TOGETHER with Justdiggit, we are regreening up to 460,000 m2 of desert in Kuku, Kenya, and ACS is delighted to share the impact this partnership creates!
WHY JUSTDIGGIT?
ACS is and has been busy taking action to reduce its environmental footprint over the past years. So partnering with Justdiggit, whose mission is to regreen Africa and cool down the planet, was an easy decision to take. Justdiggit works together with local farmers and communities in Africa to transform degraded landscapes into thriving domestic ecosystems.
HOW DOES JUSTDIGGIT DO THIS?
Justdiggit works with local communities and partners to jumpstart large scale landscape restoration projects, by retaining rainwater to bring back vegetation and prevent further erosion, flooding and land degradation.
In Kuku, Kenya Justdiggit is working together with the local Maasai community and their local partner, the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT) on what is called a ‘Hydrologic Corridor’. This is a series of large scale landscape restoration projects. By using a diverse range of landscape restoration techniques, nature is being given a hand to bring back vegetation in these degraded areas. The presence of vegetation keeps the soil healthy and fertile, which allows plants and trees to keep on growing. When vegetation returns, it can help to restore an entire area!
The work begins by selecting a suitable site for restoration. This is determined by a set of criteria including; soil type, slope or gradient of the area, and the extent of the degradation. It is then critical to obtain the buy-in from the local community to ensure the success, proper maintenance and ultimately the sustainability of the project. After the local community roles are agreed, training starts and the selection of workers is made. Then the ‘EARTH SMILES’ digging begins, creating rainwater harvesting semi-circular bunds, as well as setting up grass seed banks.
OUR PLEDGE TO JUSTDIGGIT
In partnership with Justdiggit – ACS committed to regreen up 460,000 m2 of degraded land in Kuku, Kenya.
In September 2022, the digging of the rainwater harvesting bunds; ‘EARTH SMILES’ began. The yearly rain season kicks off a chain reaction through which the underlying seeds sprout and continuously improve the quality of the soil with minimal human intervention. Despite the poor rains experienced during the November to December 2022 rainy season, bund digging and grass seeding has been ongoing in anticipation for a better rainy season. Climate change still remains a major challenge, which stresses the significance of this very vital restoration program in areas like this.
Until now the Maasai community has dug 150,048 water bunds, and set up 5 grass seed banks, which are managed by five different women groups.
Justdiggit is empowering millions of subsistence farmers to restore their degraded lands, using proven Sustainable Land Management techniques and TOGETHER we can bring back nature.
Creating a benefit for people, the environment and – eventually – our climate!
