Marsabit and Samburu Counties, Kenya
Partner and project history
ITF is implementing this project with 'Arable', a grassroot community-based organization which started in 2017. The organization started as a Self-Help Group planting indigenous trees and fruit trees in the Arid and Semi Arid Land (ASAL) areas of the Samburu and Marsabit counties. Through strong support from ITF’s partner network, Arable grew and was registered as an official Community Based Organisation (CBO) in 2020.
Project aims and benefits
'Arable' is working to improve food security and sustainable livelihoods. These projects are strategically designed to slow and prevent water catchment loss and environmental degradation. Many of these planting projects include education programmes and training in climate change resilience, particularly among farming groups. Farmers learn to integrate the growth of high value fruit trees while improving the productivity of the rest of their farm land. There is also a particular focus on empowering women and girls whose traditional roles often result in disproportionate negative repercussions from environmental problems. Through these projects women are benefited financially through the growth of high value crops. They are also trained in the use of efficient cooking stoves and renewable wood sources, alleviating the need to use indigenous trees for cooking.
Benefit to wildlife
This project protects wildlife both through reduction of desertification and conservation of water sources. It also safe guards the indigenous trees and wildlife habitat as the use of agroforestry and trees in schools reduce pressure on indigenous trees for fuel wood and other resources.
Common wildlife include wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), zebras Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi), Common zebra (Equus burchelli), hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), leopards (Panthera pardus), elephants (Loxodonta africana), lions (Panthera leo), mongoose (Herpestidae), honey badgers (Mellivora capensis), giraffes (Giraffa reticulate), warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus), antelopes, baboons (Papio), hedgehogs (Erinaceinae), velvet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), bush babies (Galagidae) among others.
Achievements so far
This time last year the ‘Never without Food’ project was started by Arable. This project integrates tree planting, health and food security initiatives in the context of arid and semi-arid farming communities. Species that have been planted so far include Mango, Croton, Leucaena, Moringa and Callindra. 200 trees have been planted as part of this initiative but a lacking rainy season prevented planting at full capacity. 2500 tree seedlings have however been propagated in nurseries ready for planting when rain allows. There is plan to expand this to the size on 10,000 trees over the next few years. More community members are gaining interest which will expand capacity.