Kijumbura Tree Growers (KTG) is a registered firm based in Karagwe District, Kagera Region. Amongst its many activities in boosting economy and environmental conservation, it aims to see the whole region changes to GREEN with the believe that Green is the source of life and hence can help eliminate poverty among the community. The importance of trees for Karagwe and the neighboring districts can hardly be underestimated. They are a water catchments protection, have medicinal value, give fuel woods, offer fruits and biological fencing or fodders for animals and also can be a good source of income. The practice of cutting down trees leads to land degradation, drying out of spring water and severe soil erosion. But as the rural poor communities depend on collecting firewood for sale or on cutting down trees for burning charcoal, there has been a notable increase of deforestation in Karagwe District.
With the establishment of Tree Nurseries, KTG targets this problem, where poverty and the destruction of the environment are related, from two sides: As the cultivation and selling of trees creates a source of income, especially for women, the practice of cutting down trees in order to earn money will not be necessary any longer. On the other hand, the Tree Nurseries increase the number of trees in the District.
Until now, we have implemented Two Tree Nurseries in Kijumbura Village and open a distribution point at Kayanga Town. The KTG office is just oposite KDCU Head Office at Kayanga. In order to spread the project, the existing nurseries are used as a model to teach especially the groups of youth and women in enviromental protection and the practice of tree planting. Furthermore, we plan to involved the neighbor primary school as a model: Where each pupil will take care of his or her own tree. We aim to make the school as green as a green.
We aim to establish at least one Tree Nursery in each village and each Primary School in Karagwe District. One further step will be the use of the nurseries for the production of vegetables and fruit seedlings to help creating quick income and returns to the Tree Nursery attendants.
The youth and women groups being our main targets, we aim at helping them have their own nurseries and raise income starting with Kijumbura Villagers as a pilot area.
See Kijumbura Map
Kijumbura Google Map