Our nursery in Shinyanga District is located in Ng'hama village of Mwalukwa ward and is one acre in size. Albizia lebbeck, acacia nilotica and cedrella odorata are the species being grown and distributed to the thousands of farmers and institutions who have entered into contract with OPE through Trees planting campaign. Since November 2022, around 1,900 of our partner farmers have received seedlings and are planting them in accordance to training and guidelines received from OPE.
Distribution of seedling
In every collection center, Tree planting Agent mobilizes the farmers for seedling collection. Each partner farmer receives seedlings according to the size of their land, at a ratio of 60 seedlings per acre. The farmers collect and transport the seedlings through their own means such as carrying by hand, using an animal, a bicycle, hiring a motorbike or a vehicle. Farmers who receive many seedlings receive free transportation to their farms as long as the farms are located along the distribution center routes.
The trees are planted in an agroforestry layout, meaning widely spaced to allow for intercropping with food crops such as cassava, lentils (pulses), corn (maize) and others. In this way farmers are not deprived of agricultural land and the trees get “free” weeding. Also, no thinning’s are required, which avoid cutting of small-diameter trees that have negligible monetary value on the market.
