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Richard’s enterprise is called Beneco and it’s one of over 30 throughout Uganda which supply seedlings to Ecotrust’s Trees for Global Benefits project. His nursery has 8 full-time and 30 seasonal employees.
In this clip, we learn about his processes for sourcing seeds and supplying seedlings, the types of species he grows, why he prefers to hire women for the job of potting, and his plans for expansion!
We also saw how Richard’s seedling nursery has a living “display case” of mature trees which represent the different species available. This helps farmers choose a proper mix of species. And we hear, once again, about the menace of GOATS as a top threat to young seedlings.
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On September 27th & 28th, the Plan Vivo Foundation Carbon Standard held its stakeholder event in Edinburgh, Scotland. COTAP’s founder Tim Whitley participated in a panel titled “What does ‘scaling with care’ look like from different perspectives?” A full summary of the event, with links to other presentations, can be found here.
Tim (bald gentleman on the right) experienced some pretty serious imposter syndrome as he shared the stage with Plan Vivo Trustee Emily Fripp, Plan Vivo CEO Keith Bohannon, Vanga Blue Forest Coordinator Mwanrusi Mwafrica, Carbon Tanzania CEO Marc Baker, Taking Root CEO Kahlil Baker (Taking Root’s CommuniTree project in Nicaragua was COTAP’s first partner project in 2011), and Molly Hawes, Senior Climate Action and Engagement Manager at Springer Nature.
Strenghtening Plan Vivo’s Regional Presence
The stakeholder event (this was COTAP’s third) is a great way to connect in-person with existing project leaders, as well as network with potential collaborators from all over the world who share the value of inclusive and pro-poor climate action.
On this panel, FIVE out of COTAP’s six currently-supported projects participated: Nakau CEO Robbie Henderson (Drawa project in Fiji), Ecotrust Uganda’s Executive Director Pauline Nantongo, AMBIO’s Helena Barona (Scolel’te project in Mexico), Tambor Lyngdoh of the Khasi Hills REDD+ Project in India, Emmy Primadonna of KKI Warsi’s Bujang Raba project in Indonesia, and Plan Vivo Trustee Mark Pfoffenberger.
Tambor and Emmy presented recorded presentations as they weren’t able to obtain visas, so it was great to also hear Mark, who along with his spouse Kate Smith-Hanssen, has been instrumental in both projects’ implementation and success, represent both projects in person.
More about COTAP & Plan Vivo
Since 2011, COTAP has exclusively supported projects certified by Plan Vivo. Plan Vivo, the world’s oldest voluntary carbon standard, celebrated its 25th birthday in 2022. Today, over 100,000 rural community members are engaged in 27 Plan Vivo projects spanning 285,000 hectares in 21 countries. These projects have created over 7 million tonnes of planned CO2 emissions reductions and have channeled over $25 million to these communities, some of the poorest on Earth.
Plan Vivo remains the only carbon standard to require that projects share a minimum of 60% of carbon revenues with local communities. Combined with COTAP’s transparent pricing of $15/tonne and modest margin of 10%, this means that an unparalleled $8.10+ of community income is created per tonne offset through COTAP.
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Yosamu Muhindo joined our partner Ecotrust Uganda’s Trees for Global Benefits (TGB) community reforestation project in 2012. Tragically, Yosamu passed away in 2017 and now Staluzi and Gerald, his widow and one of their four children, now look after the trees that he planted.
In the carbon offsets world, “permanence” of CO2 removals is a vital aspect of project design. With tree planting projects, it’s important to ensure that participants prove ownership of the land that the trees are planted on, and that the trees planted for carbon income enhance livelihoods and don’t compete with food security. In multiple previous farmer interviews, we’ve heard participants allude to how they plan to pass on their trees to their children. In this interview, we see an instance of where that’s actually happened.
In this interview, you’ll learn about their secret to achieving a 100% seedling survival rate and how they’ve used their direct carbon offset income. You’ll also hear their suggestion that the project should consider providing solar panels upfront and deduct the cost from their carbon income. Lastly, you’ll learn what Staluzi’s favorite food is!
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In 2012, Oliva became a participant of Ecotrust Uganda’s Trees for Global Benefits project. She lives in the Maliba community of Western Uganda’s Kasese district, and she’s planted 400 trees which are sequestering an estimated 203.4 tonnes of CO2.
Oliva is projected to earn $610.40 from TGB. In this interview, you’ll learn how she uses those earnings, as well as about her children and grandchildren, one of her favorite ways to relax, what “MIFA” stands for, how she lost some of her trees, and how her community views firewood thieves!
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Flora and Peter became participants of Ecotrust Uganda’s Trees for Global Benefits project in 2011. Three of their siblings are also TGB participants.
Flora and Peter both live in Bugoye, in the Kasese district of Western Uganda.
They’ve each planted and care for 400 trees which are sequestering an estimated 406.8 tonnes of CO2 and they are projected to earn $1,217.80 between the two of them.
Check out their interviews to learn about their tree-planting “sibling rivalry” and hear how Peter’s earnings helped him send his son to driving school!
