Projekt Himo Tree Nursery

The almost 5-hectare tree nursery site had lain fallow for more than 10 years. Buildings had fallen into disrepair, the water supply had been interrupted and the soil had been depleted by years of maize cultivation. In addition to tilling the fields, the renovation of the office building was one of the first important tasks made possible by Engagement Global project funds.

The foundation walls and walls of the old building could be preserved. The roof, windows, doors and sanitary facilities had to be completely renewed. A team of construction workers spent several weeks on the tree nursery site. The tree nursery was officially opened at the end of October 2019 as a joint project between the Moshi District and the state capital of Kiel.

Tanzanian Bees & Trees e. V. has been supporting the Himo Tree Nursery both professionally and financially since 2020 as part of the city partnership between Kiel and Moshi District. Together with the Moshi District Council and the state capital of Kiel, we have made significant progress. We are taking care of the maintenance and expansion of the nursery. We have already been able to implement some infrastructural measures, such as the construction of another water reservoir, the construction of a 3000L water tank for drip irrigation, the renovation of an old kitchen building and the conversion of some old rooms for their current use as a beekeeping building.

All of our activities at the tree nursery are aimed at developing the nursery into an environmental center and thus into a specialist center for everything to do with nature. We place a strong focus on biodiversity, climate protection and environmental education. A high percentage of the young trees grown are native species that are planted throughout the Kilimanjaro region.

We promote sustainable beekeeping methods that protect the environment and at the same time enable honey production.

We are testing the cultivation of cashew trees in combination with annual crops in a newly established agroforestry trial field.

Our medium-term goal is to revive the existing fish pond to generate income. Fish farming has been abandoned as there is currently not enough fresh water supply throughout the year. In the 400 cubic liter pond, up to 8000 fish could be raised twice a year and offered for sale. This economic income would support the tree nursery business considerably.

With our commitment, we show new ways of generating income while taking into account the preservation of ecosystems. All training courses are accompanied by practical activities such as tree planting, tree care and organic beekeeping.

Two other important topics for our future planning are renewable energies and waste management.