- Adventures in REDD+, Agriculture, Climate Change, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Forest Communities
Enhancing Food Security in the Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project Through Agronomy Training
By Jane Okoth Millions of people around the world still face the challenges of food security and malnutrition. One of the main targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 of Zero Hunger is to ensure sustainable food production and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity. On the west side of Lake Mai Ndombe is an indigenous forest community that is part of the Wildlife Works Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project. The area protects over 740,000 acres of rainforest, which is home to chimpanzees, bonobos and forest elephants, and includes some of the most important wetlands in the world. Despite the rich biodiversity of the region, the community still…
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Agriculture Mentor Program for Local Community Groups
Wildlife Works runs an organic greenhouse on-site at our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project in Kenya. Here, we raise indigenous tree seedlings that we donate to the community to help reforestation efforts as well as test growing techniques for local growing conditions. One of our main objectives is to run tours and training for anyone who wants to learn alternative methods for growing in the semi-arid, drought conditions of the Tsavo region. Some of the best practice growing methods we teach include water conservation through techniques such as vertical farming (where water trickles vertically down a pod watering more plants rather than draining away into the soil) and introducing people to…
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George of the Jungle: Growing our Tree Seedling and Agriculture Business
“If you put me in an office, it will be the end of me!” is the first thing George Thumbi tells us on a tour of his life. George, a father of three from Central Kenya, was brought up in a family of 10 children on a farm that grew coffee, maize, fruit and other plants. It was here that he developed an interest in agriculture which led him to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Agroforesty at Egerton University, Kenya, among other qualifications such as a Diploma in Sales and Marketing and Business Management. George, who is now in charge of the agribusiness and forestry program at…
