current state of Kenyan forestry is a manifestation of the inability of forestry as an institution and profession to respond to the increasing pace of societal needs because of lack of either the will to effect change, insufficient knowledge and experience, deficiency in problem analysis and solving skills, or inadequate scientific foundations to support the desired change.

To prevent further depletion, there is need

to put in place forestry educational, research, outreach and advocacy institutions with the capacity to provide the required leadership for effective management and governance of forest and tree resources (state, community and private forests, as well as trees on farms) in the country.

However, the fundamental question is, who should be responsible for these developments, and why have professionals shied away from these critical issues over the years, yet they have the mandate and public expectations to do so? In this article, we address the issue of the contribution of institutions of forestry education to sustainable forest management in the country.

Any forestry training programme should produce professionals with basic competencies in managing forest resources for multiple benefits, improving the quality of the environment and entrepreneurship. In addition to these key competencies, forestry graduates should also endeavour to fulfil the other two key responsibilities of any forester, that is, to refuse inappropriate forest practices, and to resist socially and ecologically inappropriate pressure

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Key challenges While Kenyans depend on forests and tree resources for timber, water, food, energy, medicine, shelter and aesthetic and leisure needs, there is a decline in the youth interested in taking up professional careers in the sector.

It is unfortunate that most forestry training in Kenya (and in Africa) over the last five or so decades has focused more on timber production and water conservation and neglected other forest uses and products such as ecotourism, biodiversity, carbon sinks and climate change. Reconciling all these issues in a single forestry curriculum designed to deliver a degree within a specified period in a traditional forestry course is not easy, but societal demands on these issues must be addressed.

As in many other parts of the world, the key challenges have traditionally revolved around issues such as declining enrolment, funding constraints for both undergraduate and continuing education, rapid reduction in faculty, inadequate curriculum content, dynamically changing societal needs, nonresponsiveness to global perspectives, and limited incorporation of other disciplines in forestry education. Other factors include lack of attachment to the forestry profession, falling standards in professional ethics, lack of information on prospects in professional forestry, low practical aspects in curricula, low information access, inadequate business aspects of forestry in the curriculum and the wrong view that forestry is a rural-based profession.

Chepkoilel University College of Moi University Since its founding in 1984, the Department of Forestry and Wood Science (initially under the Faculty of Forestry and Wildlife, which is the School of Natural Resource Management) has evolved to become one of the finest training grounds for national leaders in forestry and wood science technology.

It offers undergraduate courses in forestry, wood science and industrial processes, and agroforestry and rural development. Figure 1 gives a summary of the number of graduates of these programmes since inception.

Other closely related courses include wildlife management and tourism, fisheries and aquatic sciences, water resource management, sustainable energy and climate change, and integrated natural resource management.

These programmes, which are unique to Chepkoilel University College, are offered at undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels. Some diploma and targeted short courses are also offered. These programmes have been developed in consultation with various stakeholders, and have taken into consideration the contribution of the graduates in the forestry and general natural resource sector.

Teaching, research and outreach activities have expanded to include not only the science of natural resource management, but also the fundamental concerns that today constitute the challenge of environmental policy and ethics. Chepkoilel graduates are equipped with broad educational experiences that enable them to assume influential roles in government, business, non-governmental organisations, public and international affairs, research and education.

The central goal of the college is to build interdisciplinary academic fields focused on the environment and to train a new generation of leaders capable of tackling some of the most urgent and complex issues of our developing economy. These issues touch almost every aspect of our lives and transcend economic, social and political boundaries.

The core of the programmes is thoughtful analysis and rigorous

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90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Forestry Wood Science Agroforestry

19 85 19 87 19 89 19 91 19 93 19 95 19 97 19 99 20 01 20 03 20 05 20 07 20 09 20 11

from interest groups (environmental, political or otherwise) who may desire to derive selfish interests that are not founded on any philosophy of the forestry profession. This requires professional forestry to consider the professional ethics of the profession, and to wrestle with the complex question of what good forestry is all about.

Figure 1: Students graduating annually in various forestry programmes at Chepkoilel University College, Moi University since 1985.

scientific study of the interactions between human societies and the natural resources they rely on for their livelihoods as a basis for sound and practical environmental management. And because many of the solutions to today’s environmental challenges lie outside the established natural resource sector, the programmes offered at Chepkoilel incorporate many other professional areas such as economics, sociology, business, law and engineering.

Following the first global workshop on forestry education held in Nairobi in 2007 (Temu et al 2008)1, the Department of Forestry and Wood Science has embarked on reviewing all forestry programmes to realign the curricula to the changing societal needs at local, national and international levels. The revised curricula are expected to reflect a competency-based and holistic approach to professional forestry including energy, climate change and water resource management.

These updates are accompanied by continuous improvement of teaching and research facilities through collaboration with partners worldwide. Some of the most recent include collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service resulting in the construction of an ultra-modern office complex for forestry and wood science, with fully equipped computer laboratories, lecture and conference rooms. The Department is also developing Open Distance Learning and ICT facilities for e-learning in collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland.

This will enhance access to learning resources by off-campus students.

These new facilities will be ready for use by the next academic year.

Other unique and modern teaching and outreach facilities include a modern fish farm – the only one of its kind in the eastern and southern Africa region – a wood workshop, a tree nursery, and a nature trail for ecotourism and biodiversity conservation in the Western Kenya region, including the Central and North Rift regions.

Other collaborative research projects with various partners have enabled Chepkoilel graduates achieve their career goals by building a foundation of knowledge and experiences that equip them to meet the environmental, social and economic challenges facing their daily lives.

Moses Imo is Associate Professor of Forest Science, and Dean of The School of Natural Resource Management, Chepkoilel University College of Moi University, Kenya Email: mosesimo@mu.ac.ke; or imomoses@yahoo.com Balozi B. Kirongo is Senior Lecturer, Department of Forestry and Wood Science, Chepkoilel University College of Moi University, Kenya Email: balozibk@hotmail.com

1 Temu A B, Chamshama S A O, Kung’u J, Kaboggoza J, Chikamai B and Kiwia A (eds). 2008. New Perspectives in Forestry Education. Peer reviewed papers presented at the First Global Workshop on Forestry Education.

ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya.

Miti January-March 2012

Still going strong Oldest forestry training institution adapts to change to remain relevant to Kenya’s needs

By Donald Oyugi Ogweno and Johnstone Maloba Malingu

T

he Kenya Forestry College (KFC) is located in Kericho County in Londiani town, some 4km off the main Nakuru – Kericho highway. The college is within the Mau Complex, in a cool and scenic rural setting conducive to study, research, site-seeing, camping, mountaineering, bird-watching and general recreation.

The college was established in 1957 as the Forestry Training School, Londiani, to train forest rangers for the then colonial government. At inception, it offered a two-year course - today the two-year certificate forestry course - focused on equipping graduates with basic forestry practice competence.

At independence, a one-year “advanced” course was introduced to upgrade the certificateholders to higher level responsibility. Today, this has evolved into the one-year in–service diploma course. The college also offers a variety of short courses in forestry and related fields to the wider public, as well as paramilitary training to forest rangers. It has a training forest block of 4152ha, and students are expected to spend 60 per cent of the time on practical work in tree nursery management, forest management and conservation and forestry extension, among other areas.

At inception, the college had two lecturers handling 20 students. Today the number has

grown to 28 lecturers and up to 500 students.

Before 1998, all students graduating from the college were automatically employed by the Kenya Forest Department, but the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has not employed any graduates of the college since then.

Enrolment rose exponentially from 1994 peaking in 1998, which was due to intense political interest. With the discontinuation of automatic entry into the service, the enrolment crashed, but has been steadily rising since then. We forecast a stable enrolment of about 50 certificate and 40 diploma students annually in the foreseeable future.

KFC has trained students from Rwanda, Somalia, Zambia, Ethiopia, Malawi, Burundi, Comoro Islands, Grenada, Botswana, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, Swaziland, Angola and South Sudan at both certificate and diploma level.

Due to a broad curricula that addresses major market needs, KFC graduates have been absorbed in the private sector by tea plantations and flower farms; in parastatals like Kenya Power Generating Company (KENGEN) and Kenya Power; UN bodies like the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP); and non-governmental organisations like the Green Belt Movement, VI Agroforestry, Kenya Forests Working Group, Ten Million Tree Campaign, Green Forest Social Investment, and others.

KFC graduates have also found employment

in the public sector in organisations such as KFS, the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), DRSRS, the Office of the President, the Ministry of Energy, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in local authorities, universities, Tana River Development Authority (TARDA) and the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), among others.

With training in entrepreneurial skills, some have established forest based enterprises, particularly private tree nurseries. Other job opportunities include urban park management, landscaping, environmental impact assessment specialists, recreation sites and dryland forest management. The Kenya constitution and Vision 2030 offer increased opportunities for forestry expertise, as the country needs to increase its forest cover to 10 per cent, up from the current 5.6 per cent.

The challenges facing the college today are similar to those being experienced by forestry training worldwide. They include ever changing demands for forestry education that necessitate regular curricula updates; low investment in forestry training; dwindling job opportunities for forestry graduates; low student interest in rural-based employment; low qualifications of applicants; bureaucratic management; and viewing the programmes as an entry into university programmes, other than as an acquisition of life skills.

KFC is responding to these challenges by upgrading the curriculum to a competency based one, emphasising the practical forestry skills aspects of the programmes, reviewing college management to provide semi autonomy and offering a vibrant continuing education programme in a new conference and hospitality facility. This should enable KFC to continue being relevant to Kenya’s forestry needs as the college completes its sixth decade of existence.

Donald Oyugi Ogweno is Principal, the Kenya Forestry College, Londiani and Johnstone Maloba Malingu is Head of Academic Programmes.

Email: college@kenyaforestservice.org

The Kenya Forestry College main tuition block

Miti January-March 2012

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A tree nursery in Kaliluni Primary School (Kathiani district) maintained by pupils, parents and teachers.

(Photo: VVOB)

Nurturing young heroes VVOB’s Healthy Learning programme is teaching tree-planting and agro forestry skills to school children

By Vivian Nereah Atakos

D

uncan Mutembei is a hero, at least to those who have interacted with him as he undertakes various activities within his school compound. At only 13 years, Duncan can confidently explain to teachers, parents, district education field officers, fellow pupils and other guests who frequently visit his school, the various Healthy Learning projects.

During this particular visit (July 2011), he explains to students from Ohio State University in the United States how to prepare organic manure, “You cut the leaves and mix them with the soil and cover them and they give you manure. Therefore instead of buying fertiliser in the shops, you can make some for yourself using leaves from trees,” says Duncan.

He knows all about tree-planting and agro forestry, kitchen gardening techniques such as crop mulching, water harvesting and alternative sources of energy such as biogas, among other environment related subjects. His comprehension of local environmental problems and their solutions excites many people.

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At his school, Duncan is at the forefront of environmental conservation activities. He is an active member of the 4K Club that implements various Healthy Learning projects. The four “Ks” stand for “Kuungana” which means “to unite”; “Kufanya’ which means “to do”, “Kusaidia” means “to help” and the last K stands for Kenya.

Many schools in Kenya have well established 4K clubs that aim at teaching children sustainable agricultural techniques through school projects such as demonstration gardens, poultry keeping, etc.

Duncan attends Ngenia Primary School in Laikipia Central district. He is one out of approximately 20,000 pupils in 30 schools in arid and semi-arid areas already benefiting from the Healthy Learning programme. This programme is closely linked to the Kenya Education Sector Support Programme (KESSP) which organises partners to support holistic education in Kenya.

Implemented jointly by the Ministry of Education, the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical

Assistance (VVOB) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), the Healthy Learning Programme utilises an integrated approach correlating learning activities in schools with food, nutrition, health and environmental issues. The programme focuses on making learning practical and experiential while equipping learners with skills on various life issues.

Environmental education and conservation has been a key component of the programme.

This was necessitated by the fact that the schools are located in arid and semi-arid areas that face great challenges relating in part to the environment. It was impossible to think of improving learning without addressing environmental problems such as too much dust and water scarcity within the school locality.

The programme purposes to educate learners on these problems and provides them with an opportunity to address them.

These opportunities come in the form of small projects that link learning to the environment.

Such projects include kitchen gardens, fruit tree

Miti January-March 2012

orchards, school woodlots, use of energy-saving stoves, rain water harvesting, among others. As pupils take part in the implementation of the projects, they acquire skills and knowledge on environmental conservation.

In most schools, pupils implement the projects as members of clubs or as part of class projects. This has ensured that all pupils who take part in Healthy Learning acquire vital skills. In the four years that the Healthy Learning programme has been running, schools have been found to be important entry points into the community. Pupils have transferred knowledge gained at school to their homes. Some pupils have engaged in treeplanting activities at home.

In Kajiado Central district, Primary Boys Boarding School (PBBS) is also implementing the Healthy Learning Programme. The school has been keen on environmental education and conservation. To date, pupils, parents and the teachers have planted more than 3,000 trees.

Although some tree seedlings have not survived due to water scarcity, the school has not relented in its quest to green its 44 acres of land with tree species such as acacia, neem, casuarina, Cassia spectabilis, bottle brush and grevillea. The school intends to have a natural regenerated forest of acacias in the future.

“Students will voluntarily share their water ration during drought periods with their tree because they know the importance of trees and the need for them to survive” says Flora Omulama, a teacher at PBBS. This statement perhaps best demonstrates the changing attitude to environmental conservation among the community.

In 2010, in recognition of the work done by PBBS in Healthy Learning, 54 pupils, six teachers and two parents were sponsored to the Elsamere

conservation study centre in Naivasha for a learning visit on environmental education and conservation. This visit not only motivated the school but also left them more knowledgeable on environmental conservation work.

Kaliluni Primary School in Kathiani district is another school that has been quite successful in environmental education and conservation.

Though situated on only 2.5 hectares of land, and with a student population of 460, the school views its agro forestry project as the most successful Healthy Learning activity. A teacher at the school attributes this to the fact that pupils are able to practice concepts taught in class through the projects.

