OUR NURSERIES AND TEAM MEMBERS

As the project grew, Chris recognised that lessons were being learnt on both sides, from the community as well as from Root to Fruit. Significantly, there was the lesson of proving that trees are of more benefit to the community standing up than cut down! However, the long term effects of deforestation are often eclipsed by the short term need to put food on the table.

The success of Root to Fruit is the link that enables the communities to value the long term benefits of their trees in the ground; binding together the soil that washes away the field, that fruits can generate income and that shade provides continuous respite and relief from the hot sun. The communities are after all the ones that can ensure they stay standing.

Simultaneously, our international guests can offset the carbon footprint of their travels in support of a project that we truly can see is supporting the livelihoods of local Malawians whilst improving the local and global environment.

The moment I learnt that Root to Fruit wanted someone to lead the existing team towards achieving more in its project I wasted no time to take up the opportunity and to fulfill part of what I had always thought of over the past years. The project is well aligned with my dream and vision to build a better country with enough natural resources and sustainably utilised to ensure persistent availability of the tree and forestry resources.

Working with Root to Fruit Company with the knowledge and skills I gathered over the years will make a positive contribution in different communities we are working with especially Nkhata Bay which is one of the few districts in Malawi still enjoying the pleasure of having more vegetation cover of trees and forests. This will ensure we safeguard what we already have as we have an old proverb/adage which says ‘Prevention is better than cure’, so for Nkhata Bay which still has more but slowly deteriorating resources obviously the project has a greater positive impact in conserving the already existing resources.

Since I started my position with Root to Fruit one thing I have discovered and can be good for other organisations or departments to learn from is the uniqueness of keeping records and tracking the growth of the trees which were planted dating back to 2012 when the project started. The database developed and the monitoring strategy put in place has helped to achieve the much needed good survival rate of trees which lacks in so many organisations I have worked and usually not because the trees do not exist on the ground but rather tracking them is what is missing and proper documentation in other projects/programs.
Empowering the community by distributing tree seedlings and provision of environmental education is the only sure and simple way of achieving our goal and vision for both the country and company.
‘Together we can make it happen.’