2024-01-14 23:00:09
In Kenya, the Green Belt Movement is working to restore forests. Objective of this organization founded in 1977 by Wangarii Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize winner: to take care of the environment while involving and improving the income of local communities. Report at Dundori Forest attached to the Mau Forest complex.
A welcome song echoed by around fifteen women to welcome representatives of the Green Belt Movement. Songs that resonate above shades of green, various seedlings cultivated by these women. The organization is currently implementing the second phase of a project financed by the French Development Agency: with the planting of 300,000 trees.
« After spreading the seeds, they cover with soil. » Harriette Maiyo, of the Green Belt Movement, describes the work in the nursery, from sowing to preparing the small plants: “ The roots are cut so that the plant can strengthen them before being planted in the forest. » A large part of the plants is intended for reforestation: “ We are the main buyers, they sell the rest of the plants to other partners, neighbors and use them for their own farm. »
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This economic activity allowed Anna Wanjiku to improve her standard of living. “ Green Belt helped me a lot. With the money from the plants they buy from me, I send my children to school, I buy the necessities for the house and I save a little “. Once the young shoots leave the nursery, they will be planted on plots like this, shared with farmers for three years. John Gichogohi is a “Green Volunteer”, a sort of forest ranger who ensures the survival of the plants and has a plot like this. “ We grow food where trees are planted. And for example those who grow these cabbages, they do it for commercial purposes. It has really improved our livelihoods here. At the same time, it helps ensure that the plants survive, because the vegetation here is not as thick as there. »
Restoring forests helps improve water resources, mitigate the impacts of droughts or limit the risk of flooding. An environmental and economic advantage, underlines Raphaël Kweyu, member of the board of directors of the Green Belt Movement: “ If we just look at the Mau forest, it is a source for many rivers, including those where we have hydroelectric power stations, these rivers also give water to farms. And this same water flows through the Masai Mara Park, which is a very tourist destination. »
A small portion of hill cleared above an area where the forest is supposed to be restored demonstrates the competition that remains over land use.
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