erick – Trees en livelihoods

Food Security

February 15, 2025 erick No Comments

Food security is threatened by the changing climate in a major way. A government or a family that cannot feed its people can hardly think of improving the infrastructure or any other development.

Finding ways to go around the effects of climate change so as to detangle ourselves from the killer tentacles,we have to look at crops that can tolerate the changes.

These are pineapples on a farm in one of the driest areas of the Kenyan coast, Magarini. In the midst of a huge drought and temperature of above 35⁰ c ,this farmer is taking loads of very sweet pineapples to the market. Pineapples in Malindi have a high brix (sugar content).

The irony of the story is that the market in the small tourist towns of Malindi and the even smaller Watamu are flooded with golden yellow pineapples.

The government and other change agencies are needed at this juncture to provide training and infrastructure for value addition.

This will help farmers to make pineapple juice and Can others to sell during the season when there are no pineapples on the farm.

Trees

February 8, 2025 erick No Comments

Bamboo has a lot of uses including some species being used as food where the soft shoots are used as vegetables.
However, its environmental conservation role cannot be ignored especially in the rehabilitation of wetlands that contribute greatly to nutrient and water cycling.

The use of bamboo to make tomato trellis and other climbing crops has been used for generations, especially in Asia where bamboo is grown on a large scale.

I experienced a high in my career in February 2025, when I visited my client’s farm in the Mongotoni area in Malindi to advise on suitable shade trees for his farmhouse compound when he requested that I pass by the farm and see how the bamboo I had assisted in planting for flood and soil erosion control had saved him money.

The bamboo canes could be seen sticking out in the large tomato plantation adjacent to the Sabaki/Galana River.
Previously he had been buying the sticks from local vendors who he suspected were cutting them from the adjacent Arabuko Sokoke forest bushes that are mainly made up of indigenous slow-growing shrubs.

Not only did my client make more money because he spent less on production costs, but he also stopped contributing to the indirect destruction of vegetation by not providing marketing for the goodies in the forest.

It is important to train the neighbouring communities on the propagation of bamboo and other fast-growing commercial trees that can provide the staking sticks amongst other products of trees so that they can continue to make sustainable livelihoods.

Trees

January 25, 2024 erick No Comments

We do environmental impact assessment and environmental audits for companies and individuals while advising them on how to match environmental standards that are set locally and internationally. This not only helps the firms to keep on the right side of the law but also leverages them through sustainable use of resources by reducing losses that may occur during the process of product development or in the daily running of the firm

Trees

January 25, 2024 erick No Comments

We train farm workers on proper farm management, sustainable use of resources and maintenance of tools and equipments.

We also train them on how to identify and manage pest and diseases

using locally available materials.

Training on value addition for sustainable livelihoods

Charcoal briquettes and plant fertilizer

We train on how to make charcoal briquettes from farm biomass as a source of cleaner energy and a contribution towards reducing deforestation.

We also train on how to use biomass from nitrogen fixing trees to value add soil and animal feeds.

Bee keeping

We train on bee keeping as an extractive use of forests while earning livelihood from the various hive products.

Climate smart agriculture with trees
We offer training on how to adapt to climate change through farm demonstration and one on one training with groups or individually.

Trees

January 25, 2024 erick No Comments

We offer landscaping services which includes clearing and tilling the land to planting the grass and flowers . The engagement may be extended depending on the customer need to include maintenance of the landscapes for an agreed period of time.

Uncategorized

January 25, 2024 erick No Comments

We offer technical assistance by collaborating with our partners, especially with the evolving challenges in pests and diseases due to climate change. We assist in pest and disease identification and advice on the cause and control

Trees

January 25, 2024 erick No Comments

We have our main nursery located at Msabaha along Malindi -Mombasa road. The tree nursery was established 10 years ago. We produce a variety of seedlings that vary in type and size depending on customer preference. We also custom-make seedlings depending on their need.We also offer technical backstopping depending on the situation.

The seedlings are categorized as follows:

Ornamental plants (indoor and outdoor)
Vegetable seedlings
Herbs
Forest and Timber trees
Fruit tree seedlings