25 Kibwe/Kingalu Road, Forest Hill Area, P.O. Box 6053, 67109 Morogoro, Tanzania eamcef@easternarc.or.tz

Tree planting overturning poverty in Kilolo District

Students-watering-the-tree-seedlings

The beautiful landscape of Kilolo District is blessed by cold weather and rich soil supporting tree growing business, however, and for many years the key challenge has been the ‘waiting time’. From planting to harvesting and sales of a mature tree one needs to wait for at least 15 years to enjoy the fruits – that’s too much! While waiting for more than a decade, local communities in Idegenda Village, one of the villages in Kilolo District, engages in various on farm and off farm activities to generate income. Of the off-farm activities, the Uzungwa Scrap Nature Reserve just at their vicinity has always been the victim – victimized for tree cutting (timber and poles) and other income generating activities resulting into forest.

To address the problem, EAMCEF through a participatory approach interrupted the ‘waiting time’ by introducing fast growing pine trees (7 years) that would act as alternative sources of income to save forests from destruction. Apart from planting, villagers raise and sell tree seedlings.

Story Details

  • Location:
    Idegenda Villag e, Kilolo District
  • Surrounding Forest:
    Uzungwa Scrap Nature Reserve

KEY DATA

Across project sites – Korogwe, Mkinga, Lushoto, Morogoro, Kilombero, Kilolo Districts and Morogoro Municipality

  • 1,049 (514M:535F) villagers trained on tree planting techniques
  • 299 tree nurseries established
  • 25,285Ha of land established for woodlots
  • TZS. 35,965,650 revenues generated from selling of tree seedlings

“Our school had very few cups such that majority of pupils had to take porridge in groups – those with cups had to take porridge quickly and elease the cup for others. The porridge had no sugar but now sugar is not a problem”

Seth Madembo (Pupil, Mbawi Primary School, Kilolo District)

Masisiwe Primary School has a total of 337 students and 7 teachers. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to EAMCEF for providing us with the tree-planting project that was initiated in 2006. We have learned about water source conservation and continue to plant trees to protect the Eastern Arc Mountains. We have earned income from these trees by selling timber, which has allowed us to make significant improvements in the school, including bringing electricity for a cost of 2 million shillings. This project has also reduced student absenteeism by providing midday meals, and academic performance has greatly improved.

Edmund Andrea Mtubatwa

We have sold trees and brought electricity to our school, and we have also bought a photocopy machine for printing exams. Now, we eat lunch at school, with the meal consisting of ugali and beans, which is funded by contributions from parents and the sale of trees. We have also planted 280 avocado seedlings at the school, which will provide us with fruit. Now, we are sure that we will have enough fruits at school to improve our health. A big thank you to EAMCEF for their support.

Glasiana Theofil Mhagama

I planted 3600 trees on a 6 – acre farm during 2013. In 2-3 years from now I can happily expect TZS. 60,000,000 from selling matured trees. I am so much impressed by this project, I have already generated TZS. 35,000,000 from selling tree seedlings. I used part of the income to build a commercial house from which I earn TZS. 140,000 per month. I use this income to cover all my household needs, but also built a modern house like those you see in the city centre. In the past we could see fires burning in the forest, up to two times a week, but now it is not the case anymore as villagers are busy with their trees.

WILSON MGATA (Village Chairperson)

Income from sales of seedlings was used to build a large kitchen, cooking and serving equipment/ utensils etc.
Mbawi Primary School, Kilolo District

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