Baringo County Women Groups Mango Tree Seedlings Planting Project - Kenya

This activity facilitates the coming together of women and the Baringo County Government to carry out climate change mitigation and adaptation measures by planting and growing mango tree seedlings for tree cover, food security, income generation for women and soil erosion control.

Fast facts:

A total of 68 women groups have participated in this activity;
A total of 9,192 mango tree seedlings have been planted at 637 homesteads;
702 women have directly benefitted from this activity, including 65 women leaders trained in climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The problem

Women in Kenya have been heavily impacted by climate change; displaced by floods, landslides and gully development. They have had to deal with a lack of food due to crop failure and diseases and a lack of income generation to help support themselves and their families.

The solution

Planting mango tree seedlings is one way of mitigating and adapting to climate change. Mango trees, once fully grown, can provide shade, fruit and surplus fruit sold for extra income. Women in the community are mobilizing other women and the general community to plant mango tree seedling. Women collect the tree seedlings and distribute to the group beneficiaries. They also closely supervise, monitor progress and bring feedback reports to the County government staff.

Helping the planet

This activity helps the planet by increasing tree cover in Baringo county (trees sequester carbon) and controlling soil erosion.

Helping people

This activity places women in leadership roles. They are provided knowledge and skills on planting mango trees and have been recognized by the Baringo County and addressed by the Governor of the County. Women leaders train other women in their groups and villages. The County government staff has helped build their capacities further by training them in management and installation of energy saving cookstoves produced by women in Baringo.

Scaling up

Mango tree seedlings do well in the semi arid lands neighbouring Baringo County. This activity aims to cover the entire North Rift Valley with mango trees. There are enough interested women groups in the valley to spread this activity. This activity is also implementing mango tree planting in public schools. When scaled up, this activity can plant a variety of fruit trees, not just mango trees.