The forest garden project has made tremendous progress. First, community meetings were held. Then we went on a study trip to Singida. Then the study tourers told about what they saw in new community meetings. After that, farmer groups were created.
Before the groups finalized their rules, the group leaders together with the agricultural advisors and project staff participated in the first training of trainers. The training was two days long and taught the basics of setting up a nursery. Right after, these new trainers then trained the farmer groups. Fifteen young people founded their own group just for the nursery (that is, they are committed to their group only for this season of growing seedlings).
Of course, the nursery areas first had to be cleared and fenced with thorn branches!
Now, farmers and young people are filling seedling bags (they’re not bags, but tubes) at breakneck speed. At first we thought that the seeds could have been sown already last Thursday, but now the goal is Friday of this week.
Samwel from Trees for the Future has been a key person in making all of this happen.
The goal is to grow 2,000 seedlings per farmer. There are typically around 20 farmers in the group. 20*2000=40,000 seedlings. Well, if we don’t reach that goal this week, we’ll lower the goal to 1,500 seedlings per farmer. It also gets you off to a good start in the first year! More next February.