Rangwe, Kenya Farmers are Changing the Food System
Phillip Ondira says his village had no idea what permagardening was until he and his neighbors signed up for Trees for the Future’s Forest Garden program in 2020.
Category: Kenya
263 Million Trees Planted Through Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture
Trees for the Future Passes 260-Million Mark Ahead of Earth Day APRIL 20, 2022 (BETHESDA, MARYLAND) – Regenerative agriculture nonprofit Trees for the Future (TREES) is celebrating 263 million trees planted and more than 300 thousand people impacted. The trees are planted by farmers on their own land in agroforestry systems called Forest Gardens. Local … Continued
Overcoming Challenging Terrain and Grazing Animals
On a rocky, uneven landscape in Mariwa village, Homa Bay, Kenya, lives Dorothy Akoth Onyango. The 55-year-old used to see her land as a setback to farming. After her husband retired from the Kenya Defense Force, Dorothy says she’d lost hope of being able to feed her family. But her outlook on her land and her family’s … Continued
Demonstration Forest Garden Proves the Power of Agroforestry
In Kenya’s Kiambu County – and around the world – farmers are facing challenges brought on by climate change, land degradation, and powerful agribusinesses. Farmers are encouraged to clear land, plant row upon row of grain or cereal crops, and rely on chemicals to improve yields. But a small plot of land in Kiambu is … Continued
Amos is an Accountant Turned Farmer
Amos Omondi’s Kenyan Forest Garden is bursting with food and resources. Vegetables like kale, spinach, cowpeas, eggplant, and sweet potato cover the ground. Mango, pawpaw, and avocado trees fill the space between land and sky. Surrounding the Forest Garden, agroforestry trees work to provide nutrients and protection to degraded soil. The 33-year-old father of four took on farming … Continued
The People Behind the Mission: Paul Kihara
Paul Mwaniki Kihara first started planting trees in 2008 in his spare time. Driven by his love of nature, he would distribute seeds and seedlings to his community. Today, Paul is the Kenya Plant it Forward Coordinator at TREES. He helps graduated Forest Garden farmers pass their skills on to other farmers in the region. “I have seen transformation in farmers’ lives,” Paul says … Continued
Planting it Forward in Ikinu, Kenya
On a small farm in Ikinu, Kenya, Margaret and Joseph Ndung’u are growing avocados, oranges, apples, onions, carrots, tomatoes, and more. Nearby, Alice Njeri Mwangi is growing strawberries, bananas, sweet potatoes, passion fruit, and other indigenous vegetables. The diversity on these two farms is a departure from the typical farming practices in the region (and … Continued
Explore Kinuthia’s Kenyan Forest Garden
Daniel Kinuthia owns half an acre of land in Ndeyia in Ikinu, Kenya. The region is known for its semi-arid climate and irregular rainfall. The challenging and changing conditions make it difficult for farmers like Kinuthia who depend on their land to make a living. That’s why Kinuthia joined Trees for the Future’s (TREES) Forest … Continued
Catching Up with a Trees for the Future Forest Garden Graduate
Simon Ng’ang’a was one of the first farmers to join Trees for the Future’s (TREES) Forest Garden program in Ikinu, Kenya back in 2015. The 30+ year old organization has worked all over the world, but in 2014 the nonprofit began focusing entirely on what they call the Forest Garden Approach. When local TREES staff … Continued
From Better Feed to a Better Way of Farming
Ann Wairimu Kimani is a goat and chicken farmer in Ikinu, Kenya. Several years ago, Ann’s neighbor gave her some dried calliandra leaves to add to her goat feed. After feeding the calliandra to her goats, Ann says the goats started doubling their milk production, going from .3 liters a day to .6 liters a … Continued