About us

Africa Wood Grow is thé reforestation movement that is restoring degraded land in Sub-Saharan Africa. We implement agroforestry projects, which are ecosystem-based farming practices that incorporate trees into agricultural cultivation.

Africa Wood Grow consists of three entities:

  • Kamiti Community Based Organisation (Farmers)
  • The Africa Wood Grow Foundation (Foundation)
  • Africa Wood Grow Limited (Company)

These entities all share the same vision of restoring the natural ecological balance and creating a forest-based economy.

Africa Wood Grow Limited was established in 2010 and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the movement. The Africa Wood Grow Foundation was established in 2014 to improve participation with the local community. The Kamiti Community Based Organisation (CBO) was created shortly after to support the foundation’s work.

The work of Africa Wood Grow is having a positive impact on the local community. Soil erosion has been reduced, vegetation cover and animal diversity have increased, and soil fertility has improved. This has led to increased water and food security for the local community.

Africa Wood Grow is a sustainable way to restore degraded land and improve the lives of the local community. They are making a real difference in Sub-Saharan Africa and are helping to create a more resilient landscape.

“Conservation and protection of species is one of the key objectives of Africa Wood Grow”

The journey

Roeland Lelieveld: “Africa Wood Grow started as an initiative by Daniel Muvali and me. We met in the autumn of 2005 during their internship in Kenya. In this period, we saw several issues related to land degradation, which could be solved by planting trees and providing foliage to improve the soil and diminish erosion. As a result, we developed the desire to re-green the landscape and start a forestry project to support the region where few resources are in place. In order to do this, we first completed their studies, started to research and raise funds as well as set personal savings aside. Then in 2010, we established Africa Wood Grow Limited by planting a private forest from our own savings.

A few years later, the local community joined and Africa Wood Grow Foundation and the Kamiti CBO emerged to support the community in every aspect of the process. Together the three entities have come a long way since. Over the years each has grown bigger and gained valuable board members, volunteers, and employees. All share a similar vision to restore the landscape and improve livelihoods where needed. Together we have come to where Africa Wood Grow stands today!”

“In the beginning, the land was dry and eroded, but then tree planting started. In ten years the world turned green again!” – Roeland Lelieveld & Daniel Muvali

Our values

Africa Wood Grow focuses on three main pillars: creating healthy soil, establishing a forestry economy, and sustainable development. These pillars are central to the organization’s mission to empower the local community and restore the landscape.

Africa Wood Grow educates local farmers in sustainable agriculture through workshops and example farms. The Kamiti CBO serves as a network for farmers to ask each other questions and share their experiences. This collective knowledge pool increases the restoration rate of the area and the profit farmers make.

In addition to these initiatives, Africa Wood Grow also works to increase biodiversity and environmental sustainability. They do this by diversifying production systems and income sources for local communities.

Finally, Africa Wood Grow attaches great value to documentation and visualization of the area. This allows them to demonstrate the impact of their work over the past years and identify areas for improvement. The main focus of documentation is on canopy cover, tree growth, the number of farmers, and the health of the trees.

Continue to grow

Before 1950, the area where AWG is active was a savanna forest. Grazed by local animal species, it grew native vegetation and trees. Treeless plains were also present.

 

Around 1960, at the end of the colonial era, the savanna forest was cut down to make room for livestock farming. The project never got off the ground. When Kenya gained independence, the land was returned to the Kamba people.

 

Larger trees are now often cut down for firewood, and small trees are eaten by stray goats. As a result, the local ecosystem (soil, air quality, microclimate) has collapsed. This has a negative impact on the environment and the local population (erosion and imbalance in rainfall).

 

Since AWG started in 2010, trees have been planted to combat deforestation. The area of forest is shown on the Y-axis in hectares. The X-axis shows the time with the realized and future example farms. This has a positive impact on the three pillars of AWG (healthy soil, the forestry economy, and sustainable development).

 

The future growth curve is mainly realized by planting trees on the plots of the farmers. Other measures such as soil and water conservation techniques and natural regeneration are also being taken to restore the area.

Support us

Support us with a donation. Transfer your donation to
NL65 TRIO 0197 9433 73, citing Stichting Africa Wood Grow in The Hague.

The Africa Wood Grow Foundation has ANBI status, making donations tax deductible in the Netherlands.