Replenishing Kenya’s drylands

In Kitui County, Kenya, we’re working in partnership with Kitui Development Centre, a women-led organisation, to plant trees that replenish and revive this semi-arid landscape, thanks to support from One Tree Planted.

By planting indigenous and fruit-bearing trees, we’re employing agroforestry, a technique that integrates trees into farmland, to improve soil health and increase yields. And the results have been outstanding – with 26,650 trees planted and over 23 hectares restored, this project is literally taking root.

But it doesn’t stop there. We’re supporting the local community to create tree nurseries that bring about lasting positive change. So far, we’ve already established three community nurseries and supported 94 community members with training in seed sourcing, propagation and grafting.

Local farmers like Lillian are already seeing the results of this project on a personal level. “I have benefited from all the tree planting trainings and now am able to start my own nursery. Since we started this project, I have been able to earn more than 70,000 Kenyan shillings from the sale of the tree seedlings. This has assisted me in paying my children’s school fees and meeting other domestic needs. I have also planted about 300 tree seedlings and soon I will be harvesting and eating fruits, after a while I will be able to get firewood.”

This project shows that it’s possible to make a lasting impact, one tree at a time.