Through the school’s agro forestry club activities, pupils are quite knowledgeable on uses of trees, importance of agro forestry, and environmental conservation as a whole. The students have started tree nurseries, labelled trees in their school and maintained the school’s kitchen garden. Throughout the school are “talking walls” that remind pupils of aspects of environmental conservation.

Undertaking environmental education in schools is not an easy task. Although the Healthy Learning programme offers training for teachers, parents and district education officers on various matters, including environment conservation, collaboration from all stakeholders is important.

Healthy Learning encourages schools to partner with relevant ministries, such as the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, to benefit from assistance ranging from technical advice, material (tree seedlings, water tanks) and financial support.

Without such support, most schools would not know what species of tree to plant for their climate, where best to plant the trees, how to

Pupils at Suguta Marmar Primary School (Samburu Central) enjoy their school meals under trees they planted as part of Healthy Learning. (Photo: VVOB)

Miti January-March 2012

set up tree nurseries, the correct spacing to be considered, and so on. “All we can do is test one tree species and see if it works and if it doesn’t, we get another one,’’ says Tom Sande, a teacher at Ilparakuo Primary School in Magadi. For those familiar with the environmental conditions at Magadi, this makes eminent sense. (It’s almost like tree-planting around Lake Turkana).This demonstrates the importance of technical support as the schools engage in environmental education.

All Healthy Learning schools also rely on publications that focus on environmental education for knowledge and advice. Such publications include the Young African Express, Baobab and Miti magazines. Pupils, teachers and parents have always appreciated the knowledge and insights shared in these magazines.

Healthy Learning Programme dates back to 2008 when 25 primary schools in five arid and semi-arid districts were purposively selected to serve as model schools. A baseline survey conducted within the same period showed the need to improve the link between school feeding, agricultural, nutritional and environmental activities to classroom teaching. Five more schools were included into the programme in 2009, thereby raising the number of beneficiary schools to 30.

Four years down the line, all Healthy Learning schools have successfully taken up various environmental education and conservation initiatives. Some, like Ngenia Primary School, are a step ahead and are looking at ways of getting into the carbon trading business through local non-governmental organisations.

In the current phase (2011 - 2013), the Healthy Learning programme is focusing on scaling up and sharing of lessons learnt. This will be possible through establishment of partnerships with like-minded organisations.

Already, parents, pupils and teachers in the 30 schools are engaging in exchange visits to learn from each other.

It is envisioned that in 2012, each of the 30 schools will be used as demonstration and learning sites for three to five neighbouring schools, hence increasing the number of schools to 150. Such schools will be mentored and supported to take up Healthy Learning and engage in environmental education and conservation. “Seeking funding for the endeavour remains our biggest challenge. All in all, it can be done,” says Paul Bottelberge, Healthy Programme Coordinator.

The writer is the Communication and Information Officer, Healthy Learning Programme – VVOB Kenya.

Email: vnereah@gmail.com

9

The ICC Group at Kakamega High School (‘Climate Change Terminators’) stand behind their tree nursery, which formed a part of their ICC school project. (Photo: ICC)

By Greig Whitehead

C

limate change affects all Kenyans.

However, the effects are more keenly felt by the marginalised and disenfranchised in society, who suffer water, food and energy shortages.

Across the country, children and youth are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. Whether in or out of school, they make up an important sector of society that is able to help redress the challenges that climate change brings.

Over the last three years, the International Climate Challenge (ICC) project (2008-11) has caught the imagination of many observers. ICC was a bold initiative of InterClimate Network (ICN), UK, which focused on climate change and targeted young people.

The project reached out to 120 secondary schools across 20 locations in Kenya, stretching from Kisumu in the west to Garissa and Mombasa in the east. The methodology involved guiding secondary school groups to research the issues and develop practical projects that tackled the impacts of climate change in their localities.

Education and action on trees An important part of overall project delivery related to the growing and nurturing of trees appropriate to the school location and school/ group needs. Each school group of 25 students worked to criteria for project development that prioritised income generation and raising community awareness (see fig. 1) with a mandatory requirement to plant and nurture at least 25 trees (one tree per student) per annum.

Often, school groups planted many more than 25 tree seedlings and after three years, some school groups can boast the healthy growth of

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Beyond the classroom International Climate Challenge equips the young to soften the effects of climate change more than 1,000 trees, in and around their school compounds. A number of schools focused on tree-growing as the central part of their project, which when done well, had potential to tick all the criterion boxes, with strong connections relating to both mitigation and adaptation for climate change.

In some cases, for example during the 2009 drought, trees planted in Yatta died, as the students could not find enough water to support survival. In other cases, student groups experienced problems relating to watering and weeding through school holidays, but in more than 80 per cent of schools (103 out of 120) the tree-planting factor was a huge success. As a consequence, this has had a very positive effect on both the school environment and the wellbeing of students.

In addition to environmental stewardship and aesthetic benefits, a number of school groups developed tree projects that generated significant income for their clubs and/or their schools.

Perhaps the most successful in this regard, was a Nairobi school, Ofafa Jericho Secondary, where the brilliant initiative of group members led to a tree nursery venture with 50,000 tree seedlings and sponsorship from large corporates, such as Safaricom and Barclays. In this case, the group’s income reached six-figure dimensions, with large contributions going towards the construction of a new school dormitory.

At Masinga Secondary, Yatta, the ICC club

members and their two teacher mentors can boast three years of successful tree planting, despite adverse conditions during the 2009 drought. A three-level canopy of ground cover now exists showing clearly the successive plantings and hard work by the students to achieve success.

The whole school approach Other than the very practical and obvious outcomes from these tree-related initiatives, there are additional benefits that can come from the ICC school group, that is, to enhance curriculum learning and understanding for the wider school community. Trees and related issues (environmental degradation, global warming, climate change mitigation, etc.) can be explored, in a wide variety of ways, through many subject areas.

Having a range of trees on hand in the “extended classroom” has the potential to bring curriculum studies to life, where “hands-on” experiential learning can be shown to be so much more effective than theoretical studies and text-based learning.

Areas with good potential that should be the focus of research and future project development by the school groups are: commercial plantation for income generation and club/school support, and agro-forestry, including fruit production for school use/sale and inter-cropping to optimise production from school land.

Outreach to the community However, the other very important gains to come from ICC work in schools reflect one of the main criteria for project development - that is the

Miti January-March 2012

BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A GOOD PROJECT (The criteria for micro-project development) Demonstrates sustainability

Connects to climate change Raises school and Community Awareness Demonstrates local to global to local links

Meets local, national & international strategies

Demonstrates creativity and Innovation Devised and developed by students

Explores green business

Demonstrates research and new knowledge Tree planting is mandatory for all projects

Fig. 1 – Criteria for development of ICC school projects (RED = PRIORITY CRITERIA; GREEN = MANDATORY)

creation and development of more community awareness related to important environmental and social issues. This is particularly relevant for mixed day schools, where boys and girls go home every day and thus are well placed to relay messages to and from family which support new learning and actions within their communities.

This very important element of the project (school-community shared learning and action) is now being further developed within two new projects that follow on directly from ICC:

The Kenya Climate Challenge Project (KCCP) which links one (mixed day) secondary in each of 23 locations (including eight ASAL areas) to a nearby “feeder” primary school. Here, the focus has broadened from Climate Change Adaptation /Mitigation (CCA/M), to include the new area of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

The Climate Action Teams (CATs) project which works with form four leavers (coming from the ICC school groups) to develop community based initiatives that take income generation and community action to the next level. Here, tree nurseries, tree planting, tree education and tree action could be an important part of the CATs armoury.

These two new projects are accompanied by a third smaller, but important initiative that focuses fairly and squarely on issues to do with trees: The Fuels for Schools project is all about alternative, recycled fuels, replacing charcoal and fuel woods. The project provides a prototype briquette making

Miti January-March 2012

machine to KCCP schools and CATs youth groups and guides the groups to income generate and create community awareness on deforestation and sustainable development issues.

Together, the three projects will offer a means of connecting with children and youth from 12 to 22 years of age, on important concerns to do with schools and communities owning and steering environmental stewardship. A child can begin his or her process of involvement in Class 6 at primary school, graduate to further participation through secondary school and then join the local CATs group on leaving school.

There is potential to have ten years of involvement in a very practical way with local issues of concern and over that period to receive intensive and ongoing training that can result in youths demonstrating commitment and leadership to motivate community action and influence local decision making and policy formation.

Notes: Climate Action Programme for Schools and Youth, ERMIS Africa, 80 Muthithi Road, Westlands, Nairobi.

0202153231 / capsay@ermisafrica.org International Climate Challenge (ICC) – 2008-2011 was sponsored by Barclays PLC. Kenya Climate Challenge Project (KCCP) – 2011-2012 – pilot funded by Save the Children (Sweden) and Australian Aid. Climate Action Teams (CATs) project – 2011-2015 – funded by UKAid and InterClimate Network Ltd (ICN).

Fuels 4 Schools project (F4S) – 2011 >>> - funded by Rotary International.

PLANTING and NURTURING TREES

By student members of the ICC Club, Ofafa Jericho Secondary School

“Tree planting is essentially reforestation. We all realise the importance of trees, but the common stereotype is that one needs to plant many trees to make a difference! Imagine if all the individuals in the world planted just 1 or 2 trees … the possibilities of a better tomorrow would beam brightly!

Deforestation presents multiple societal and environmental problems. The immediate and long-term consequences of global deforestation are almost certain to jeopardise life on Earth, as we know it. Some of these consequences include: loss of biodiversity; the destruction of forest-based-societies; and climatic disruption.

Africa has lost the highest percentage of tropical forests of any continent, but Africa also experiences the highest rates of deforestation due to 90 per cent of its population being dependent on wood for fuel-energy, as the main source of heating and cooking. Massive deforestation threatens food security.

Kenya, in particular has suffered severe temperature variations and some of the greatest weather changes. Our water catchment areas have been depleted of trees.

Farmers no longer know when to plant and wait with baited breath for the rain that never seems to come.

What can be done to stop this? It’s simple: if every individual in the world planted just one tree then effects of global warming could be reduced. So go look for a tree and plant it. Believe me, it will stamp a big mark on tomorrow. So go ahead and make a big difference today! …. We did, at Ofafa Jericho.”

Start small ….. think Big! The motto of ICC Ofafa

The writer is Programme Manager, Climate Action Programme for Schools & Youth Email:

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Karuri Primary School children, in Thika, in their medicinal tree stand. (Photo: KEFRI)

Appreciating medicinal trees KEFRI involves schools in the domestication and conservation of healing plants

By Francis Gachathi

T

hroughout human history, plants have been the most important source of medicines for both humans and other animals. There is evidence of herbs having been used in the treatment of diseases in the Chinese, Greek, Egyptian and Roman civilisations. The Bible mentions over 40 plant medicines that include aloes, myrrh and frankincense.

Today, plants are still a significant component of sustainable medical care, particularly for the majority of rural populations in developing countries. Plants contain active ingredients that are used to treat a wide range of common diseases. If properly developed, medicinal plants could be used to complement the existing systems for the provision of health care needs.

However, more important is that, unlike synthetic drugs, plant medicines can be grown in the garden or harvested from the wild, and are easily prepared at home, just like a cup of tea. In addition, they could serve to increase the level of people’s participation in conservation of biodiversity.

Threats to medicinal plants Despite these perspectives, there remains a fundamental lack of conservation of medicinal

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plants, which makes continued utilisation of these natural resources uncertain. Few researchers have examined the availability of these wild sources, the quantities in which they are used and threats to the species and habitats in which they occur.

Demand for herbal medicine is increasing while populations of medicinal plants are on the decline. Forests are being depleted to expand agriculture and for human settlement.

External trade in medicinal plants is also putting pressure on the resources, leading to destructive harvesting methods and eventual death of medicinal plants. Scarcity of medicinal plants results in marketing of substitutes, adulterated as well as fake products, undermining the health reputation of the entire herbal therapy system.

Domestication and conservation effort by KEFRI In response to this vital health and environmental concern, the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) carried out a survey on plants used for human medicine in the country. The survey aimed at identifying species that are in need of conservation.

Twenty five forest-dependent medicinal plants were found to be under pressure from over-

exploitation and habitat loss, hence requiring conservation and protection (Table 1).

Urgent measures were taken to sensitise the local communities on the fast disappearing vital heritage of medicinal plants. KEFRI did this by setting up demonstration plots in KEFRI centres and medicinal groves on farms of selected herbalists. And to involve the youth, KEFRI planted medicinal plants in public school compounds. The aim was the introduction and domestication of popular medicinal plants into the agricultural systems and conservation of the remaining wild stocks for sustainable supply of authentic medicinal extracts.

Schools medicinal plants project For successful introduction of medicinal plants into the prevailing agricultural systems in different ecological zones, it was important that the public be made aware of the identity, ecology and habit of these vital plants.

