Description

Access to tree seedlings of quality and quantity represents one of the main barriers to enable small-scale producers to plant valuable tree species for income generation and restoring ecosystems and degraded landscapes. Agricultural cooperatives, who are already organised around the production and commercialisation of food commodities, have the potential to become providers of tree seedlings, if trained on the set-up and management of tree nurseries as an additional business activity and thus source of income. Embedded locally they can also become promotors to their peers about the benefits of trees in agroforestry-based production systems.

Considering this, ADA and ICRAF decided to support a farmers' cooperative in establishing tree nurseries to serve local communities, in the frame of a short-term sub-project. While ICRAF has traditionally been the supplier of tree seedlings, the potential lies in the establishment of community-based tree nurseries managed by farmer groups, offering not only seedlings but also capacity-building services to farmers and an avenue for generating additional income for communities.

This collaboration also delivers essential technical assistance to farmers and forest owners in the villages and municipalities of Inkunga’s clientele, imparting best practices in income-generating forestry activities including advice on the selection of appropriate tree species considering the environmental and socio-economic context, optimal planting techniques, development and implementation of forest management plans, pest and disease management. This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of all partners in steering positive change through sustainable forestry practices, financial innovation, community empowerment, and the fortification of tree nurseries.