Komaza is often asked the question: “Why do farmers join KOMAZA, when it is such a long term project? Don’t farmers have immediate needs like food security that they need assistance with today?”  We sent out our Project Management Officer, Samson Francis Ngoba, to pose this question to our farmers. Here’s what he found:

1. Investment
Contrary to short term solutions, KOMAZA offers the farmers a long term investment in trees that will benefit generations to come. The trees issued to farmers can coppice and provide income up to 30 years without replanting. Remus from Chasimba appreciates the longevity of the project, saying, “Because it’s a long term project, [there will be] money in the future.”

Remus from Chasimba

2. Added benefits
The KOMAZA farmers get short term crop seeds that help them feed their families and generate income every season as they wait for the trees to mature. “KOMAZA project targets to uplift living standards of the locals. The short term crops serve as an immediate solution to life challenges,” says Mulungu from Dungicha location. The farmers also get free technical training from the excellent field extension network. This goes a long way in benefitting them in their other farming practices.

Mulungu from Dungicha

3. Conservation of habitats
The trees minimize the pressure being exerted on indigenous forests, such as charcoal burning and firewood, by offering sustainable fuel wood solutions. The indigenous forests are home to biodiversity that is of much importance to the locals. For example, the locals get medication and the forest serves as shrines for various cultural ceremonies. Fatuma from Mwahera location wants to put beehives in her tree farm. “I like forestry farming too since it has more income,” says Fatuma.

Fatuma from Mwahera

4. Re-afforestation
The economic practice in the area KOMAZA operates in constitutes of clearing forests and bushland to provide farming land. The farmers enroll in the programme to reintroduce beneficial vegetation whose maturity cycle will provide income in a short time as compared to the indigenous forests, and also attract rainfall for their short term crops. Kafedha from Bamba location gave three reasons for planting a KOMAZA tree farm: “Re-afforestation. To change the environment. To stop soil erosion.”

5. Communal participation and well being
By enrolling as KOMAZA farmers, the participants have a forum to meet their peers and exchange ideas, and create cohesive relationships amongst themselves. Since they are driven by the same endeavor (tree farming), they easily relate to one another and everyone has a sense of belonging. “My neighbors are doing this project and what I can see inspired me to join,” shares Saumu from Vitengeni location.

So these are 5 reasons why farmers say they join Komaza.

A final point from our Director of Operations highlights that if a farmer owns a large plot of land that is currently idle, then it’s to the farmer’s advantage to plant that acreage with a crop.  Trees are a crop that makes sense from a labor intensity standpoint.  For instance, one farmer with a hoe and no tractor can’t realistically take care of 20 acres of maize– it’s too labor intensive.  Whereas trees can be planted once in 30 years and allowed to grow with relatively minimal care and maintenance.  It makes productive use of the idle land for a small commitment in time but with a large future payoff.

Komaza is excited to share photos of our current April 2013 planting season.  This season we embark on planting our first 10 mahogany (melia volkensii) tree farms.  We are diversifying beyond our flagship eucalyptus into this indigenous, drought-resistant, termite-resistant tree.  It has been a difficult tree to germinate from seed and our Nursery team had gotten frustrated. Nonetheless, diligently experimenting with new techniques since October 2012, they’ve finally “cracked the nut” and achieved germination success rates above 90% (higher than any previously established rate in the industry)!  The nursery germinated enough seeds to plant 196 trees on each farm.  We share with you the planting day pictures from the first farm.

Melia volkensii requires larger potting soil bags than eucalyptus seedlings so we used these wooden crates to transport the seedlings to the farm.

The truck was loaded with both eucalyptus seedlings and the wooden crates of melia volkensii.

Field Officer in Mwahera location, Francisco Mwayele, shows the farmer, Raphael Wepukulu, how to carefully remove the potting bag from the roots of the seedling.

The farmer’s wife, Ruth Nafula Kundu, receives instruction from Mwahera sub-location Facilitator, Thomas Mwananje, on how to remove the seedling with care.

Francisco and Raphael place the first seedling into the ground.

Thomas and Raphael fill the hole with dirt and pack it firmly around the seedling.

Raphael gives the new seedling plenty of water.

Raphael and Ruth are proud to be the first Komaza farmers to successfully plant a melia volkensii farm. They have done such a good job with their eucalyptus trees (as seen in the background) that Komaza was happy to give them an opportunity to plant melia volkensii.

As Komaza endeavors to expand its nursery operation into a profit center, we have diversified into tree species besides eucalyptus.  The third tree species we have begun germinating is the coconut.

Coconut trees outside the Komaza office in Kilifi.

After attending training at Kenya Coconut Development Authority (KCDA), Komaza is now a certified nursery operator and has its first contract to supply KCDA with 5000 coconut seedlings in June.  We have been busy sourcing for high-quality seed nuts.  Our field officer, Erastus Jefwa Lazaro, has been able to source these seeds direct from Komaza farmers who also own coconut trees in addition to the eucalyptus trees.

Erastus loads coconut seed nuts into the truck for transport to Komaza’s nursery.

Once transported to the nursery, the seed nuts are offloaded into a pile where the nursery staff sort and organize them.

Juma, our nursery/Demo Farm attendant, sorts and organizes the seeds.

Some of the seeds still need to dry out for a week before planting but once dried they are prepped for planting.

Juma and Erastus prepare the seeds for planting

The seeds are planted in orderly rows to maximize output per hectare.

Coconut seeds awaiting the rains in orderly rows.

With rains having started this past week, yesterday saw the first sprout popping its leaves out of the shell.  It is the first coconut tree we have ever produced. 

The demand for coconuts in coastal Kenya will outpace our supply this first season but we hope to build on the season’s successes and continue expanding next season.

Komaza is privileged to have many fantastic field staff who work very hard to support our farmers.  In fact, many staff believe in the model so deeply that they too become farmers and plant trees on their own land.  One example is our Field Manager, Alfred Kiti. He is a such a proponent of the model that he planted 256 trees on his property in the short rains 2012 planting season.

Alfred checks on the health of one of his eucalyptus trees.

When asked why he decided to plant a Komaza farm, Alfred said, “I wanted to set an example for the people in my community.”  He explained that when the leaders in a community are seen to be doing something, then everyone else will follow.  He wanted to show his neighbors that the project works rather than just tell them.

As we wandered amongst the trees, an older gentleman approached us.  Alfred introduced this man as his father and another Komaza farmer.

Alfred Kiti with his father, Kiti Chonga, on their co-planted farm.

Alfred pointed out that there were actually 512 trees on this farm because he’d co-planted with his dad.  “That’s fantastic!” I said.  Alfred’s father, Kiti Chonga, helps to weed and care for the trees while also attending to the family’s livestock.  For the Kiti household, Komaza farming is truly a family affair.

Alfred is pleased with how well his trees are growing despite the tenacity of weeds.