This entailed growing and labelling medicinal plants with the local and botanical names, and the health conditions for which they are known to be effective. The plants needed to be at sites accessible to the public. It was against this background that public school grounds were chosen as ideal for creating public awareness and sites for

Miti January-March 2012

Table 1: Some overexploited forest dependent medicinal plants

Species name

Forest type

Parts used

Warburgia ugandensis (East-African greenheart, muthiga)

Dry upland

Bark, leaves, fruits

Warburgia stuhlmanii (mkaa)

Coastal evergreen

Bark, fruits

Zanthoxylum gillettii (African satinwood, muchagatha, sagawoita)

Wet montane

Bark, fruits

Elaeodendron buchananii (mutanga, sawanet, mulundu)

Dry upland, riverine

Bark

Olinia rochetiana (kaptonengit, mwathathia, museset)

Dry upland, hilltop

Bark, roots

Pittosporum viridiflorum (munyamati, kaluma, olengararia)

Dry upland, riverine

Bark

Trimeria grandifolia (mbani, chepkarelyon, muhindihindi)

Dry upland, riverine

Roots

Harungana madagascariensis (mbura, mbonobono, mukokotsaka)

Moist

Roots, bark

Vismia orientalis (mugwe, mpera, mukasibila)

Coastal lowland

Roots

Bridelia micrantha (jajab, mdudu, mukoigo, kuomo-mutereriet)

Riverine

Roots, bark

Croton macrostachyus (mukawisa, kitundu, mutundu, tebeswet)

Moist

Roots, leaves

Prunus africana (red stinkwood, mueri, muiru, mutimailu)

Moist

Bark

Hagenia abyssinica (hagenia, mumondo, bondet, omukunakuna)

Montane

Bark, flowers

Rhamnus prinoides (mfunganungu, zambizi, mukarakinga)

Montane

Roots, stems

Rhamnus staddo (gale, muthunthi, mubura, kusisitiet)

Dry upland

Roots

Toddalia asiatica (kikombe-cha-chui, maluia, mururue)

Dry upland

Roots, fruits

Maytenus undata (cheptoya, muriakitu, muthuthi, kapluguet)

Moist upland

Bark

Pappea capensis (pika, mongowa mbule, mubaa, ngonyat)

Dry upland, riverine

Bark, roots

Lannea fulva (lumubumbu, gorot, lolotwo)

Dry upland, riverine

Bark

Ozoroa insignis (garri, msangasanga, mugadi, lemejwet)

Hilltop, riverine

Root, bark

Pistacia aethiopica (musaa, muhehete, kibirirgorokiet)

Dry upland, hilltop

Root, bark

Embelia schimperi (matinda ariithi, kibogunit, ol sani-onyukie)

Upland, evergreen

Roots, seeds

Maesa lanceolata (boria, mundonge, omoterere, lisebesebe)

Upland moist

Roots, seeds

Rapanea melanophloeos (rapanea, mugaita, situtua, sitotwet)

Dry upland, hilltop

Roots, bark, fruits

Strychnos henningsii (kara, muteta, mase, olduyesi)

Dry upland, hilltop

Stems

Table 2: Schools in the project

SCHOOL

DISTRICT

ECOLOGICAL ZONE

Msabaha Primary

Malindi

Coastal region

Matsangoni primary

Kilifi

Coastal region

Nderi Primary

Kiambu

Highlands E. of Rift Valley

Nduuma Primary

Kiambu

Highlands E. of Rift Valley

Karure Primary

Thika

Highlands E. of Rift Valley

Kiriko Secondary

Thika

Highlands E. of Rift Valley

Londiani Boys Primary

Kericho

Highlands W. of Rift Valley

Londiani Secondary

Kericho

Highlands W. of Rift Valley

Kataret Primary

Bomet

Highlands W. of Rift Valley

Chulaimbo Primary

Kisumu

Lake region

Aboge Primary

Kisumu

Lake region

Hospital Hill High School

Nairobi

Highlands E. of Rift Valley

Ndarugu High School

Thika

Highlands E. of Rift Valley

model medicinal plants gardens. In addition to their medicinal value, these trees were also to be used for education and aesthetic purposes and act as conservation stands for future seed or vegetative propagation materials of these endangered species. It was also an ideal approach to promote planting of a wide range

Miti January-March 2012

of trees in public schools for conservation of biodiversity and for the betterment of the environment. It is particularly essential to instil in the youth, the understanding and appreciation of what medicinal plants are and what they can contribute to the present and future generations.

Location of the project and choice of schools Thirteen schools in eight districts that cut across the country representing different ecological zones were selected for the project (Table 2).

The schools were those easily accessible from KEFRI’s regional research centres. Area local foresters (extensions) were involved particularly in the selection of the suitable schools and also planting. Factors that were considered included area (size) of the school ground and the commitment of the teachers to the project. Sites selected were those most unlikely to be used for construction, steep slopes, next to pit latrines, along perimeter fence or areas where trees would be useful as windbreak, erosion control or shade. First planting was done during the long rains in 2003.

Impact of the project on education and conservation of medicinal plants In a recent survey conducted in schools in the project within the central highlands, teachers expressed their satisfaction with the project. In Karure Primary School in Thika, for example, where trees were planted on an eroded bare ground, erosion had been controlled and the ground is covered by grass. Students and teachers have made this medicinal grove a recreation site, resting or reading under the trees, particularly during the hot weather.

It is also emerging that scientific names of these medicinal plants are generating a lot of interest among teachers and students. They want to know scientific names and uses of many other trees and have requested for naming and labelling of all trees in their school compounds.

As most of these medicinal plants are already bearing fruits, flocks of birds are attracted to these gardens. After feeding on the fruits, they effectively disperse the seeds into the neighbouring farms, some several kilometres away. This is especially evident regarding Prunus africana, Rapanea melanophloeos, and Rhamnus prinoides species which, according to elders from these areas, had disappeared years ago, but are now being found in some farms. A number of farmers and/or parents have occasionally requested for these medicinal tree seeds from the schools.

Farmers particularly want to plant Warburgia and Prunus as shade trees in their homesteads. This trend makes domestication and conservation of these medicinal trees very promising indeed.

The writer is Principal Research Officer, Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Email: gachathif@yahoo.com

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Farm forestry in Makueni district.

Steep slopes have been terraced and trees are not allowed to compete with crops, but parts of the farms are set aside as woodlands. (Photo Jan Vandenabeele)

Equipping farmers to care for forests The role of KFS in sustainable forestry management

By Oscar Simanto

I

n the 21st century, many developing countries, Kenya included, are faced with enormous challenges of environmental conservation.

These include rapid population growth, soil degradation, environmental pollution, climate change, public resources use, conflicts and increased rural poverty.

To address these challenges, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS, the successor of the Forest Department), a semi autonomous state corporation, was created to spearhead the sustainable management of all forestry and allied resources in the country, for both social and economic development. KFS utilises a two-pronged approach to address the above challenges: i) application of both scientific and indigenous people’s knowledge and ii) intensify public education in forestry conservation and management.

Kenya is a signatory to many international treaties and conventions. Section 2(5) of the Kenyan constitution stipulates that “the general rules of international law shall form part of the law of Kenya” while 2(6) states “any treaty or convention ratified by Kenya shall form part of the Kenyan law under this constitution”. The new constitution elevates the forestry sector to be the prime mover of the country’s development agenda. This implies that domestication of international conventions and treaties ratified by Kenya will go a long way in ensuring environmental sustainability, wealth and employment creation and sustainable provision of environmental goods and services to an ever increasing population.

Kenya’s new development blue print, Vision 2030, stipulates that sound environmental

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conservation and preservation of natural resources assures continuous supply of environmental goods and services to meet the needs of the present and future generations. One of the strategic objectives for the forest sector in Vision 2030 is to increase forest cover to 4 per cent by 2015 and to 10 per cent by 2030. This strategic objective can only be achieved if the focus of tree growing is on farmlands and arid and semiarid (ASAL) zones of Kenya.

The United Nation’s number one millennium development goal (MDG) aims at eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. The forest sector is a main contributor to poverty reduction through employment creation and income generation for both rural and urban communities.

Forests can be protected and conserved if and only if, forestry professionals demonstrate to the local people that it is possible to make reasonable livelihoods from forests on a sustainable basis.

Hence the best way to protect forests and its vast biodiversity is to create awareness among local communities of the value of forests and involve the people in protective measures through aggressive forestry extension programmes.

Most rural people depend on multiple sources of income, such as petty trade, primary production, remittances and casual employment. In short, rural people are not dependent solely on agriculture or natural resources for their livelihoods. An efficient extension programme should be responsive to emerging needs by local communities and strive to include them in educational and outreach initiatives.

Furthermore, Kenya’s Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (ASDS) (2010-2020) recognises the important role trees and forests play in both economic and socio-economic development

through provision of wood and non-wood products and other environmental services to over 80 per cent of all households. The ASDS further suggests the strengthening of forestry research, extension and training in order to make it more responsive to the subsector’s needs, aspirations and emerging issues.

The ASDS notes that promotion of publicprivate partnerships in farm and dryland forestry will enhance commercialisation and competitiveness in Kenya’s forestry sub-sector. The private sector should be viewed as the prime mover that will make forestry a viable business venture to create employment and generate incomes for the rural communities.

The draft forest policy too, recognises the vital role which forestry plays in socio-economic, ecological and environmental development. This draft policy and the Forest Act 2005 have several objectives which include: Increasing forest and tree cover Increasing wood production especially at farm level Conserving and rehabilitating the remaining natural forests and woodlands for environmental protection and biodiversity conservation Enhancing participatory forest management Ensuring that the forest sector makes a contribution to poverty reduction.

Kenya has a total land area of 56,914,000 ha (569,140 km2). Out of this land area, only 2 per cent or 1,138,280 ha, is covered by forests. This compares very unfavourably with the forest cover before independence which was 3.03 per cent. This being the case, Kenya is one of the least forested countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This scenario has

Miti January-March 2012

serious implications for enhanced agricultural productivity, household food security and provision of environmental services The KFS forestry extension programme aims at disseminating relevant information and advice to small-farm holders and forest adjacent communities. It is indeed a mechanism for delivering information and advice as an essential input in modern tree farming. Hence, the KFS forestry extension programme is designed to meet felt needs of clientele through promotion of appropriate technologies in farm forestry, dryland forestry, biomass energy conservation, capacity development through efficient extension management and provision of robust farmer outreach initiatives.

There is general consensus that tree cover must be increased for sustainable provision of forest goods and services. The current gazetted forest area is woefully inadequate in providing the tree related requirements for the country, and opportunities for increasing the land under these protected areas are limited, hence any future expansion of tree cover in Kenya will have to be carried out in the farmlands and the dry lands. This can only be achieved through an aggressive extension programme as envisaged in the KFS strategic plan.

Unfortunately, many African governments have not given forestry extension the seriousness it deserves. In most cases, forestry extension is inadequately funded. It is important to note that policy makers at national level often question the cost effectiveness of forestry extension and their ability to generate revenue. This is a myopic perspective which should be challenged.

Since extension is a public good, it is the responsibility of government to provide education to the citizenry. Extension cannot be viewed from only a monetary perspective, but should be seen as an essential service providing public education aimed at creating awareness. This leads to adoption of best practices whose benefits are accrued much later.

The forest cover in Kenya remains at 2 per cent despite its vital role in socio-economic, ecological and environmental sustainability. Due to increasing population, the country has witnessed accelerated destruction of forest resources and the situation is likely to get worse if action is not taken now to arrest the destruction.

The negative effect of the low forest cover has been felt in the economy, especially in water rationing, power rationing, and reduced water volumes for domestic consumption, livestock and crop production. To reverse this sad scenario, the government needs to fund forestry extension adequately, as a vital educational strategy aimed at reaching rural communities with relevant information that will change mindsets on forest conservation and management.

Miti January-March 2012

Mt Kilimanjaro over-towers woodlands in south east Kenya. These groves are used for extensive grazing, as well as a sustainable stock of various wood and non-wood products like sticks, poles, firewood, medicines and honey. (Photo Jan Vandenabeele)

The primary role of extension agents is to explain to farmers the appropriate techniques to apply so as to raise their standards of living through sustainable use of natural resources, including trees. (Photo Jan Vandenabeele)

For Kenya to conserve the existing current forest cover, continue meeting the increasing demand for forest products and also increase the national tree cover to 10 per cent as directed by the constitution, there is need to plant 400 million seedlings annually for the next 20 years. The national demand for wood products for domestic use currently stands at 1m3 per person per year. This translates to about two mature trees per person per year or 80 million mature trees per year based on the current population of 40 million people.

The Kenya Forest Service has a full fledged Forest Extension Services Division, which is committed to: efficient delivery of forestry extension services and improvement of rural livelihoods through promotion of on-farm and trust lands tree planting and treebased enterprises; promotion of tree planting outside gazetted forests for timber, wood fuel, non-wood forest products, urban forestry, commercial forestry;

provision of extension services to enable tree farmers benefit from forest management approaches;

biomass energy conservation and capacity development for farmers, stakeholders and extension personnel.

Section 24 of Forest Act, 2005 directs the KFS to provide forest extension services by assisting private forest owners, farmers and associations in sustainable management of forests. In this section of the Act a person who owns a private forest may apply to KFS for registration. The Board shall register a forest under subsection (1) where the forest meets the criteria prescribed in regulations made under this Act. Upon registration, the owner of a private forest shall be entitled to receive from KFS; technical advice regarding appropriate forestry practices and conservation; and subject to availability of funds, loans from the Fund for the development of the forest, provided that the funds are obtained and utilised in accordance with the procedures set out by KFS. The writer is Head, Extension Management, at the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Email: osimanto@kenyaforestservice.org, oskasimanto@gmail.com

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Eating into profits

Detail of a termite mound, showing ventilation vents.

(Photo: BGF)

Termites consume wood; so if not controlled, they can destroy trees, leading to massive losses

By Jan Vandenabeele

T

ermites are one of the serious pests that threaten tree plantations in East Africa.

Species like Grevillea and eucalypts are frequently attacked, more so when seedlings or even mature trees are under stress.

So termites are a serious pest, and need to be controlled in tree plantations.

There are some 2,600 different species of termites, of which about 1,000 are found in Africa alone. Interestingly, termites play a major role in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. They are unique in that they can eat wood and digest the cellulose, one of the major components of wood. To this end, they are helped by colonies of bacteria in their guts, which are able to break down the long chains of carbon polymers of which cellulose exists.

In nature, termites play a major role in maintaining soil fertility and help to aerate the soil through the long tunnels which they dig into the soil. These tunnels also guide rainfall deep under the surface.

Certain termite species do actually eat soil.

After the removal of nutritive substances, the termites excrete the remains of the soil and use it to build the mounds (or nests). Animals often lick the mounds for salt uptake.

