Enhancing air quality, shielding communities, providing habitat, binding land, reducing flood risk, drawing down carbon dioxide, trees underpin human existence to an unparalleled extent.
With these factors in mind the Kenyan government has set out on a vast and ambitious afforestation drive. They aim to increase the country’s forest cover from 8.8% to 28% by 2030. Joining this drive is Kenyan AutoPot grower Nam Oneko.
Using AutoPot Watering Systems, Nam has so far fed and irrigated over 500,000 tree seedlings power-free with zero waste. As the plants control their own watering in their individual pot-and-tray modules, Nam has been able to raise a diverse range of trees with minimal intervention or labour. The systems have also allowed Nam to maximise output as production can be staggered, arranged flexibly, and left unattended for extended periods when required.
The easy2grow module is ideally suited to Production Areas.
‘Since AutoPot has the best germination system I focused this last season on germinating tree seedlings in our nursery. Today we have germinated over half a million indigenous tree seedlings and are progressing them using our easy2grow modules.’
Nam has been innovating with AutoPot in Kenya for over seven years. From growing to harvest with tomatoes, melons, peppers, and herbs to educational schemes and investment programmes, his work with our systems has been ceaseless and imaginative.
One of Nam’s greatest successes has been in demonstrating that plant production using AutoPot can succeed where other methods of cultivation cannot. His projects have been met with official approval, even in areas where growers must meet stringent government criteria given the existing demands on local resources. Because of such endorsements he has encouraged the belief that sustainable horticulture can be both economically viable and a real driver for local employment.
