| |
| Gossi Tree Campaign - Final Report |
|
| Project Director |
| Natalie Grillon, Peace Corps Volunteer |
|
Project Number |
Total Cost (US$) |
Location |
FS02-08-PC |
$292.07 |
Gossi Tree Campaign |
|
Project Summary
September 03, 2008
by
Natalie Grillon, PCV, Mali
Preliminary work for the project began in February 2008. The PCV and the Agent d'Agriculture collected and planted the seeds in a small nursery at the Agent's house. These trees were used for demonstrations during the trainings and some for the public plantings. Because the saplings were growing during the hot season the survival rate was not as high as had been anticipated but enough trees grew to meet our needs for the trainings. By early June, the mango, neem, moringa, baobab and ziziphus trees in the nursery were mature enough to be planted out.
The training section of the project started positively because the preliminary work had gone fairly smoothly. The President of the Union and the President of the women's association selected participants. Over 40 participants attended the first introductory meeting, but as a result of other commitments and work, attendance at subsequent trainings was lower, usually averaging 25-35 participants. The trainings were held two days a week, for two hours and covered tree planting, conservation and reforestation, composting, tree nursery management, pruning, grafting, natural and organic pesticides, agro-forestry techniques, nutrition and Moringa trees, and the PLASA method of tree planting. Participants were enthusiastic, asked questions, and contributed knowledge when they could.
Three sessions away from the last training, the participating associations each submitted their locations for their public plantings. The associations chose the mayor's office, the women's meeting house, the nursery school, the mosque, the elementary school, the middle school, the guest house, the madrasa, and a space next to the highway. At least two or more trees were planted at each location over several weeks in July and August and participants used the techniques they had learned in the training sessions to plant the trees and educate those who attended the plantings.
At the last training session, participants decided to continue their work with the nursery as a group. Members from six associations planted new seeds and created a group that shares responsibility for watering and maintenance. Each member contributes 500 CFA to a fund at the monthly meeting and this money will be used to buy supplies and seeds. When the seeds they planted in August reach maturity, the group will decide the prices and will share the profits, after returning a certain amount to the fund. Their plans for the future of the nursery include finding a bigger garden to work in and hiring a gardener to water the seedlings each day. The group will continue to serve as the decision-making body and will share work responsibilities for plantings and sales.
Obstacles and Challenges
Both the participants and trainers faced several challenges over the duration of the sessions and during the preliminary and post-training work. When purchasing the tools and seeds necessary for the project, some items were unavailable or more expensive than had been calculated for. This required some minor changes to the budget, such as the decision not to purchase mosquito nets and to buy other types of seeds. The heat and dryness of the Sahelian climate posed a significant challenge to the tree nursery. Many of the saplings struggled
in the heat of March April and May and their survival rate suffered as a result. Fortunately replantings of the seedlings that struggled provided us with an adequate stock to use for the trainings.
When the formations began a new series of challenges arose. The three different languages that the participants spoke also proved a challenge for both the trainers and the participants. Translation from French to Tammasheq to Songhai or occasionally from Tamamasheq to Songhai was taxing and time-consuming and caused confusion on several occasions. When the time came to decide where to conduct the public plantings, politics intervened and certain locations were favored over others. Nonetheless the associations seemed satisfied with their final selections and the populations served were also happy about receiving their new trees.
Some obstacles that the new group may face include organization, equal sharing of work and profits and continuing environmental challenges posed by the climate and the surrounding environment.
Lessons learned
This project taught me a lot about my host community and the cultural norms concerning work and responsibility. For example, we dropped the fee we were going to charge to each association when we found out that at past formations in Gossi participants had been paid to attend. Because the majority of the participants were women, I had to conduct more of the formations in Tammasheq (local language) than I had planned but I discovered that even though some of the concepts were complex, I could communicate the idea through Tammasheq.
We also discovered almost accidentally how to enlist the truly dedicated workers; the participants who would remain committed and were ready to work. At the first meeting when we announced that there had only been a small amount of funding and that it had already been spent, several people decided they would not continue with the program if all they would be receiving were several trees and an education on arboriculture and that they would have to work before they saw any money. We learned who the true workers were when we scheduled the public plantings and then planted the new series of seeds at the nursery. Those who came to these supplemental meetings regularly attended the trainings and were enthusiastic abut planting and watering once we started the new nursery.
Impact
The local community has already felt the impact of this project. Many have commented on the new trees and thanked the participants for their work. Many other community members have asked about buying trees when the new nursery's saplings are old enough. The participants themselves have also made great strides. Many of the women planted the trees they received in their concessions and in their gardens and are very attentive to their care. Many women have also started using the moringa leaves in their sauces and porridge as a nutritional supplement. Most importantly the participants and their fellow community members have realized the benefits and importance of trees to their community and are committed to using their new knowledge to enrich their lives as well as those around them.
Final Budget | | | |
Equipment |
Cost per unit in CFA |
Units |
Total Cost in CFA |
Shovel |
2,000 |
4 |
8,000 |
Watering can |
3,000 |
2 |
6,000 |
Shears |
2,250 |
2 |
4,500 |
Wheelbarrow |
25,000 |
2 |
50,000 |
Dabba |
1,000 |
2 |
2,000 |
Materials |
|
|
|
Black plastic (per m) |
400 |
10 |
|
Sachets |
10 |
600 |
|
Fencing posts* |
500 |
24 |
|
Fencing (chicken wire) (per m) |
1,350 |
10 |
|
Compost (per sack)* |
500 |
10 |
|
Seed: |
|
|
|
Eucalyptus |
1,500 |
1 |
1,500 |
Guava |
5,000 |
1 |
5,000 |
Pomegranate |
5,000 |
1 |
5,000 |
Lemon (Citron) |
10,000 |
1 |
10,000 |
Moringa |
2,050 |
1 |
2,050 |
Ziziphus |
2,325 |
1 |
2,325 |
Baobab |
3,000 |
1 |
3,000 |
Mango |
1,000 |
1 |
1,000 |
Neem |
1,500 |
1 |
1,500 |
Labor |
|
|
|
Labor (one agent)* |
3,000 |
16 |
48,000 |
TOTAL COST
(incl. Comm. contribution) |
|
|
201,875 |
Total spent
(not including community contribution) |
|
|
116,375 |
Extra funds used for black plastic |
|
|
2,615 |
Total funds received and spent |
|
|
118,990 |
* denotes community contribution |
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