In addition, termites are food for human beings. In the process of forming new colonies, numerous alates (the termites with wings) get out of the colonies after the first rains, and fly awkwardly towards unknown destinations to establish new colonies. The wings soon fall off, and a small lucky percentage is indeed able to mate, and to found new colonies. However, the greater number is captured and consumed by numerous species of birds and animals, including humans. The winged termites are rich in proteins and fats and, gently roasted, make for a good meal in several countries. However, termites have to be controlled to avoid tree seedling mortality. Several possibilities exist, and traditionally farmers spread ashes around the seedling stems, and even open up old batteries (dry cells) containing acid (and heavy metals) to destroy termites. The latter method is harmful to the environment as it poisons the soil.

Digging up termite mounds in an effort to find the queen does not seem to be the best method,

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though it is sometimes advocated. First, the

tunnels can go deep and long, depending on the termite species, and secondly, termite workers might sense the absence of the queen, and transform into queens.

The chemical industry has developed several molecules to kill termites. For field applications, one commonly used is called “fipronil”. It is used in forestry under the name Regent, and is effective in protecting tree seedlings. However, it has to be used sparingly, as it is also toxic to bees.

It is sold in granules that have to be dissolved in water, and then irrigated around each seedling.

Another chemical currently used to kill termites, applied both in houses and in the field, is Gladiator, with “chlorpyrifos” as the active ingredient. But, again, it is toxic to bees and in the USA it is not recommended for use inside residences.

Of course one might opt to plant a tree species that is not susceptible to termite attack, or in the absence of such a choice, go for the ubiquitous eucalypts, and then keep them as

healthy and strong as possible, with minimal use

A termite mound, with some vegetation. (Photo: BGF)

of chemicals. That is plantation management then, with good soil and water conservation to maintain the trees stress-free which makes them more resistant to termites.

The writer is the Executive Director, Better Globe Forestry Email: jan@betterglobeforestry.com

Miti January-March 2012

PICTORIAL

BGF’s mukau plantations in Kiambere keep expanding. (Photo: BGF)

A view of BGF’s nursery in Nyangoro. The casuarina trees will grow to act as windbreaks.

(Photo: BGF)

The tunnel section of BGF’s Kiambere nursery - with prick-out mukau seedlings. (Photo: BGF)

… and this is how it looks inside the tunnels. (Photo: BGF)

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Hope for drylands Gum talha from Acacia seyal offers an opportunity for livelihood diversification for Kenya’s arid lands

By Francis Gachathi

Baboons feeding on the gum of A. seyal.

(Photo: KEFRI)

A

cacia seyal is a thorny tree that grows up to 9 m high, usually with a flattened crown at maturity. The bark is powdery, white to greenish yellow or orange red. Its thorns are straight and white, appearing in diverging pairs and up to 8 cm long, in some trees basally inflated and fused into bi-lobed galls housing symbiotic ants.

The leaves are bipinnate with 3 - 7 pairs of pinnae each with 11 - 20 pairs of leaflets. The flowers are bright yellow, in round heads. Pods are curved and slightly constricted between seeds, shiny brown, splitting open on the tree to expose brownish compressed seeds.

Two varieties of A. seyal occur in Kenya and are quite widespread – var. seyal , which has no galls and var. fistula with ant galls, often referred to as white galled acacia or white whistling thorn. It is however var. seyal that produces the commercial gum talha.

Gum talha is the dried exudate from stems and main branches of A. seyal. After the rainy season, gum exudes spontaneously from the trunk and main branches, but the flow can be stimulated by incisions in the bark.

After about two weeks, the gum thickens and hardens on exposure to the air, to form brownish yellow to pale orange lumps of various sizes with a glass-like fracture. The lumps are collected, either while still adhering to the bark or after falling to the ground, in baskets or plastic containers. The majority collectors are usually women and girls as they fetch water, firewood or tend livestock.

Although A.seyal is widespread in Kenya, commercial collection and marketing of gum talha is confined to Moyale, Wajir and Mandera counties.

The species thrives best on black cotton soils in low-lying areas. It is very common in the Waachu Dima plains that extend from Ethiopia down to Habasweni.

Local names associated with A.seyal include waachu (Boran), fulai (Somali), iddado (Gabra), lera (Ilchamus), olerai, elereta (Maasai),kisewa (Kamba) lerai (Samburu), alii (Luo), ekoromait, echekereng (Turkana) and mgunga (Swahili), among others.

The local communities exploit gum talha for both subsistence and commercial purposes.

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Subsistence exploitation, which involves collection of gum for use as food, is common in times of food scarcity and when herding livestock. Goats and baboons are particularly fond of eating the gum.

Other uses of the tree include firewood and charcoal, poles and posts, medicine, tannin and dye from the bark, fodder and bee forage. The inner bark fibre is chewed for its sweet and thirstquenching properties. The Somali and Boran make a wood preservative, locally known as asal, by boiling the bark in water.

For commercial exploitation, the gum is sold outright or exchanged for foodstuff (sugar, flour, rice, beans, tea leaves, salt) or related needs like human or livestock medicines. The gum is kept in bigger baskets or plastic containers, awaiting sale either to local agents in remote areas in the bush or local shopkeepers in trading centres who act as agents for exporters.

For commercial exploitation, the gum is sold outright or exchanged for foodstuff (sugar, flour, rice, beans, tea leaves, salt) or related needs like human or livestock medicines.

Miti January-March 2012

Ant galls on A. seyal var fistula (Photo: KEFRI)

Bark of A. seyal in a market.

(Photo: KEFRI)

Gum of A. seyal.

(Photo: KEFRI)

Astack of A. seyal. firewood for sale (Photo: KEFRI)

Like gum arabic from the A. senegal tree, gum talha has export potential. It is used mainly in the food and confectionery sector, in the pharmaceutical industry and in technical areas such as printing, ceramics and textiles. Gum

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talha from Kenya is largely sold to Ethiopian dealers with collector prices ranging between Ksh 29/kg in Mandera to Ksh 38/kg in Moyale.

Key gum talha collection centres are Moyale town, Gither in Mandera and Korondille in Wajir

from where hundreds of tonnes are exported to Ethiopia. Traders complain of poor markets in Nairobi and prohibitive transport costs.

The Sudan dominates the production of gum talha. It is exported alongside gum arabic. Other countries producing gum talha include Nigeria, Chad, Senegal, Cameroon, Mauritania, Ethiopia and Ghana.

Because of historical and other reasons, communities in drylands continue to rely heavily on livestock production and lack diversity in utilisation patterns and technologies for promoting multi-production systems. Successful development of drylands therefore calls for recognising the potential of dryland ecosystems, the key commercial natural resources, institutional structures and opportunities for supporting the drive towards diversifying income sources and sustainable management of the resource bases.

Gum talha is one component of a number of non-wood forest products which, if integrated and balanced with other opportunities for dryland management, can contribute to the economic well-being and long-term viability of such areas.

The resource presents potential to diversify the income base of local communities and hence improve their livelihoods. It is an effective strategy for coping with drought in Kenya’s drylands in an era of climate change and violent conflicts over grazing and water resources. However, there is lack of sound market information to guide opportunities, trends, prices and general quality requirements and there are no reliable buyers and/or local markets for gum talha.

The writer is Principal Research Officer Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Email: gachathif@yahoo.com

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Trees for beautiful cities

Yes, you can enjoy the benefits of vegetation even in crowded residential areas

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rban gardens and tree groves are sanctuaries where residents find peace as they congregate to enjoy the shade and serenity of the micro-climate created. One of the most important benefits of trees in urban environments is probably related to health and peace of mind. City life includes industrial establishments which attract work opportunities but also contribute to pollution in the form of greenhouse gases and chemical pollutants; large concentration of vehicles producing sulphur-dioxide, carbondioxide and monoxide (well-known pollutants); and high density of human population which creates pressure on all resources in addition to generating enormous waste products (including ammonia) that degrade the living environment.

Growing the right trees in strategically selected areas can improve the environment by absorbing some of the pollutant gases as well as heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and zinc in water pools, in a process known as phyto extraction (Plate 1). Heavy metals are injurious to human health. Let us briefly examine some principles and practices in the

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Plate 1

growing of trees in urban conditions and how best to make good use of such trees.

Urban planning As it happens, urban planners are largely architects, engineers, politicians and economists, all of whom may know little about the importance of a healthy urban environment. It is not surprising therefore that the majority of urban areas are just high concentrations of buildings with narrow roads that pile up traffic (motorised and human) and choke oxygen from the air. No wonder we often experience the need to demolish built-up areas to “modernise� or create better infrastructure.

Good cities are well spread out, have a good balance of vertical and horizontal layout, and have tree groves interlaced artistically with transport infrastructure and buildings to produce awe inspiring sceneries. They are attractive to the eye and to the mind. This is why we need more foresters, landscape experts, environmental engineers and health professionals in the teams of urban planners.

Benefits of trees Some people would say that trees provide more benefits and for a longer period if they are standing than when they are cut down for specific products. This is certainly true especially for urban environments. The key benefits of growing trees in urban areas are, inter alia:

Beautification: Trees break the monotonous scenery of contiguous buildings, long stretches of power communication transmission lines and roads. A good selection of tree species grown in lines or groves provides alternative scenes with aesthetic values.

Flowering trees such as Delonix regia (Flamboyant or flame tree), jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) and Nandi flame (Spathodea campanulata) provide remarkable sights.

Flowering is not so important. A good mix of species delivers beauty as is the case with the town of Lushoto in Tanzania (Plate 2).

Diversification: Trees will naturally attract other life forms, especially birds, butterflies, squirrels, lizards, crickets, and a wide range of smaller creatures and plants that benefit from the shade. The ecological conditions created enable greater appreciation of nature and inclusion in city lives.

Have you seen city dwellers running away from a chameleon or a lizard when they see it for the first time? (Plate 3).

Phyto extraction: The fuels we use in vehicles and the chemicals in industrial production have metallic, chemical and gaseous by-products that pollute our environment. Trees like neem (Azadirachta indica), fig (e.g. Ficus religiosa –

Miti January-March 2012

the enlightenment tree) and several species of bamboo are well known for their ability to absorb heavy metals, extract pollutant gases (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ammonia) from the air, thus cleaning the air we breathe and obviously mitigating the effects of climate change.

All trees sequester carbon (that is taking it out of the surroundings and using it to construct wood). This is a huge benefit that is currently pushing more nations to appreciate the value of trees, by taking action to reduce deforestation.

Providing shade: Well-selected and managed trees will provide good shade that can reduce the temperature of the covered area by up to 50 Celsius compared to the surrounding environment. The scorching tropical sun bakes the soil and fragile life forms in it. A tree system prevents solar rays from reaching the ground directly, thereby maintaining a suitable environment for other life forms to prosper. The shade also provides excellent for people to relax and socialise. Benches located in such conditions will often be put to use. Walkways are some of the best sites for beautification (Plate 4).

Filtering dust from the air: Trees with fine leaves/needles such as the false pepper tree (Schinus molle), cypress (Cupress uslusitanica), and a wide variety of pines,

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Plate 2

Plate 3

Plate 4

Plate 5

casuarinas, cedars and mahoganies help to filter dust and provide clean air.

Reducing raindrop impact and wind speed: Heavy rains usually dislodge soils that are not well-covered. Tree roots help to hold soil particles together and the tree crowns break the strength of raindrop impact, thereby reducing erosion. Trees can save lives by reducing floods.

Providing tree products: It is necessary to lop tree branches so that they do not interfere with buildings or power transmission and communication lines. The branches can be used as stakes, fencing poles, firewood or charcoal or even for producing toys or other art and craft articles. The leaves are useful for production of manure or can be used for mulching gardens. And of course, fruit trees provide fruit. It is advisable to plant grafted trees that have low hanging fruits (Plate 5). Useful trees growing in groves are good sources of nuts, spices and condiments.

Providing privacy Residents of cities appreciate the need for privacy.

As well as a scenic view, trees between buildings provide additional privacy. Apartments with windows opening into tree gardens fetch better rental prices. Thus trees raise the value of property.

These are just a few of the many benefits of trees.

Which species to grow?

Different trees suit different environments. It is advisable to select a wide variety of species in order to gain from their unique characteristics.

However, trees with certain characteristics should be avoided.

Trees that grow fast and tall should be avoided for heavily built-up areas. Frequent loping of branches may be costly and disruptive.

Deciduous trees (trees that drop all their leaves in the dry season) are unsuitable. In additional to littering the environment, they are not beautiful when they are leafless. For instance, Grevillea robusta is unsuitable.

Warburgia ugandensis is green all year round, so it is suitable.

Shallow-rooted trees are unsuitable because they are likely to interfere with the water supply systems, drainage and sewage systems. Deeprooted trees are a better choice.

Branching characteristics are important.

Trees of the Terminalia species tend to spread their branches horizontally. Other trees have narrow cylindrical or conical crowns. The former are good for park areas where people can sit and enjoy the shade, while the latter are better for roadsides and between buildings.

It is advisable to select non-invasive species – that is, those that do not propagate themselves easily – otherwise the whole area can easily be dominated by a single species, squeezing out all

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Plate 6

other plants. Seek the advice of a forester about which trees are susceptible to disease. This of course depends on the area, soils and other conditions.

Managing urban trees Trees in urban environments require intensive management to keep them healthy, minimise risk to human life and to maintain beauty.

Management begins at the time of selecting and planting. Select the right tree for the right location. It is difficult in a short article like this to describe all the considerations needed to select the right tree.

Once planted, trees, just like any other life form, require tending and protection to enable them overcome pests, diseases, browsing by animals (yes, some cities have many animals walking the streets!) and physical damage by passers-by.

As the trees grow from cuttings, seeds or seedlings to saplings, management of the branches becomes important. The shape of

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the tree crown matters, especially if grown in densely built-up areas. A tree and landscape management expert is needed to provide advice.

Use of appropriate cutting tools is absolutely critical. Plate 6 shows trees that have been cut carelessly by a power company because they were growing into electricity transmission lines.

Use of chemicals must be minimised or eliminated to avoid harming people. Dead branches (widow makers) on mature trees are a constant danger. Their removal requires special skills to avoid damage to life and property.

