A crisis is brewing in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Population pressure, unemployment and energy poverty lead to deforestation, soil erosion, and falling crop yields. This cycle can be broken by helping subsistence farmers invest in education and intelligent reforestation.  Chosen carefully and cultivated correctly, certain tree species resist drought, improve soil and crop yields, and provide valuable products to farmers. Our pilot project in the Makueni District of Kenya shows that farmers will reforest in this way – we offer them the affordable tree saplings they need to begin and the expertise and support they need to succeed.

The Drylands Natural Resources Center (DNRC) is a Kenya-registered non-profit organization. We aim to achieve financial sustainability in the next three years, but currently rely on outside funds to refine our model and expand our reach. To date, we've built a nursery of 25 different tree varieties that produces 10,000 saplings per season, expanded our client base to 150 families, and enabled those clients to plant over 30,000 trees. We are currently constructing a second nursery that will double our productive capacity, and aim to serve 300 families in the upcoming spring 2012 rainy season. Please help us achieve that goal by donating here: