THE TREE
The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program
VOLUME 1. ISSUE NO. 87 MARCH 2017
The TREE is a monthly newsletter Published by TIST Uganda, a project area of The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program.
MISSION STATEMENT:
TIST Uganda is a community initiative dedicated to empowering small groups of subsistence farmers to combat the devastating effects of deforestation, poverty and drought.
OBJECTIVE STATEMENT:
Combining sustainable development with carbon sequestration,TIST supports the reforestation efforts of over 25,000 subsistence farmers. Sales of carbon credits generate participant income while TIST today also addresses Agriculture, HIV/AIDS, Nutrition and Fuel Wood challenges.
ADDRESS:
TIST Uganda. Katungu Hill, Bushenyi Town, P.O. Box 232, Bushenyi, Uganda, East Africa. Website: www.tist.org, info@i4ei.org
In this Issue:
Expansion process in Gulu District
Environmental Background in Gulu District
Tist Values
Impact of climate change on women
The change we want to see in Gulu District
Small group application and registration process.
EXPANSION PROCESS IN GULU DISTRICT
Gulu is in the Northern part of Uganda; it is an Acholiland, which means the geographical area as defined by 1962 constitution. Historically,this area has fertile land and they are the food basket in Uganda. Acholiland supplies different types of food in Uganda; they also have the biggest land (Customary Land). Most of this land is not registered under the Registration of titles Act, or central government of Uganda. This land owned by clan or by familymember iswhether being a woman, man, or youth all members of that clan or families have the right to own that land. When farmers heard about TIST program and being trained to form and work in groups, farmers started forming small groups of 6-12 members. Theystarted planting trees for TIST program so that they become TIST trees. Gulu farmers have very fertile land for farming. They promised to plant Trees, for timber, for fruit and for fuel. Gulu hasa special programme, as you all know that situation has been made worse as people become very poor. Over twenty years of insecurity and the effects of displacement in camps have greatly affected people. In spite of all this, farmers have still promised to plant trees to protect our environment and have already established a few nursery beds. Gulu district now has 120 TIST small groups and 10Clusters all established and trained. Patiko Sub-county farmers have planted 8,000 Tick trees. Also in Pawel Anyang village,they have planted 5,000 live Tick trees. Individual farmers have big land in which they have started to establish their nursery beds for this season
Farmers in Gulu after training in their cluster
ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND IN GULU DISTRICT
Gulu District today has pressures on water, environment and natural resources due to weather and climate changes. These changes are intensifying and increasing challenges for service delivery. The effects of poor land use practices, ecosystems degradation and inadequate enforcement on compliance has led to declining water levels as well as the drying and pollution of water resources, which has resulted in environmental degradation through the massive encroachment on forests, Wet land and others. Now is the right time to work hard and grow what is needed to eat and drink, otherwise we are starving. As a TIST member who is trained on the environmental benefit to our life and life of our communities, I have been telling this to the small group members. The best is yet to come!
Cluster members after their training in Cluster
TIST VALUES
TIST Values: A proven best practice.
We, the TIST family, have developed these values to guide our behavior and our operations. The TIST Values have proven to be a best practice. They help all TIST participants, old and new, to better understand and explain TIST.
Who Are we
1) We are honest.
2) We are accurate.
3) We are transparent.
4) We are servants to each other.
5) We are mutually accountable to each other.
How We Do Things that other people can see
1) We are volunteers.
2) We do the work ourselves in small groups.
3) We develop and use best practices.
4) We use our heads and our hands.
What do we do
1) We plant different species of trees to create a better environment.
2) We find ways to improve our nutrition and our health.
3) We practice Conservation Farming to improve yields and our soil.
4) We do other projects and business to improve our lives and our community.
5) We measure the results of our efforts to improve the environment.
6) We earn money from carbon credits and other environmental services.
What we create
This is different from what we do. When we have these values and as we live and do business that way on those projects, we create something that was not there before.
These include
1) We create Team Work - by doing things this way, we end up working like a team.
2) We create Capacity - we create organization, strength, and a system that is strong.
3) We create Enjoyment - we see results, we accomplish big things that we enjoy.
4) We create Big Results - Big results in planting trees, in Conservation Farming and from other projects and business that we do.
5) We create Low Budget/cost, yet we achieve big results.
6) We create a physical and social environment of harmony and joy.
Farmers in their fresh fields after training in their group in Gulu
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON WOMEN
Women being the primary care takers of the families are often the first to become aware of environmental changes. As resources become scarce, this affects their means of livelihood and the very substance of their families. Women suffer in climate change more than men, from increased workload, the burden of fuel and water collection, violence, health problems and the loss of income in the aftermath of such events. This is what we are seeing, and telling women’s groups so that they become activists in planting trees for income generation and fuel.
Farmer after training in Awach Cluster in Gulu
THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE IN GULU DISTRICT
Greater participation of women, men and youth at all levels, in planting more trees and preservation of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources. Mechanisms established and effective communication strategies developed for women and communication on issues of climate change and the environment. Set targets for women’s groups to benefit from planting trees and carbon income. Also facilitate their participation through training allocation of land and resources. Communities must be involved in the planning and implementation of environmental conservation programmes and their voices should be heard and integrated in policymaking at all levels. The change we want to see after training groups is see Gulu district look green through planting many different types of trees and keeping it well.
By Gladys Laker - Gulu District
SMALL GROUP APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION PROCESS
This process will help Small Groups form clusters with “low budget/ bigresults”. It will support low-cost quantification, training and auditing. It will also make TIST stronger by making TIST Small Groups stronger. Groups that join TIST through this process will be committed to working together to plant trees and undertake other beneficial actions on their land and in their community for the long-term. They will be sure to understand the basics of TIST and be committed to TIST values.
What is a TIST Small Group?
A TIST Small Group consists of 6-12 people who willingly and purposefully join together to plant trees, improve their land, and benefit their community. There must be representatives from at least 3 families in the Small Group.
What is a TIST Cluster?
A TIST cluster has 30 to 50 Small Groups within walking distance of each other, enough land to plant at least 200,000 trees (about 80 hectares total), and dedicated members committed to modeling TIST values for long-term