We often see on our streets demonstrators carrying tree branches that have been ripped from city trees. This is an unacceptable way of treating our trees! To protect trees we need policies that govern their management and treatment.

However, nothing beats local community laws that place the tree in the hands of the people.

Experience shows that by-laws generated by local communities are usually obeyed.

Plate 7

Conclusion Every city, however crowded, has space enough for trees. Even slum areas look better with trees (Plate 7). It is possible to transform the urban living environment completely through a programme to introduce and manage trees. The investment is very small if all city residents agree to play their role.

Water is very rarely the problem because dense human settlements are usually located close to good sources of water. Besides, trees can make good use of waste water.

In China, the rush to beautify cities through tree-planting is so serious that in addition to raising seedlings, big towns are extracting fully grown trees from dense forests and planting them in town (Plate 8). This also happens in the Mediterranean region, where old olive trees (Olea europaea) are extracted from exhausted olive groves to be planted in residential areas.

The writer is the Deputy Director General, Partnership and Impact. World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

Email: a.temu@cgiar.org

Miti January-March 2012

Loads of firewood, all for burning lime. And this is only small part of the stock …

(Photo: BGF)

Reaching out to the people Homa Lime’s tree-planting efforts make a difference in the community

By Wanjiru Ciira

T

he importance of fuel wood in industrial processes cannot be overstated. This is especially so in tea processing and mining, which need a steady supply of

energy.

Take the case of Homa Lime Company Ltd. Owned by the Brooks family, Homa Lime started as a lime mining operation in Kanjira (Karachuonyo) in the mid 1920s, producing less than five tonnes of hydrated lime per day.

In 1938, it moved to Kowuor, near Homa Bay and was incorporated as a limited company.

Production increased to 10 tonnes per day.

In the early 1950s, the company acquired land in Koru, and built a new factory with a capacity of 90 tonnes per day. Currently, Homa Lime has put 3,000 acres under agriculture in Koru, a mixed venture comprising sugarcane, animal husbandry and tree-planting.

Lime is an important component in a number of industrial processes. It is, for instance, used in building and road construction as well as for sugar purification (pH control). In agriculture, lime is used to stabilise soil acidity, as fertiliser (super calcium) and as a raw material in chicken

Miti January-March 2012

and stock feed. To process lime after mining, you required energy and Homa Lime realised early in its operations that fuel wood is the most effective fuel for its needs. “Coal and oil are too costly, while electricity does not work for our needs,” says Forest Manager Ezekiel Okeyo Ouko. In the early days, the company used trees growing in the area, but as forests were depleted, Homa Lime realised it had to grow its own trees.

To this end, the company started planting trees in the 1980s. Its forestry department set aside 800 acres (320 ha) and planted Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. saligna, E. torelliana, E. robusta and E. grandis. After some time, Homa Lime realised that the other species did not do well in the area and the company now just grows E. camaldulensis and E.saligna.

In Homa Lime’s experience, E. camaldulensis is more resistant to the blue gum chalcid (Leptocybe invasa), certainly more so than E. grandis. The search for the ideal species is still on, and some hopes are pinned on GC hybrids, though they have not been tried yet. However, Casuarina equisetifolia and C. junghuhniana would do better on these superficial soils (1 -

2ft deep), underlain by limestone deposits, and with a natural vegetation of acacias and Lantana camara.

Yield of eucalyptus plantations is high, not surprising in view of the abundant rainfall (see below), with mean annual increments (MAI) at an average of 29.9 m3/ha/yr and a maximum of 44.9 m3/ha/yr. However, substantially higher figures could be achieved. Eucalypts are especially valued for their high calorific value, and their wood is used for burning limestone. It is stacked for drying, with the lime-producing plant consuming a maximum of 90 tonnes per day.

In addition to the eucalyptus, 247 acres (100 ha) have been gazetted as a national monument for the preservation of indigenous woodland. The area is about 1500 masl and with good rainfall that is recorded in three stations, of which the one at 1540 masl averages 1601 mm per annum over a period of 36 years (minimum 1269 mm, maximum 1960mm). Soil is heavy and clayish (black cotton) which leads to water logging in several areas.

Homa Lime has settled on eucalyptus because of the tree’s fast growth and calorific

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value, making it ideal for fuel wood. “To process 1 tonne of lime, we need 1 tonne of wood fuel,” says Mr Ouko. Based on this, Homa Lime in 2003 realised the land the company had placed under trees was not enough to satisfy its fuel wood requirements. As such, the company currently has to outsource 60 per cent of its fuel needs.

To help the community develop woodlots,Homa Lime created the Nyando Valley Development Trust, a community-based organisation, as an extension arm of the company. Homa Lime is the principal sponsor of Nyando Valley Development Trust and currently, the company donates the services of an extension officer, his transport by motor cycle and all administrative duties required to run the Trust.

Nyando Valley Development Trust aims to provide extension services to any farmer within the upper Nyando Valley watershed with regard to establishing tree nurseries and woodlots, and agricultural, veterinary and artificial insemination extension service.

The area covered is largely rural. Part of it was developed for sugarcane growing in the 1960s but production of cane over the last 40 years has declined for various reasons and there is a significant proportion of land lying fallow.

The area unsuitable for growing sugarcane was sub-divided after independence with little development since. It is inhabited by subsistence farmers who produce little surplus and have little disposable income.

Homa Lime helps the community to develop on-farm tree nurseries, establish group nurseries and helps absentee farmers to develop woodlots, while providing a market. Nyando Valley Development Trust also aims to help the community to market their produce, be it milk, maize, sugarcane, woven baskets, honey, timber or any other form of produce. This should result in wealth creation, whereby the people will be able to build their own schools and medical facilities without being dependant on outside funding.

For example, out of 36 tree nurseries that the Nyando Valley Development Trust has helped to establish in the last seven years, at least 12 are now income generating and able to purchase their own inputs.

Nyando Valley Development Trust promotes tree planting by farmers mostly in Nyando, Kericho, Nandi South, Muhoroni and parts of Nyakach districts to boost production and improve environmental conditions in these areas.

Currently, the project covers Kericho (Chilchila and Kipkelion divisions) and Nandi South (Meteitei and Chemase divisions).

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A greenhouse for bamboo seedling production (most likely Dendrocalamus giganteus). It is a standard technique to cut bamboo sticks open under high humidity and temperature, to stimulate formation of adventive (secondary) roots. And remember, bamboo is a grass.

(Photo: BGF)

Mode of operations Nyando Valley Development Trust’s central nursery produces over 100,000 seedlings per year that are sold to farmers at Ksh 7 per piece within two agro-ecological zones - the Rift Valley highlands and the Lake Basin lowlands.

Farmers in the lowland zones are encouraged to plant E. camaldulensis, E. paniculata and C. equisetifolia while those in the highlands are encouraged to grow E. grandis, C. lusitanica and P. patula.

Through Nyando Valley Development Trust, Homa Lime provides quality seeds from KEFRI and polybags for one year to each nursery, which is expected to produce 50,000 seedlings per year. The project is run according to a sustainability plan that expects the beneficiaries to sell all the seedlings at Ksh 5 each, to generate Ksh 250,000. The group members can share seedlings worth Ksh 150,000 of the generated money but have to plough back Ksh 100,000 to the nursery activities to ensure sustainability.

In the second and subsequent years, the supported nurseries are required to buy seeds from Nyando Valley Development Trust to ensure that they raise good quality seedlings.

Nyando Valley Development Trust plans to recruit up to 40 groups and several individuals in the next four years. It is collaborating with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) staff and other agencies in promoting tree planting activities within its operation area to complement its thin staff on the ground.

Homa Lime leases land from absentee landowners to plant trees under two arrangements: i) The company can plant and maintain woodlots up to two years and the owners have two options; either to pay Ksh 100,000 per hectare upfront to own the established woodlot or to allow Homa Lime to harvest the first crop, recover their costs and revert the woodlot back to the owner. ii) Farmers can also lease out their land to NVDT to plant trees or contract Nyando Valley Development Trust to plant trees for them.

The company’s cost of tree planting is Ksh 25,000 per acre (Ksh 62,500/ha) which comprises establishment and one full year of maintenance (3 - 6 weedings). Land is not ploughed but burned and all preparation is manual. To date, about 40 hectares of woodlots

Miti January-March 2012

A young plantation of E. saligna in Homa Lime. Note the vigorous growth of grass.

(Inset) A E. saligna seedling infested with the blue gum chalcid Leptocybe invasa. (Photos: BGF)

have been established through the programme.

Homa Lime has a long experience of integrating livestock with tree planting and based on this, Nyando Valley Development Trust encourages farmers to use wide spacings of 3m x 3m and 3m x 2m to enable woodlot owners to graze their animals from the second year when vegetation can still grow under the woodlot canopy.

With Homa Lime’s plant operating at current capacity, its fuel wood needs translate into clear felling 1400ha/yr, or a total growing area of 140ha x 6 years = 8400 ha. Farmers’ land ranges between 10 - 80 acres (4 - 20ha). At a hypothetical average of 10 hectares per farm under tree cover, this translates into 84 farmers.

In collaboration with KARI and KEFRI Maseno and Londiani, Nyando Valley Development Trust has been training farmers in nursery management, tree establishment, woodlot management, harvesting and marketing of tree products. The efforts are geared at creating awareness on the potential of farm forestry regarding income generation as well as improvement of environmental conditions within the highly degraded Nyando Valley Basin.

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Some economics about tree growing Homa Lime Ltd buys firewood from farmers at Ksh 3000 per tonne (wet) which is the prevailing market rate. The farmer bears the transport cost.

At the age of six years, a yield can be expected of 180m3/ha, translating into 108 tonnes (at a wood density of 0.6g/cm3); and hence making 108 tonnes x Ksh 3000/tonne = Ksh 324,000/ ha. The following costs are involved: Transport: 8 lorries/ha or Ksh 40,000 Cutting: chainsaw and labour: Ksh 16,000/ha Loading: Ksh 16,000/ha Miscellaneous (movement permit, cess and other road charges): Ksh 17,000/ha Nett profit for the farmer: Ksh 235,000/ha or almost Ksh 40,000/ha/year. This is not bad for land that otherwise would have been lying idle.

Homa Lime assists farmers to sell their surpluses to sugar companies and other consumers. These efforts are to link tree growers with ready markets for their tree products and hence promote commercialisation of farm forestry activities.

Homa Lime employs some 650 people, half of whom live on the premises. The company has built its own primary school, Legetet Hill Primary School on the farm. The capital cost of establishing the school was borne by the company but Homa Lime charges fees to cover the day-to-day running, including the teachers’ salaries. The school is non-profit-making and when it starts to show a profit, this will be used to improve the facilities.

Homa Lime has also been heavily involved in the building of St. John’s Primary and Koru Girls Secondary schools as well as donating building materials and land to many other schools, health clinics and churches in the area.

All in all, Homa Lime Ltd is doing a good job of supporting tree-growing by the community surrounding the farm. For the future, the company is exploring all options. “Recent observation has indicated that a certain indigenous tree species has the potential to grow faster than eucalyptus under our conditions in Koru and we are exploring this seriously,” says Mr Ouko.

The writer is the Managing Editor, Miti magazine Email: wanjiru@mitiafrica.com

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Wooden manual press (Photo: ICRAF)

Metal manual press (Photo: ICRAF)

Let us make fuel briquettes The materials community groups use and the heating quality of the product

By Mary Njenga, Ramni Jamnadass, Nancy Karanja, Jacob Kithinji and Miyuki Iiyama

This is the second part of an article on briquette production and implications on livelihoods published in Miti issue 12. This article describes the production methods and the heating quality of the product.

Miti 14 will carry an article on the implications of the briquettes on human health and the environment. enyans use 1.6 - 2.4 million tonnes of wood charcoal annually, most of it in urban areas where 82 per cent of households depend on it for cooking.

About 10 – 15 per cent of wood charcoal ends up as waste in the form of charcoal dust.

This waste poses a disposal problem and is either dumped in open drains, polluting and clogging up the system, or burned, polluting the air. Sawmills generate up to 230,000 tonnes of sawdust, adding to the unknown amount existing

K 26

in sawdust mountains across the country, most of which is eventually burned.

In many developing countries, briquettes produced from biomass residues are a viable, good quality fuel for cooking (Satonnde et al., 2010).Fuel briquettes are made by compressing biomass material such as charcoal dust, sawdust, coconut husks, rice husks, banana leaves and other tree and agricultural by-products into a uniform solid product.

This is achieved using various techniques with or without the addition of binder depending on the plasticity of the biomass materials (Rousseta et al., 2011). Some of the commonly used binders are starch, gum arabic, soil, animal dung or waste paper. The choice of raw material and binders used depends on local availability. The combination of different materials contributes to a difference in efficiency

and quality of energy for domestic use. Most fuel briquette production activities in Kenya are located in low income urban and peri-urban areas, with 50 per cent taking place in Nairobi.

Production of fuel briquettes from charcoal dust and sawdust is not only good for the environment but more importantly, provides much needed cooking fuel for the urban poor.

However, there is little information on production methods, heating quality and efficiency of fuel briquettes traded and used in Kenya. There is a great need to study the quality of briquettes depending on materials used. It is also important to understand how briquette production and use affects the urban poor. This article shares results of a study on briquette production by community-based self-help groups mainly located in poor neighbourhoods of Nairobi.

Miti January-March 2012

Briquette production methods in Nairobi and its environs In 2010, a survey was conducted using a semistructured questionnaire to document amounts and sources of charcoal dust, sawdust and binders used in briquette production by seven community-based self-help groups in Nairobi and its environs. Fuel briquette pressing methods were also studied.

It was found that the main sources of charcoal dust were charcoal retailing stalls, although one group sourced from dumping sites, while sawdust was sourced from sawmills.

Groups that sourced charcoal dust from charcoal retailing stalls bought it at just over Ksh 1 per kilogram while sawdust cost them just under Ksh 1 per kilogram.

Paper or soil was used for binding charcoal dust while gum arabic was used to bond sawdust.

