KWEPU as a community-based organization (CBO) is running a tree nursery since April 2020. The nursery is located in a big parcel of land where other activities like horticulture, and fruit tree growing is done. We also have a woodlot towards the lake since our land moves down up to the lake shore.
In our land, we have grown sugarcane, passion fruit, cassava, paw paws, bananas, local vegetables, and other fruit trees like avocado, lemons among others with the sole objective of ensuring food security and sell the surplus.
The major activity now in the garden is weeding and planting of more local vegetables and Sukuma wiki, while harvesting of paw paws and cassava is on. The pictures below is a summary of its current status.
Woodlot
We are developing a woodlot: of trees like eucalyptus, gravellier and pine because of their nature to survive in waterlogged areas during the last year when their was arise in the water level of lake Victoria, part of our land towards the lake turned into a waterlogged and currently the trees we planted have prove to help absorb it. The figure below is its current position.
Tree Nursery
The KWEPU Tree Nursery has the capacity to carry between 5,000 to 6,000 seedlings. Currently the nursery has 2,700 seedlings ready for planting and 2,000 seedlings still not ready. We have a variety of trees with majority being the local species which can best with stand the climate.
We relocated the position of the nursery shade to have a more spacious place but just with the garden but now towards the lake.
Security
The major threat to our crops are the hippos, and in our effort to help rescue the situation, we managed to buy two sensor light gadgets and installed it in different positions. We have also managed to connect the garden to electricity and extend it now up to the lake shore passing through the garden.
Fence Repair
We received funds for the fence repair and all the fencing poles and the wires were purchased from Mbita Hardware and delivered to the nursery. The fence is in good condition.
The photos show our newly repaired fence and the gate.
