Project Update: December 2008

Tree seed collection exercise by some participants.

I am pleased to report that short training courses were organised in five zone areas of the project site. Seventy (70) participants were trained in each zone. In total, 350 people have been trained and have acquired relevant skills and knowledge in nursery and woodlot establishment and management. About 64% of people trained were women. The good number took part in these courses as they fully aware that they are the most vulnerable groups in the society when it comes to firewood collection. They travel long distances to collect firewood for cooking and lightening and at the same time do other household work. In this respect, they decided to take part in the training courses in order to acquire relevant skills and knowledge to assist them to use it in growing of more trees in their respective areas so that they should reduce the burden that they face when collecting firewood.

The participants were trained in seed collection, seed treatment, storage, nursery site selection, nursery establishment, nursery infrastructure, tools and equipment, nursery land preparation, seed multiplication, seed/seedling potting media, methods of sowing, types of pots used, seedling transplanting, and management of seedlings ion the field among others (See photo). The training courses were organised from 15th-19th September, 2008; 29th September – 3rd October, 2008; 20th-24th October 20087, 3rd-7th November 2008 and lastly from 10th -14th November 2008. I am pleased to report that as of today, at 90% of the participants have started establishing their own tree nursery using skills learned from these training courses.