Paper was sourced from either newspaper vendors, schools or dumping sites. The groups did not pay for paper from dumpsites and from schools while that from vendors cost them Ksh 28 per kilogram.

The soil was free and came from river banks or road reserves. The groups sourced water from taps or shallow wells. The tap water cost just over Ksh 1 per litre. The charcoal dust briquette types studied were produced in Nairobi while the sawdust briquettes were from Naro Moru town, 150 km north east of Nairobi.

The raw materials and binders were sorted to remove impurities such as pieces of wood, metal and plastics. Charcoal dust was sieved through recycled nets with about 5 mm holes to separate the fine dust from bigger particles, which were later mixed at a ratio of 1:1. Other groups used fine dust only and resold the coarse particles to households for cooking.

Most groups shredded paper by hand into small pieces while one of them used a hand-operated shredder. The shredded paper was soaked in water for 2 to 3 hours while gum arabic was soaked in water overnight. The prepared raw materials and binders were then mixed. To test if the mixed slurry bonded well, it was squeezed in one hand and then held between two fingers. If it fell apart, they added binder until it held together. The mixed slurry was pressed to compact it into solid blocks of different shapes and sizes and squeeze out the water, using wooden or metal manual presses.

Although some groups had received training on briquette production, the type of raw material, binder and mixing ratios applied evolved over time, based on the experience of the group members and feedback from customers.

Briquettes were dried either in the sun or under shade. The length of time they took to dry depended on the season. It took about eight days during the dry season and 11 days during the wet season.

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Figure 1.Calorific value of briquette produced by local communities in Nairobi and environs CD=Charcoal dust and GA=gum arabic, * Concentration of binder in brackets, (Fuwape, 1983)

Heating quality of briquettes The heating efficiency of the briquettes calorific value was determined using Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy at the World Agroforetsry Centre(ICRAF), Nairobi and wet chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi.

The calorific value was influnced by the type of raw material and binder used and the mixing ratio between the two. For example, the best briquettes were those made from charcoal dust and paper with a 26 per cent consentration of paper. (Figure 1.). Charcoal dust briquettes bonded with soil had the lowest heating value. This could be attributed to high ash content in the soil (Figure 1); the higher the amount of soil, the lower the calorific value.

Even where the self-help groups used similar raw materials and binders, significant differences existed in the calorific value. For example, charcoal dust bonded with paper, which may have been caused by the type of wood used in producing charcoal. The briquette heating values as indicated in figure 1 were higher than for firewood obtained from five-year-old Leucaena leucocephala (13.45 kJ/g) and Tectona grandis (13.96kJ/g) in Nigeria (Fuwape, 1983).

These community-produced briquettes had heating values higher than 14.1MJ/kg of maize cob briquettes, except for CD+Soil 2 (Wiliapon, 2007).

Briquettes burn for many hours. For instance, the charcoal dust briquette bonded with soil burned for four hours, compared to two-and-a-half hours for wood charcoal (Njenga et al 2010). This is very beneficial to poor households where they, for example use 1 kilogram of the briquette to cook supper and the same fuel is used to heat water for bathing the following morning.

From these findings, fuel briquettes are a reliable source of cooking fuel and compare

favourably with wood charcoal and firewood. Fuel briquettes have potential as domestic fuel for many households in the country. It is however important to note that briquettes use charcoal dust or sawdust as raw materials and hence the sustainability of the charcoal and timber supply chains are important in the development of briquettes as an environmental friendly product.

From the foregoing, it emerges that there is need for further research on the types and amounts of raw materials used in the production of briquettes and to identify potential areas of improvement.

Technical support should be extended to the community groups in order to produce a premium product.

This article presents findings of a doctoral study by the University of Nairobi and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) on fuel briquetting technologies using sawdust and charcoal dust from selected agroforestry tree species. The authors acknowledge the contributions of Paul Stapleton of ICRAF. They also acknowledge the financial support by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and World Agroforestry Centre(ICRAF).The technical support of Dr. Cecilia Sundberg and Prof. Raida Jirjis and access to the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) library is highly appreciated. Many thanks go to the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) for supporting Mary Njenga’s guest research placement at SLU during which time this article was prepared.)

Mary Njenga is a doctoral fellow at the Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology (LARMAT) University of Nairobi and ICRAF. Ramni Jamnadass and Miyuki Iiyama are scientists at ICRAF while Nancy Karanja and Jacob Kithinji are a professor and lecturer at the University of Nairobi respectively. Mary Njenga is also a fellow with African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) and a guest researcher at the Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

Contact: m.njenga@cgiar.org

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A diverse collection of trees Who said pine trees and biodiversity don’t go together?

A colony of weaver birds making good use of Pinus caribaea var Hondurensis.

(Photo: BGF)

Ugandan grower plants an assortment of species to ensure a steady supply of timber

By Jan Vandenabeele

S

ome 35 kilometres west of Kampala, in Mnama Village, Mpigi District, Patrick Mbonye, son of Alvera Ngoga, is creating a sound business. He is investing in tree planting, and is well on the way to achieving his target, which is to plant 1000 hectares ten years from now. He started eight years ago, and has so far planted 163 hectares.

The idea to plant trees, says Mr Mbonye, came from his mother, and he liked it because he saw a business opportunity. “Whatever the financial climate, trees keep on growing and don’t collapse, like other businesses often do,” he says.

So Mr Mbonye set off, and discovered in the process, through the then Forest Department, the existence of the Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS). He has good words for SPGS,

for its technical and financial assistance in plantation establishment, nowadays moving towards management and exploitation.

Mr Mbonye makes business plans for threeyear periods, in order to put enough money aside for his tree investment. This is not easy, considering that establishment costs stand at US$ 600 - 700 per hectare, and also that there are maintainance costs. Some of his fellow growers can barely cope, and he predicts some selling off young plantations. Nevertheless, he considers the plantation a solid investment and wants to acquire a portable sawmill to make use of thinning material. He plans to produce charcoal, among other things.

Mr Mbonye plants on private land, but has also leased land from the National Forest Authority. All the land is within the tropical forest

SPECIES

COMMERCIAL NAME

SPACING (mxm)

AREA (ha)

Pinus caribaea Hondurensis

Pine

3x3

>15

Eucalyptus grandis Maesopsis eminii

15 Musizi

4x4

16.3 24.6

Terminalia superb

Limba

4x4

Khaya anthotheca

Uganda mahogany

5x5

Grevillea robusta Araucaria cunninghamia

Hoop pine

Markhamia lutea TOTAL

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163

belt around Lake Victoria, with good rainfall (>1250mm per year) and deep soils.

The species Mr Mbonye has planted is a surprise - quite diversified so as to have timber for harvesting at different times.

The Miti team visited a small block of five -year-old Pinus caribaea Hondurensis (pine), that has recorded excellent growth. It was planted with assistance from SPGS, using improved seeds. As can be expected, growth is fast, and stem form is excellent. A first pruning had been done, and it was now time for the first thinning.

Planting is 3x3m, following contour lines. Some foxtails occur.

The block is maintained by a contractor, trained and certified by SPGS, for all works (land clearing, planting, weeding, and pruning). The contractor keeps his people on the ground, providing them with tents and food, on top of the wages.

Weeding John Kagomaio, the supervisor, gave us some details about the weeding. It is a combination of manual labour and chemical treatment. The chemical is a mixture of glyphosate and 2-4D. The latter is an effective herbicide but not friendly to the environment. It seems glyphosate could do the job on its own.

The knapsack sprayers have a capacity of 20 litres and where the grass is high, about 15

Miti January-March 2012

A fine stand of musizi (Maesopsis eminii), three-and-a-half years old. (Photo: BGF)

The owners are not shy of displaying their coordinates, against a back-drop of Pinus caribaea var Hondurensis. (Photo: BGF)

... and the trees are barely five years old ‌ (Photo: BGF)

pumps/ha are used, with a labour of seven mandays/ha. However, the grass is slashed before spraying can be done (2.5mandays/ha). Where grass and weeds are not higher than 1 foot, five pumps/ha are sufficient, and seven man-days cover 4ha (equivalent to 1.75 man-day/ha). Of the seven people, five effectively spray, while two ensure a constant supply of water.

Other tree species The araucarias are doing very well, being barely 2.5 years old, and averaging over 4m in height.

Terminalia superb also displayed superb growth, and soon will need serious thinning.

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Ugandan mahogany (Khaya anthotheca), two years old. (Photo: BGF)

Terminalia superba, three years, seven months old. Harvesting is expected at 25 - 30 years.

(Photo: BGF)

Three-and-a-half-year-old Eucalyptus grandis is already towering, and is polesized with DBH ranging between 15 to 20cm. Some mortality has however taken place, and the block shows some gaps.

The growth of musizi (Maesopsis eminii) seemed to be influenced by site conditions.

It is stunted where there is seasonal waterlogging; medium growth is evident in another place and quite excellent growth (see photo, age three-and-a-half years) in prime conditions.

The writer is the Executive Director, Better Globe Forestry Email: jan@betterglobeforestry.com

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3 bedroom boarded cottage Karen (Photo: Keith Harley )

Beauty from firewood

Keith and Sue Harley, owners of the company.

(Photo: BGF)

H-Tes is producing quality timber-works out of eucalypts that would be destined for the fireplace

By Jan Vandenabeele

H

arley Timber Engineering Services Ltd (H-Tes) is a small company that recently moved from Industrial Area to a somewhat surprising area to set up a new workshop. This is at Orly Airport, not the Paris one, but next to the pipeline road in Kajiado district, close

to Isinya.

The airport is still in its infancy, but is bound to grow and attract business, as Wilson Airport is becoming congested. It is not too far from Nairobi either, though one has to drive through Ongata Rongai (a nightmare) or Ngong, and then Kiserian, to reach it. In short, Nairobi is spreading its wings towards the surrounding countryside.

Just like the workshop’s location is quite innovative, so are the techniques it is using. H-Tes makes floors, engineered door panels, rafters, trusses, staircases, kitchen tops and even prefabricated houses. The wood is mostly eucalypt, a choice initially imposed by scarcity of other timber species like pine or cypress, but which has a beauty, versatility and strength of its own. As eucalypt timber seasons badly, with risk of excessive splitting and cracking, one has to be patient, and dry it slowly, over a period of one year, before it can be processed.

H-Tes buys the timber mainly from the eucalypt plantations of James Finlay in Kericho, to the tune of 150m3 per year. To put this into perspective, one lorry load is about 30m3.

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The eucalypt timber is purchased as red or white with a further classification/specification of low or high density (the high density being used for engineered floor boards and similar applications). The red timber is generally Eucalyptus saligna, but with some hybrids, the species identity of the white timber is a little more confusing with two definite densities and appearances. The high density, mature, material is possibly E. grandis or E. regnans, while the low density is likely to be a fast growing hybrid.

Miti magazine looked up the specifications of E. grandis and E. saligna, summarised as follows: Species

Density (g/cm3)

Remarks

E. grandis

0.69

Great density variation is possible; timber tends to split a lot. Colour varies from greyish-yellowishwhite to reddish-brown or brown, partly depending on age.

E. saligna

0.84

Splits less, wood is of reddish-brown colour

RJ Poynton, 1979, Tree planting in Southern Africa, Vol 2. The Eucalypts.

So, it is still a bit confusing as to what eucalypt species is actually being used, but that does not change the fact that H-Tes makes beautiful products out of the eucalypt timber. A second surprise is the processing of the timber. Instead of massive pieces of wood to make big beams, H-Tes

Miti January-March 2012

Floor white eucalypt (Photo: Keith Harley )

Finger-jointing, to make use of several small pieces of wood, securely fitting together. (Photo: BGF)

glues small pieces together, and such laminated wood is stronger than its solid counterparts.

The laminated timber is glued with resorcinol- phenol-formaldehyde for structural work or urea formaldehyde for less critical applications. The glue is seen as a very thin pencil-like line on the outside of the beam. Apart from laminating, an interesting technique for joining small pieces of timber together is finger-jointing (see photo). This does not require nails or screws, but a finger-jointing machine that cuts the timber ends so they can be glued together.

These are not revolutionary techniques, as they have been in use for decades in many countries, but they show good craftsmanship. In fact, Keith Harley, the founder of the company, started as a structural engineer working with concrete and steel. He first came to Kenya in 1979, employed

by British Aid, to discover that working with wood was more interesting.

He went back to the UK to study timber work, then came to Kenya again in 1984 to work with the Rafter Development Unit (still in operation with the National Housing Corporation) and assisted with timber grading courses at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), among other places.

Miti January-March 2012

Partial view of the workshop. It is still under construction though work is going on. (Photo: BGF)

Strong beams made of different pieces of timber.

Note the glue.

(Photo: BGF)

With his wife Sue, Keith started H-Tes in 2003. Employing some 20 people, this is not a big company, and workers are trained on the job. Some of them studied carpentry, but most just receive on-the-job training.

At H-Tes, wood-working skill counts for a lot, as the upper layer of laminated timber that used to be 9mm thick has now reduced to 4 5mm. This is the case for laminated doors, with white eucalypt outside and cypress inside (in the process hiding knots because of lack of proper pruning). Machinery is mostly bought second-hand, like a circular saw, moulder, thicknesser and a hydraulic press.

H-Tes is a case of using a scarce resource to the maximum, and producing quality work. That does not come cheap, at Ksh 45,000/m2 for a prefabricated house, or Ksh 7,500/m2 for engineered floor boards, but there is a good market for it.

It is refreshing to see timber- work without cracks, fitting neatly, with straight lines and good colour, a rare sight in East Africa. To top it all, made out of what most people consider to be firewood!

The writer is the Executive Director, Better Globe Forestry.

Email: jan@betterglobeforestry.com

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A stand of Eucalyptus grandis that Mr Burer has used wisely to occupy a seasonally water logged area on his land. (Photo: BGF)

Better than money in the bank Trees offer a viable retirement plan, as Moses Burer, a tree-grower in Uasin Gishu, can testify

By Jan Vandenabeele and Joshua Cheboiwo Moses Burer in a grove of black wattle trees (Acacia mearnsii), barely two years old. Native to Australia, this species has adapted so well to high potential areas in East Africa that it can become invasive. (Photo: BGF)

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M

oses Burer is a farmer in the Chepkanga area of Uasin Gishu, close to Eldoret town. Kenyan readers of course know this, but let us mention it for the benefit of others - Eldoret is in Kenya’s Rift Valley Province, and is considered one of the bread baskets of the country. Altitude is about 2100 – 2200 metres above sea level (masl) and rainfall, at over 1100mm per year, is good. Mean annual temperature is 16.6oCelcius.

Soils are rather heavy, with a clayish texture.

Land prices are high, at Ksh 1 million per acre close to town, and down to Ksh 300,000 per acre further away.

Mr Burer is retired from formal employment, but he has put his land to really good use. In total, he owns 40.8 ha (102 acres), divided over several plots. One of these plots, of 5.2 ha (12.8 acres), contains his homestead and some pasture land.

Typically, farmers grow maize and wheat in this area. But on his homestead plot, Mr Burer has wisely combined livestock-keeping with tree-planting, through dividing and surrounding his land with windbreaks and woodlots, of different species. A small piece of land has been ploughed recently for growing other crops.

Since 1995, Mr Burer estimates he has planted some 3,000 tree seedlings of Eucalyptus grandis, Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) and Grevillea robusta on the homestead plot. He has really grasped the business aspect of tree

Miti January-March 2012

Mr Burer’s main plantation of Eucalyptus grandis, now seven years old and a good cash crop. (Photo: KEFRI)

growing, after initial contacts with the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI). The tree growth on his farm is excellent, and tree products like different sizes of sticks (for flower farms), poles (for construction and power transmission), timber, fuel wood and charcoal have a ready and nearby market.

Black wattle is thriving, and does not even need planting. Naturally regenerated trees are ready for exploitation after barely four years, producing sticks, construction-sized poles and fuel wood.

Mr Burer and other tree farmers in the area have a ready market in industries like Rivatex, Rupa and CPC, which all use fuel wood, and Tipsy, which treats poles.

A small landmark decision for Mr Burer was his purchase, in 2004, of a kilogram of E. grandis seeds, from KEFRI, to raise seedlings in his own

nursery. He used the seedlings to plant 8hectares on one of his plots, and sold the balance to farmers in 2005.

In fact, Mr Burer has become an extension agent in his own right. Neighbours and other farmers visit his property to inquire about commercial tree planting and markets. Many people in the area have established commercial tree plots after seeing Mr Burer’s success.

In 2009, Mr Burer purchased cypress and pine seeds, planting 1ha of Cupressus lusitanica, although he lost the pine seedlings through workers’ negligence.

For Mr Burer, the key to successful tree growing was his contact with KEFRI. He bought good quality seeds from KEFRI’s Londiani Forest Research Centre and participated in a eucalyptus growers workshop organised by KEFRI in Eldoret in May 2010.

An overview of Mr Burer’s income from trees is as follows:

Year

Activity

2005

Sale of 3,000 eucalypt seedlings to neighbours @Ksh 10 each

30,000

2009

Sale of wattle poles and wood to constructors

130,000

2010

Sale of timber of 80 cypress trees

50,000

2010

Use of the timber of the same trees for own needs, hence saving on purchase

120,000

2015 and after

Expected sale of 10,000 eucalypt trees over a three-year period

3,000,000/year

Yearly

Charcoal sales

Yearly

His livestock benefits from shade and protection provided by the windbreaks

Yearly

Sales of poles and minor products from regular maintenance of his woodlots and windbreaks

Miti January-March 2012

Income (Ksh)

A beautiful windbreak of Grevillea robusta around Mr Burer’s pasture land.

(Photo: KEFRI)

In fact, Mr Burer is a friend of the Centre’s director, Dr Joshua Cheboiwo, and as such gets plenty of good advice whenever he needs it. Most likely, this is reciprocated and KEFRI also learns something from the practical experience of Mr Burer.

To this end, Mr Burer was invited to the yearly Centre Research Advisory Committee (CRAC) meeting in 2009. This is one of the forums created by KEFRI to involve farmers in KEFRI’s research. At these forums, the research body listens to the views of farmers and incorporates these in research work.

Mr Burer prepares his land by tractor ploughing and harrowing, which takes care of initial competition and ensures good seedling survival and establishment.

Spacing in his eucalypt plantation is rather narrow, at 2x2m, but it works because of the favourable natural conditions. During the first year, he intercrops the trees with maize, for maximum cost recovery. However, in subsequent years, he grows the trees on their own, to eliminate competition.

Income from poles for transmission can, in fact, beat income from agricultural crops.

And once properly established, the initial, big investment is over and tree crops mature steadily, requiring less care.

Trees are in fact an excellent investment for old age and should be considered a pension fund.

Only they are better, a surer value than money in the bank or in the stock market.

Jan Vandenabeele writer is the Executive Director, Better Globe Forestry Email: jan@betterglobeforestry.com Joshua Cheboiwo is the Principal Research Officer, Kenya Forestry Research Institute, Londiani Eamil: jkchemangare@yahoo.com

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A common view along roads around Kampala: some giant trees towering over sprawling development. They testify to the former presence of tropical rainforest, of which preciously few remnants exist.

(Photo: BGF)

Whither the wood industry in Uganda?

A short history of forest utilisation in the country

By Kawooya Josephat

F

or a long time, Uganda’s natural forests supplied the bulk of the country’s wood needs. However, with the rapid increase in population, the natural forests cannot sustain the demand for wood. The result has been massive deforestation.

In 1900, forests covered approximately 14 per cent of Uganda’s total land area; by 2000, this had fallen to around 4 per cent. This article focuses on how Uganda’s forests (natural and man-made) have been utilised over the years, highlighting some lessons that can be learnt as the pressure on the remaining forests reaches crisis point.

Exploitation of Uganda’s natural forests Commercial logging of some of the natural forests like Budongo began in 1910. From 1930, these forests were put to unsustainable exploitation where harvesting of saw logs was highly selective and concentrated on a few timber species, notably the large mahoganies, (Khaya and Entandophragma). Other species put to uncontrolled pit sawing included Milicia excelsa (iroko or mvule), Olea welwitschii (Elgon olive), Podocarpus spp. and Lovoa spp. - especially

34

Lovoa brownii (nkoba). Despite the Uganda Forest Department (UFD) having management plans for most forests, few attempts were made to regenerate the cut-over forests. It is also a sad fact that in Uganda, these high quality timbers have traditionally been used for general purposes and in the process been over-felled.

Management interventions in natural high forests The dwindling supply of the prime timber species lead to research in the 1940s to encourage natural regeneration in Budongo forest, with poisoning girdling and inducements up to nine years before felling. The aim was to allow sufficient light to promote growth of saplings.

This was expensive and not very successful.

Next, line planting and gap planting was thought to be both cheaper and better. During the early 1960s, restocking natural forests with fast colonising Maesopsis eminii (musizi) began, with the aim of increasing the number of species being utilised and raise the yield of utilisable timber from the natural forests. In retrospect, these management interventions met with limited success. The various types of line, gap and under-planting required intensive labour

inputs and expensive maintenance.

More successful were efforts to promote efficient timber utilisation and the use of less preferred species. This work was well documented by UFD in a series of technical notes, booklets and pamphlets. As a result, in 1960, Uganda had some 450,000 hectares of productive tropical high forest in forest reserves. This earned the country a reputation for dynamism and excellence in natural forest management and utilisation.

It was recognised early in the 19th century that Uganda would in time require dedicated plantations to supply the country’s projected need for timber, poles and indeed, fuel wood. Let us now turn to the history of these plantations in Uganda.

Hardwood plantations As early as 1912, eucalypts were introduced in Uganda, mainly to provide alternative sources of fuel wood and for poles. Due to their fast growth and adaptability, eucalypts quickly became accepted and were planted over many parts of the country. E. grandis was the main species (though usually referred to as E. saligna). Socalled “anti-malarial plantations” – of mostly

Miti January-March 2012

E. robusta - were established in an attempt to drain swamps - starting the long association of eucalypts and water.

Plantations of indigenous hardwoods for sawn timber have not been very successful.

Mvule (Milicia excelsa) was often attacked by the gall fly Phytolyma lata, whilst musizi (Maesopsis eminii) plantations showed very variable growth.

By 1965, there were around 16,000 hectares of plantations in Uganda, of which 60 per cent were eucalypts.

In 1988, NORAD initiated the PeriUrban Plantations Project, which established plantations for UFD and also allocated areas to private farmers (maximum 5 hectares each). The focus was on areas in and around urban centres and approximately 10,500 hectares of hardwood (largely E. grandis) plantations were established.

Softwood plantations Softwood plantations of Pinus spp. and cypress (Cupressus lusitanica) had been established since the 1940s. P. patula (in the highlands) and P. caribaea (elsewhere) proved to be the most promising species. Between the late 1960s and early 1970s, UFD (with financial support from the Norwegian government) established over 12,000 hectares of industrial pine plantations to meet the predicted shortfall in timber supply.

Unfortunately, planting did not continue beyond 1974 when the project ended (as the country descended into political chaos).

Poor plantation management Nearly all these softwood plantations suffered from poor management, leading to volume losses and damage from diseases and fires, greatly reducing the quality of saw logs. There were delays in harvesting from these plantations too, due to the initial resistance of the Uganda market to softwood plantation timber.

Between 1973 and 1988, the forestry sector suffered severely as the economy collapsed.

People were encouraged to settle in the Forest Reserves, encroaching on approximately 50,000 hectares of natural forests. In addition, from 1971, there was uncontrolled, large-scale clear felling of plantations established in the 1930s and virtually no replanting took place.

The expulsion of the Asian sawmillers in 1972 resulted in a dispersion of the few Ugandans with experience in the industry and consequently eroded sawmilling.

In addition, UFD’s inability to effectively manage and protect the forest resource led to pit sawing becoming the predominant harvesting method again, and the practice of utilising a restricted number of species was re-ignited.

In anticipation of sawn timber being

Miti January-March 2012

Charcoal for sale in Kyenda market (Mubende district).

An important forest product, frequently leading to outright destruction of the resource. (Photo: BGF)

produced from plantations, extensive research was carried out on the physical and mechanical wood properties of locally grown, exotic conifers.

Findings and recommendations convinced some sawmillers to buy mobile sawmills (mostly circular saws) for processing the plantation timber.

However, the use of these highly inefficient saws, together with the wasteful timber sizing method (standard 14 foot lengths), resulted in very low sawn timber recovery rates – probably between 20 to 30 per cent.

The lack of investment, poor managerial and technical capacity, and lack of skilled labour all accelerated the collapse of the sawmills.

Consequently, pit sawing increased in the conifer plantations and this led to low quality timber. In addition, most associated forestry operations were also very inefficient - particularly felling, cross-cutting, extraction and transport.

Donors to the rescue?

In 1988, a multi-donor Forestry Rehabilitation Project (FRP) was developed to conserve and protect the remaining natural forests. FRP received substantial financial support from the World Bank, DANIDA, IDA, UNDP, the European Commission and the Norwegian government.

A decision was made to adopt multiple use management of the natural forests, which were zoned as Strict Nature Reserves, Protection Zones (where low impact use would be permitted) and Production Zones for the sustained production of timber and other products (UFD, 2002).

Further publicity and training programmes encouraged the utilisation of conifer plantations, which revived sawmilling and led to the importation of many other mobile sawmills by the private sector. In addition, the Norwegian-funded Combined Training Programme imported more appropriate sawmilling machinery for training and demonstrations.

In 1994, the Forestry Research Institute (FORRI) started an “Improving Production and

Utilization of Forest Plantations” project, which included setting up a training and demonstration sawmill in Katugo Forest Reserve. This stimulated much interest and attracted numerous sawmilling concession applications from the private sector.

There was little control over these sawmills, however, which led to over-production and eventually (in 1999) to a sawmilling ban. There was also virtually no replanting after harvesting the mature plantations, until the private sector started investing in new planting - around 2003.

The modern era of plantations The EU-funded Forest Resources Management & Conservation Programme (FRMCP), which ran from 2002 to 2006, supported private sector investors in timber plantations for the first time.

Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS) – which was part of FRMCP initially – has directly supported the establishment of over 25,000 hectares of timber plantations to date. Other private investors have planted around 15,000 hectares whilst the National Forest Authority (NFA) has planted 12,000 hectares.

There are clearly many lessons to be learnt from the history of forest utilisation in Uganda.

Whereas the situation regarding plantations is in a much healthier state than ever before, the big challenge is to utilise these new plantations in a more efficient way and especially to develop a sustainable processing industry that adds maximum value to the products.

References for this article are available at the Miti offices.

The writer is a Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS) Plantation Officer This article was first printed in the SPGS newsletter No 33 of Sept – Nov 2011. It was been reprinted by the kind permission of SPGS. Website: www.sawlog.ug

35

The tree Zacchaeus climbed The fig tree remains important today, just as it was in biblical times

By Francis Gachathi

T

Cattle trough made from Ficus sycomorus wood. (Photo: KEFRI)

he fig tree and its fruit, also called the fig, are mentioned several times in the Bible. Adam and Eve used the leaves of the fig tree to sew garments for themselves when they realised they were naked (Genesis 3:7). Figs were one of the foods produced in the Promised Land (Deutronomy 8:8).They were used in the healing of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:7). In the New Testament, Jesus cursed a fig tree for bearing no fruit (Mark 11:12-14) and used the seasonal leaf-shedding of the fig tree as a sign of His Return (Matthew 24:32-35).

Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore fig in order to see Jesus (Luke 19:4).

The fig tree belongs to the genus Ficus, a genus of about 850 species of trees, shrubs and vines in the mulberry family Moraceae.

The trees are native to the tropics with a few found in the warm temperate regions.

