The Kikelelwa Agro forestry project is one of the projects which has been implemented by Matonyok Organization in partnership with 400 farmers in Kikelelwa, Lokoro, and Tarakea area of Rombo district. The area is situated near the border of Kenya and Tanzania at the slope of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Project area (History)

The project takes place in Kikelelwa, Lokoro and Tarakea. The area is in the Kilimanjaro province characterized by dense population. The area is inhabited by the Chagga community who are predominantly a farming community where they grow crops like maize, banana, sweet potatoes and beans. The soils have very little fertility with high silica contents which is not readily available to the plants. They are also very acidic making them not suitable to grow many varieties of crops. The project is carried out on singles farmers’ field where a total of 400 farmers have participated. Some collective nurseries therefore have been established where they have grown seedlings to be supplied to the members. The nursery centers are also used as farmers field schools where farmers are supposed to learn and replicate the techniques on their farms. They are taught on different organic agriculture methods like composting in order to produce organic fertilizer to be used for soil fertility management in their farms

The land used is the property of the project participants and there is a mutual agreement between Matonyok organization and the farmers

WHAT IT ENTAILS

. It involves different agro forestry practices including planting of over 30,000 trees of different species, managing a number of tree nurseries and trading on seedlings, trees and their products. The aim is to improve the social economic and environmental standards of the communities who will participate in the project economic empowerment and also social and environmental upgrading. Communities will establish collective nurseries that will form as basis for supply of seedlings to the groups. The project therefore trains members on basic tree management skills including nursery management, grafting and transplanting. The project is estimated to take five years from September 2018 to September 2022.

Goals and objectives

The project aims at improving the social economic and environmental standards of the community through planting and other sustainable agriculture capacity building activities. It is located in Tarakea area of Tanzania where soils have been depleted due to population pressure and mono-cropping. It aims at establishing a total of 30,000 trees of different species that will have some economic and environmental value to the communities. A total of two to three nurseries has been established comprising of different trees species that includes fruit trees, and medicinal trees. Communities work together in the collective nurseries and this will boost their social standing. Some of the seedling produced will be sold to the farmers who are not project participants, hence the project will bring some income to the group. The project will also outsource some seedlings especially those that take long to establish.

General proposal for the Forest Plan

below are some of the intented species of trees planted in the project

1. Avocado

The tree is used as a fruit both for family consumption and to bring income to the communities through selling of fruits in the market. It is compatible with other agricultural activities in the farm and helps to check soil erosion, It supply pollen for apiculture.

2: Moringa Olvera

Moringa tree is used by many communities in Tanzania. The leaves are used as a vegetable which are also medicinal. The seeds are used as medicine and also for water purification. The tree is compatible with other agricultural activities in the farm It also helps in controlling soil erosion

3. Lemons

This citrus fruit does very well in the area and is used both as a local fruit and as an income earner. The tree is very compatible with other agricultural activities and does not deplete the soils

4. Oranges

Oranges do very well in this area and are the main crops that farmers rely on for their income. They are used as fruits and for soil conservation

5. Mangoes

The tree is used as a fruit both for family consumption and to bring income to the communities through selling of fruits in the market. It is compatible with other agricultural activities in the farm and helps to check soil erosion

6. Papaya(pawpaw)

This is a fruit trees that is both medicinal, food and it's also a cash crop. It's demand is high since it is a a ready food crop when ripen.

Activities and work organization

The project is managed by Matonyok organization and has been implemented by farmers who are already doing different agro forestry activities in their farms. Activities that have lead to the success of the project include:

Farmers training: They have been trained on different aspects of tree nursery management including establishment, grafting transplanting, tree management including planting, pruning and feeding. They have also been trained on organic agriculture practices including composting
Tree Nursery Establishment. A number of two tree nurseries have been established. These have been made and managed by the group members with specific detailed organization.
Tree Registration: Tree registration has been carried out by a specific person who has been employed for this job through competitive process. The person has skills in agriculture and computer operating expertise. He/she has been trained by the program on the process of registration, and the Treedom standards application. He has been expected to register an average of 200 trees per day. The trees so registered will be transmitted to Treedom via Internet which is readily available in the office.
Project management and monitoring: The person responsible for the overall project management is the CEO while motoring of the project to make sure that everything goes according to plans will be under the administration officer.