Other Activities

Carbon finance enables the development of small microfinance initiatives. It provides business skills learned through project training can be used to develop opportunities such as the sale and marketing of forest products. Farmers who invest a proportion of their carbon payments into a microenterprise, such as in carpentry tools, can increase the value of their investment.

• Honey production
• Bioenergy
• Protein production
• Carpentry
• Saw mill
• Crafts
• Vegetable production

Honey production

Bees in the modern hives, November 2006	The Kenyan bar top bee hive, an improved model which means honey can be harvested without the destruction of the hive. It is used in the in the community bee-keeping association (of over 70 members, and 295 hives) and other NGO's. Beekeeping is becoming an increasingly more secure investment as fires are reduced throughout the project area. The implementation of new technology has meant that 'clean' honey can be sold on the wider market.
Old Log Bee hives	Unloading the first Kenya bee hives
Bee farmers training session	Kenya bee hives in action

Bioenergy

Jatropha trees (Jatropha curas) are an important bioenergy source. The oil from their seeds is environmentally friendly (it burns without smoke) and cost effective to produce. It can be used as a replacement for diesel in transport, kerosene, and other fuels. Biodiesel from Jatropha has been distributed to local schools. There are plans of increasing the area of Jatropha plantation.

Protein production

Guineafowl, November 2006

By increasing the amount of available protein in the community, the amount of poaching has been reduced. Domesticated guinea fowl have been introduced to the community. They are hatched and can be reared by chickens who are vulnerable to annual outbreaks of Newcastle disease. Serial poachers are identified, and are given 50 eggs and once they have a flock of 250 birds give 50 eggs back to the project which can be given to another family.

New community livestock, May 2005	New community livestock, May 2005

Carpentry

The carpentry workshop use felled and dead trees to make so far over 600 beehives, chairs, tables and other goods. This is on its way to becoming a self-supporting micro-enterprise. Until 2007 there was no licence for felling so dead trees were used in the workshop. Furniture was made from dead trees to supply the whole of the Gorongosa National Park headquarters. Once the first harvested timber has been processed in the saw mill, it will be used in the carpentry workshop.

Making Bee hives

Carpentry Workshop, May 2005

Carpentry workshop construction, May 2005

Carpentry workshop construction, May 2005

Saw mill

In 2007 the licences for timber harvesting was granted, and harvesting has recently begun. Valuable hardwood will be harvested and sold to a musical instrument manufacturer. Initially only dead timber was used, and the saw mill produced 41,010 planks.

Crafts

Weaving, May 2007

Craft production is an important part of the project, as it provides extra income for families. Crafts include weaving, carving, basket making, pottery and carving. Carvings will be made from the sustainably produced timber from the project soon. It is expected that sales will increase with tourist numbers to the Gorongosa National Park. Tourism is still increasing following the civil conflict. See ../Location.html">location for more information about this.

Basket weavers, May 2005

Pottery workshop, May 2005

Vegetable production

Vegetable production enhanced through irrigation and improved cultivars has increased yields, and allowed a larger variety to be grown. Stalls set up by the roadside have increased sales. This also alters consumption patterns so improves community health.

Vegetable seedlings, April 2005

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