Fig trees are easily recognised in the field. All produce abundant milky latex when cut, and many have aerial roots. The twigs have paired stipules1 encircling the stem. The stipules fall off early, leaving a circular scar round the stem. Figs are borne in leaf-axils, on main branches or the trunk of the tree, fleshy, globular or pear-shaped with a small opening (the ostiole) at the outward end that allows access to pollinators since the flowers are actually inside the fig.

The flowers are pollinated by specific wasps, known as fig wasps, which crawl through the opening in search of a suitable place to lay their eggs. Technically, figs are not true fruits as developed from the ovary. They are derived from a complete inflorescence (syconium), flowers and seeds growing together to form a single mass.

Naturally, most fig trees begin life as epiphytes2 and stranglers. Seeds borne by birds or other dispersal agents germinate in the forks of other trees, dropping aerial roots all around the host tree and shading out its crown to smother it completely. The fig becomes a living shell around the dead tree.

Some species are known to split the host.

1 A stipule is an outgrowth on one or both sides (sometimes absent) of the base of the leafstalk.

2 An epiphyte is a plant that grows on another using it as

Cows drink from a trough made of Ficus sycomorus wood.

(Photo: KEFRI)

36

support only.

Miti January-March 2012

The fruit of Ficus sycomorus (Photo: KEFRI)

The fruit of Ficus thonningii (Photo: KEFRI)

Fig trees are, however easily propagated from cuttings. They are believed to conserve soil moisture and increase fertility in their immediate vicinity.

In Kenya, there are about 30 indigenous species of the fig tree, very widespread from moist forests, bush land, rocks and cliffs, to riverine and high groundwater habitats in the drylands. There are also a number of exotic species cultivated as ornamentals that include the popular java fig, F. benjamina and the rubber fig, F. elastica.

Fig trees are regarded as objects of worship and places for offering sacrifices. They are revered in religion and considered haunts of ancestral

Miti January-March 2012

spirits in different parts of the world, figuring conspicuously in mythology, art and idioms in different cultures. F. thonningii (mugumo) and F. sycomorus (mukuyu, the sycamore tree), for example, are venerated as sacred by many communities in Kenya including the Kamba, the Kikuyu, the Meru, the Pokot and the Maasai. F. benghalensis (banyan) and F. religiosa (pipal) are sacred to Hindus and Buddhists in India.

The wood of the fig tree is generally light and soft, and since it has latex, it is unsuitable for use in the construction industry and for fuel.

For these reasons in particular, fig trees remain where forests have disappeared and they are put into numerous local uses. The soft wood of

The fig is enveloping the host to the point of strangling it.(Photo: KEFRI)

F. sycomorus and F. sur, for example, is used to make beehives, stools, canoes, grain mortars, cattle troughs, drums, doors, carvings and various household containers and utensils such as bowls, beer pots and spoons.

F. natalensis (mutuba in Luganda) is the chief source of bark-cloth, still used in cultural ceremonies in Uganda. Other species with useful bark fibre for making cord and baskets include F. bussei known as mugandi by the Giriama, F. thonningii and F.tremula known as uzi (thread, fibre) in Swahili.

The common fig, F. carica which is native to the Middle East, has been cultivated for its fruit since ancient times and remains a crop of economic importance in countries like Turkey and Egypt. Figs from most wild fig trees are edible. They are important food resources for wildlife including bats, birds and monkeys, which act as dispersal agents.

Fig leaves are important dry season fodder.

The very rough leaves of F.capreifolia and F.exasperata are used as sandpaper, very effective in smoothening wooden objects. In India and Indonesia, rubber is harvested from the native rubber fig, F.elastica.

In Kenya, the milky latex is used as medicine for skin swellings in people and livestock, for attaching feathers to arrows and for making bird lime. As can be seen, the genus Ficus is an important one, not only in biblical times and countries, but also currently and worldwide.

The writer is Principal Research Officer, Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Email: gachathif@yahoo.com

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A kiosk selling water for Ksh 2 for 20 litres.

The intake well of the Kisasi Water Project: two parallel shafts.

The subsurface dam, built of black clay, crossing the riverbed.

Booster pump (left) and a diesel generator, installed in the pump house.

A success story A ‘dry’ riverbed provides 100,000 litres of fresh water every day

By Erik Nissen-Petersen and Jan Vandenabeele This is another article in our series on small and Cost-effective ways to obtain water in drylands.

We have already written on: The availability of water in drylands (Miti issue 5); Water from dry riverbeds (Miti issue 6); Shallow wells (Miti issue 7); Sub-surface dams (Miti issue 8); Weirs (Miti issue 9); Sand dams (Miti issue 10); Road catchments (Miti issue 11).

Water from rocks (Miti issue 12).

T

his issue’s article demonstrates the practical application of a combination of the techniques described in these earlier articles. This has translated into a success story of how over 10,000 people in semiarid lands obtain clean water from a dry river bed,

daily. Other such achievements are described in “Water for Rural Communities”, a handbook that, together with others, is available free from www. waterforaridland.com. We strongly recommend these little manuals.

In 2005 ASAL Consultants Ltd constructed a small subsurface dam in Kisasi, in Kitui County, in the framework of a joint DANIDA1-Kenya Government programme (the Kenya Water and Sanitation Programme). Kisasi, as the crow flies, is some 17 kilometres south of Kitui town and 43 kilometres north of Mutomo, in Eastern Province.

Its altitude is in the range of 900 - 1000masl, which in these circumstances means hot and dry.

There is Nzeeu River, dry most of the year, and with running water during the occasional rainstorms in the months of November and

December. It drains rainwater from the forested eastern hills of Kitui township and dumps it, via the Tiva riverbed, into a large swamp in the arid plain between Kitui and the Coast, where the water is lost to seepage and evaporation.

The riverbed was probed and mapped to define the best location for constructing a small subsurface dam, built of soil (see maps on next page).The measurements showed that a 380m long section of the riverbed was 66m at its widest section, and 5m deep, and contained 557m3 of sand. The texture of the sand ensured a water storage capacity of 25 per cent of its volume, equivalent to 139m3 of water.

A subsurface dam was built at point B, raising the water level in the sand 2m, thereby increasing the reservoir volume to 4,563m3 of sand, which has a potential water storage

1 Danish International Development Assistance

38

Miti January-March 2012

Elevated steel storage tank of the Kisasi Water Project.

potential of 1,141m3. Apart from replenishing during the rainy season, a perennial subsurface flow of water recharges the reservoir faster than it is being extracted.

Hence, the key operation was to probe and map the riverbed to identify the perfect location for both a subsurface dam and an intake well (see photos). As described in earlier issues, this involves hammering a steel rod at regular distances (20m) into the dry riverbed, to define its depth.

The well was dug before building the subsurface dam, to avoid pumping out too much water during construction. Further technical aspects included laying of 72m of infiltration pipes in the sand, to increase the water flow into the well; building a pump house and erecting an elevated water tank. A booster pump was installed in the pump house, with power being provided by a diesel generator.

The pump delivers 19m3 of water per hour through a GI (galvanised iron) pipe to an elevated steel tank situated at a distance of 5.3 kilometres from, and at a height of 74.2m above the pump. From there, the water flows through gravity inside PVC pipes towards the kiosks and houses. On average, the system provides

Miti January-March 2012

100,000 litres (100m3) of fresh and clean water every day throughout the year and has delivered that volume of water every day since it was constructed in 2005.

The Kisasi Water Project provides some 10,000 people with water to their houses, and to 10 water kiosks which are less than 2 kilometres from the community members’ homes. The kiosks sell water at Ksh 2 for 20 litres.

This is a self-financing enterprise without any subsidies or support from outside, due to a well-functioning local management committee.

The project employs eight people who manage the pump house, the 18-km long pipelines and the 10 water kiosks. Water sales are used to finance salaries, run the diesel generator and ensure general maintenance. All income from water sales is deposited in a bank account which always has provision to cover unforeseen expenditures.

This is a success story, and many people find it hard to believe that the river actually does deliver that much water, and that a local committee can administer an annual turn-over of Ksh 1.1 million. The chairman, Mr Kathenge, receives many phone calls from people who want to see the project with their own eyes and who

then ask “If this project is so successful, why is it not replicated in other places?”

Basically, there are two reasons for this.

The first reason is technical. The survey of riverbeds, the design of subsurface dams and the construction of other low-cost, sustainable water harvesting structures is not part of the curriculum of engineers. And it is engineers who – on behalf of the government, NGOs and other institutions - ultimately make the final technical decisions on project design and implementation. As they are unfamiliar with the applied technologies, or unwilling to promote them, many investments end up in ruin, to the detriment of the final users and beneficiaries.

The second reason is managerial. A different entrepreneurial approach was used to implement these pilot projects. The project management committees were trained in project implementation and management before and after the construction phase. And the community members were invited to supply locally available materials as well as unskilled and skilled labour, on contracts where only 50 per cent of the materials (hardcore, ballast or crushed stones, water, sand, and all transport costs) and the labour value were paid. The 50 per cent balance, amounting to Ksh 1.127 million, was recorded as community contribution towards the total construction cost of Ksh 18.462 million.

As a final touch, it should be mentioned that one-third of the committee members are women, obligatorily.

More detailed information is available from asal@wananchi.com and nissenpetersenerik@gmail.com Erik Nissen-Petersen is the Managing Director, ASAL Consultants Ltd. Email: nissenpetersenerik@gmail.com Jan Vandenabeele is the Technical Director, Better Globe Forestry Email: jan@betterglobeforestry.com

39

Good-bye Herman An authority on water management in drylands calls it a day

By Jan Vandenabeele

L

ong-time readers of Miti magazine will have noted that every issue so far has carried an article on water in drylands, written by Herman Verlodt. The articles have been far ranging, from general aspects of water management in drylands, to the effective use of scarce rainfall through detailed descriptions of water harvesting structures.

Indeed, Herman Verlodt knew a great deal about efficient and effective use of water.

He was born the son of a horticulturalist in 1944, in the region of Ghent, Belgium, an area where soils have a sandy loam texture, ideal for growing vegetables and fruits. His father produced vegetable seedlings, like tomatoes, for sale to private growers, and he was good at it.

The secret to producing healthy and sturdy seedlings, it seemed, was to grow them in a soil substrate very rich in organic matter. To this end, Herman’s father went to great lengths to collect fallen autumn leaves from nearby forests, which he stacked in heaps and compressed for composting. Herman’s father collected the leaves using a horse-drawn cart, as cars were very expensive in the post-war years.

The seedlings Herman’s father produced were only good enough when they could bear the weight of a reasonably heavy book without bending. This definitely outdid the competition and assured good sales. In time, Herman’s father grew wealthy and could afford a car. By then, Herman had chosen to study agronomy, which he accomplished at the Agricultural University College of Ghent, later to become the Faculty of Bio-engineering of the Ghent University.

Though offered the opportunity, Herman did not start an academic career in Ghent. Instead, he went to Tunisia to work with the Belgian Development Corporation. He stayed there for 27 years, working in different research projects focused on horticultural production.

Herman did not tolerate mismanagement or corruption, and when he had had enough, he drew a line and left the Belgian Aid, a courageous stand few take. Immediately, he was offered employment by the Tunisian government, and started teaching at the University of Tunis.

Over the years, Herman accumulated a comprehensive knowledge of vegetable growing, hydraulics and chemistry. He combined this with innovative use of drip irrigation in the Tunisian

40

Herman Verlodt (next to a Commiphora baluensis) during his last visit to Kenya in August 2011. (Photo: BGF)

South, an area at the edge of the great Sahara where the only water available was pumped up from a huge sub-Saharan aquifer. This hot groundwater is leaden with salts and elements, making it unsuitable for conventional irrigation.

However, after painstaking measurements and trials, Herman was able to use the water for heating greenhouses by piping it around, after which it is released into the soil by drip irrigation.

This was nothing short of a revolution, as experts had claimed it would be uneconomical.

Instead, hundreds of hectares under greenhouse plastic with geothermic heating today produce tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and aubergines outside of the conventional growing season, not only for local consumption but also for lucrative export to Europe. Apart from creating thousands of jobs, this provides handy and substantial income for the Tunisian government.

For this and other achievements, years later, in 2010, Herman received a medal of merit from the Tunisian government. At the end of the 1990s, Herman applied for employment with

the revamped Belgian Government Aid, and was nominated Country Representative in Kenya, in 2001, of the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC). He oversaw an array of projects in the medical, water and forestry sectors, among others. Herman’s knowledge of arid and semiarid conditions was put to particularly good use, and he pushed for poverty alleviation combined with environmental protection in several projects, prominent among them the Integrated Management of Natural Resources in Ukambani and Agroforestry Research for Integrated Development in Semi-arid Areas in Kenya (ARIDSAK). Both projects advocated innovative techniques for water use, storage and conservation, applied in the semi-arid south east of Kenya.

Herman did not limit himself to attending meetings in his Nairobi office, but frequently toured the countryside to inspect projects on the ground. He came to know intimately the socioeconomic and ecological environment of Kenya, and put his capabilities as a developer to good use. He had a great heart for people and was always willing to put his specialist knowledge at their disposal for improving lives.

Intermittently, Herman was responsible for Ugandan and Tanzanian operations of BTC. He then left Kenya in 2005 for Algeria, still as BTC’s representative in that country. Again, his contribution to development was greatly appreciated.

Upon his retirement in 2010, Herman became a resident of Tunisia and introduced carbon dioxide (CO2) fertilisation in greenhouses as well as energy-saving measures, pushing up the yield of tomato crops and driving down energy costs.

It seems age did not catch up with him and his health was as robust as usual. He stayed in touch with Kenya, visiting for the last time in August 2011, while advising on dryland operations for Better Globe Forestry.

Herman died of a bacterial infection in November 2011, in Tunis, at the age of 67. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Khaula, and two grown-up daughters. We will miss him greatly, both for his huge technical knowledge and his humanity.

The writer is the Executive Director, Better Globe Forestry.

Email:jan@betterglobeforestry.com

Miti January-March 2012

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