Reforestation in East Africa Programme

REAP empowers small groups of subsistence farmers to plant trees and reverse the effects of historic deforestation, drought and food insecurity. Farmers are invited to join neighbouring communities to form tree-planting clusters, where they can share knowledge and support one another.

Monthly cluster meetings provide opportunities for farmers to develop and share best practices and receive training in conservation farming, agroforestry and health education with a view to improving diets, resilience and diversification of income.

The impact on people’s lives has been profound. During a visit to Freshfields’ London office, Kenyan tea farmer Alphaxard M. Kimani shared how replanted trees have restored biodiversity: ‘Farmers can now provide fodder for livestock,’ he said. ‘The programme targets people affected most by climate change. It makes a real difference in people’s lives.’

Patricia Gichuri, another farmer, confirmed the positive impact: ‘It has lifted livelihoods.’ Her community has been educated about a range of high-yield, resilient crops and trained in livestock rearing and beekeeping. Previously unfamiliar with domesticated bees, the community now benefits from a reliable source of honey, which supports both health and income.

Thriving communities

Freshfields REAP is part of a larger initiative, The International Small Tree Planting Programme (TIST), which helps farmers improve their livelihoods through the generation of high-quality carbon credits.

In 2021, TIST became the world’s first reforestation programme to earn ‘Triple Gold’ certification from the Verra Standard, a recognition for its exceptional impact on the climate, biodiversity and the community. This achievement was a direct result of TIST farmers’ collective efforts to extend their impact beyond individual action to larger communities.

TIST employs a rotational leadership model, where farmers collaborate in clusters of 10-12 people with alternating male and leadership every four months. This approach fosters valuable networking, says Ben Henneke, co-founder of TIST and the Clean Air Action Corporation. ‘The organisational structure ended up creating ways for the farmers to talk to each other about their farms and they came up with better ideas.’

Ben’s inspiration for TIST came from a trip to Tanzania in 1988: ‘We were moved by how capable, committed and hard-working farmers were suffering from the third drought-induced famine in five years. They lived in a non-cash economy, had no savings, and the government was unable to provide food assistance – it was a wrenching experience. Women and children were walking 6-12km to gather firewood and to haul back 40-litre buckets of muddy water for the family’s cooking needs. They could see at first hand the results of land degradation and unsustainable farming practices.’

‘These small groups of farmers wanted to improve their situation, particularly by planting trees, to give them shade, firewood, fodder for their cattle, building materials and even fruit or nuts,’ Ben explained. ‘They were willing to work hard to change lives: their attitude was inspiring, and we saw the opportunity to use a carbon trading approach to provide funds to farmers for restoring their local environment.’

Freshfields was proud to be part of a transformative programme that not only addressed climate change but also empowered communities. Through REAP and TIST, we have supported farmers in East Africa as they built a more resilient and sustainable future. This long-term partnership reflects our commitment to making a lasting, positive impact – both on the environment and on the lives of the people who needed it most.