Funding proposal for Tree Nursery

Here's an example of a project proposal for funding for the Mbororo Tree Nursery project I am working on, which may give you more of an idea of some of my work.

SMALL GRANT PROJECT PROPOSAL

Title of the Project: Establishment of a Tree Nursery in the Foulbe Ladde village of Jawro Issa Adamou

Area of Land: an eigth of an hectare

Location
Cameroon, North Province
20 km south of Garoua
Israel village, Jawro Issa Adamou
Climate: southern Sahel
Rainy season: June-mid October
Heavy rains: August/early September
Dry season: October-June
Hot season: (temps above 120 during the day) February-May/June
rainfall: 800mm/year
elevation: 1000 m

Implementers: Elizabeth A. Moore, Peace Corps Volunteer, Agroforestry
Abdul Rahman, Saleh, Jawro Issa Adamou, residents

Qualification and Profession: Peace Corps Volunteer


Executive Summary:
How many Trees will be Produced? At least 1000 trees (fruit trees, thorny trees, shade trees, and fodder trees) will be produced.

What species?
During a village meeting, the inhabitants listed the trees they were interested in, which were as follows:
Fruit:
Anacardium occidental
Mangifera indica
Psidium guajave
various citrus (oranges, lime)#
Thorny:
Acacia nilotica
Acacia polyacantha
Shade:
Azadirachta (neem)
Cassia siamea*
Albezia lebbeck*
Fodder:
Ficus#
Other:
Eucalpytus#
Moringa oliefera*

*These following trees were not listed, due to lack of knowledge, however I added them, and in discussion they were very happy to include these.

#These trees, while requested by the village, I either discouraged (eucalyptus) or declined for this year because of difficulty producing lack of seeds (although if we find seeds we may try an experiment)

Where will these trees be planted?
The vast majority will be planted in the village, around homes, surrounding the village and in nearby fields. However others will be sold to other villagers, and friends/family and taken back to different villages.

How many people will be affected? The immediate village is home to 300 inhabitants, men, women, and children. However there are many surrounding villagers who will come to buy trees, and benefit from the project, so that the total number of those affected positively by this project greatly exceeds 300.

What agroforestry techniques will you be using?
Live Fencing
Composting
Open root nursery

Future teaching techniques:
Grafting
Cuttings

Project Starting: March 2010

Grant Sought for: 54,500 fcfa/ $115.72

Background:
I am an agroforestry Peace Corps volunteer working in the North region of Cameroon in a small village about 20 km south of Garoua. Among the villages I work with is a village of Foulbe Ladde/Mbororo, semi-nomadic pastoralists who have settled in the area in the past 20 years. While they are pastoralists, rather than agriculturalists, and have little past experience with tree planting, they have been very interested in planting trees during my work with them this past year. Last year, they ordered and planted around 500 trees, all fruit trees for their houses and fields or thorny trees to plant around the village as a live fence. However, their village is a bit isolated, a long drive on a very bad unpaved road around a mountain. I suggested briefly the possibility of them creating their own nursery for this year, and they latched onto that idea. Since then, they have chosen a site for the nursery, chosen three men who will learn the trade and work on it, and we are doing some nursery trainings right now, in the hopes of starting tree production on a small scale this season. What is notable to me is their true desire, almost thirst, for trees. We will probably be looking to produce first thorny trees for haie vives, fodder trees for their cows and sheep, and some of the more simple fruit trees.

Importance
The work with the Foulbe Ladde, to me, is one of the more exciting areas of my work because it is introducing tree planting (and raising) to a group of people with no previous experience. What is particularly thrilling is the possibility of creating a tree planting culture among a people group who historically have not planted trees, nor grown many crops, because of the constant moving from place to place. Many of the surrounding villages of agriculturalists have been visited by researchers, NGOs, and agriculture groups and most know the importance of trees and some general agroforestry principles. However the Foulbe Ladde are the most removed population, keeping to themselves, communicating solely in Fulfulde, with little school enrollment. They have worked with some NGOs, however not as extensively as other villages.
In addition, the isolation both location-wise and socially means that most of them have never been to village nurseries. In surrounding communities of agriculturalists, those that want trees would easily go to a local nursery to buy them, and know the location of the nursery. However most Foulbe Ladde would not necessarily have a connection with nurseries. The nearest nurseries are 50 minutes away by car, a transport option which is not available to 99% of the villagers, who travel predominantly by motorbike or foot. Though they have little background planting trees, they cut trees (mostly big branches, but sometimes whole trees) through the dry season in order to feed their cows as they pasture. Women of course also cook solely with wood, and look for that wood en brousse, cutting branches. The opportunity to work with them on establishing tree lots for fodder trees for their livestock, and also to participate in general tree planting as replacing those trees cut for fodder is important.
Currently, there is much interest among the Foulbe Ladde in the surrounding area, and the news is spreading from the mouths of the Foulbe I work with of the establishment of their nursery. Already others are coming to that village to ask about trees, about buying them, and also about establishing their own nurseries. As it is a very isolated and reserved population, the Foulbe Ladde are the best people to pass on knowledge and information, to encourage others amongst the region’s Foulbe to plant trees as well. I see the reach of one nursery extending a large distance through the passing of knowledge and encouragement.

Sustainability
In terms of sustainability, providing the first season goes well, I have high hopes that this project will be sustainable. I will COS in December of 2010, and will likely be replaced, as I have been opening this post. However the training going on now is with the view that the Foulbe nurserymen will be trained and have knowledge and be able to continue the work without any volunteer’s presence. I am making sure to connect the Foulbe nurserymen with the nurserymen in my village, doing the training through them, at their nurseries. Thus, when they have any questions, they will go to them, and this will be an avenue of permanent support. In addition, I believe the desire for trees, as previously mentioned, is strong enough to provide a good market, and it will be growing as the news of their nursery spreads. The replication factor is highly possible, in that if their nursery is successful the first year, I am sure their families in other villages will also want to start their own, and they will serve as trainers. The killer of sustainability will be if the first year sees many difficulties or problems in the nursery and the work is abandoned in the first year. But I believe if they get through the first year they will certainly continue the work into the future, as they see the benefits.

Future extension
There is much possibility in terms of extending the project and teaching in the future. The following years after establishment, future volunteers, or other nursery men or NGO workers should introduce more complex propagation methods, such as grafting and the use of cuttings. As we will be starting small this year, there is always room for the expansion of the nursery, both in terrain size and in quantity and variety of species produced. This first year, most of their production will be for their own village and friends in surrounding villages. However if they find success and continued interest in the nursery work, it would be advisable for them to join one of the nursery GICs (common interest group), a network of nurseries who often link up with ONGs for tree planting endeavors, providing a greater network of information, resources, and a larger market. Finally, on top of the nursery technical expertise, basic business and financial principles should be explored, to allow them to extend from year to year, preparing for the future year’s production with the current year’s sales.

Techniques to be used
-We will be experimenting with an open root nursery bed as well as conventional plastic polypots, both those bought and those from recycled water bags.
-A live fence will be planted around the nursery area, incorporating both thorny trees as well as cuttings of other fast growing trees, to experiment with multiple methods and look at effectiveness of different species.
-A compost pit will be dug and compost will be produced, to be used at outplanting time
-The production of many diverse species for various uses
-In the future, we will expand into learning other vegetative propagation techniques such as grafting and cuttings.

Outputs/Expected Results:
1000 trees will be planted in the village of Jawro Issa Adamou and surrounding villages, combating desertification and deforestation
Village nurserymen will be trained in keeping a nursery and tree planting techniques
These nurserymen will share their knowledge with other villagers and friends and relatives from other villages so that knowledge and interest in tree planting will spread beyond their village
Women and children will be included in the nursery activities
The nursery will add another economic resource for the village
In theory, becoming interested in raising and planting trees will allow this people group to take more care of the trees around them, perhaps cutting less and being more careful about bush fires.

Tools Needed/Budget
We are requesting 54.500 fcfa (~$115) to allow the purchase of basic supplies for starting the nursery.

Budget Breakdown

Item Cost Unit Total (fcfa) US $
Polypots medium size 7 500 3.500 7.43
Polypots fruit trees 10 300 3.000 6.37
Watering can 4000 2 8.000 16.99
Buckets 2000 2 4.000 8.49
Shovel 3000 2 6.000 12.74
Wheelbarrow 30000 1 30.000 63.70
Total 54.500 115.72

TIMELINE
December
First talks with local NGO CELDIE and village
January
Site chosen; 3 pepinieristes chosen; field trip to nursery in Mafa Kilda
February
Site clean-up, thorny barrier created; discuss which species and numbers to be produced; well and compost pit dug
March
Seed Collection and Storage animation; seed preparation demonstration; seeds planted; beginning maintenance (watering, weeding, moving pots)
April
Planting; follow up visit to Mafa Kilda nursery; nursery maintenance
May
Maintenance
June
Maintenance; first outplanting
July
Main outplanting
August
Continued outplanting
September
Cleanup; financial breakdown, budget for next year; planning for next years needs and production