PRODUCTION
NB is committed to providing the best support for the primary producers to maximise the value of what they are growing now and increasing their potential for the future.
Production in a small forestry plantation can mean many things. The timber is the primary reason for planting the trees in the first place and for the household that will provide an income of US$3,000 per hectare once every cycle. That is significant when the average income each year is maybe US$ 1,800.
But with help and planning that 1 ha can provide much more than a one off cash payment for timber.
Timber
Nb focuses on 4 species
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Teak
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Mahogany
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Acacia
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Albizia
Each has different properties, end uses and needs different growing conditions – the mix gives flexibility to meet all probable growing conditions.
They have different market values and growing cycles, the smallholders can choose what suits their particular circumstances.
The target is to harvest 500m3 of logs each month from every community Nb works with.
Argroforestry
When the household only gets income from timber once in 10 years it is important to find alternatives. In the first 3 years after planting seedlings it is possible to plant and harvest cash and subsistence crops.
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Maize
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Chillies
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Coffee
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Tomato
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Medicinal products
Nb can:
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Advise on getting market opportunities /contracts for the cash crops and getting them to market. NB can provide seeds and advice on what crops grow best under what trees.
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Promote spreading of benefits across the timber cycle.
Habitat
One hectare is not large but spread 60 ha across a landscape and add another 60 ha every year there starts to be connectivity and the foot-print grows.
Planting fruit trees to mix in the plantations provides food for birds and monkeys. Agroforestry increases the nutritional balance in the soil. Mixed cropping reduces the need for agrochemicals and encourages the proliferation of insects.
Having increasing numbers of plantations annually under standard management systems means best practices can then be adopted more quickly