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650 people in Babati and Mbulu districts, Tanzania, learn how to earn an income from the forest.
How many different ways are there to earn an income from a forest?
As communities in Tanzania are learning there’s beekeeping, mushroom farming and raffia weaving and that’s to name but a few! In the last few months FARM-Africa has trained over 650 people in Tanzania’s Babati and Mbulu districts to earn an income from the forest – none of which involve cutting down trees to sell as firewood.
So what’s been happening recently?
Beekeeping
We’ve trained 43 more people in modern beekeeping techniques as well as how to process and market honey. Processing adds value to the honey so it can be sold at market for a higher price.
Butterfly farming
After identifying nine butterfly species in the area which were suitable for butterfly farming we trained 187 farmers how to set up a butterfly farming business.
Mushroom farming
We’ve trained 60 people how to start their own mushroom farming business and how to use mushroom farming sheds to ensure the mushrooms are grown in just the right conditions.
Tree nurseries
210 farmers received training and seeds to set up tree nurseries in the forest. These tree seedlings can be planted on their own farms or sold to other community members.
Medicinal plants
100 community members attended a meeting about medicinal plants and are now busy collecting a list of medicinal plants that are found in the forest.
Raffia farming
We trained 20 farmers how to use the raffia growing in the forest to make and sell raffia products such as baskets and rugs.
Fish farming
34 people learnt all about fish farming, including the best way to dig a fish pond, different types of fish to be farmed and the best ways to store fish.
Comments
Hi, This project is very interesting and I intend to use it as a case study in a paper I'm currently writing. What does "butterfly farming" mean? I must confess I have an imaginary picture of what it could be, but can't put it in relation with any lucrative business. Thanks for those updating articles which tell a lot more about FARM-Africa's project in Tanzania than the initial strategy paper ! :-)
Butterflies are farmed in specially built enclosures and farmers can sell them for weddings and other celebrations where butterflies are released. FARM-Africa has provided training to farmers on how to identify different species, catching butterflies without harming or distressing them, identifying males and females and what the best host plants for butterflies are.
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