Dear Member,
We are excited to invite you to Planting on Demand’s first live planting of 1,000 palm trees in Ilagala, Tanzania, on October 10th, 2024, at 17:00 CET. This event is in partnership with Friends of Lake Tanganyika (FOLT), whose dedicated team has planted over a million trees and empowered more than 500 families through agroforestry and clean energy initiatives.
Ilagala, a village of about 30,000 people along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, has faced significant deforestation and environmental degradation due to unsustainable agricultural and fishing practices. By planting these palm oil trees, we aim to restore the ecosystem and provide the community with sustainable resources for food and energy.
Why Palm Oil Trees?
Planting palm oil trees, a species native to Tanzania, benefits both the environment and local communities. These trees play a vital role in enhancing:
- Food Security and Livelihoods: Palm Oil trees provide oil for cooking and soap-making, while their kernel shells can be used as firewood. These trees can live for over 100 years, offering consistent resources and stability for generations. The first nuts can usually be harvested after 3-4 years, ensuring a sustainable food source.
- Economic Growth: The cultivation of Palm Oil trees opens up opportunities for small businesses centered around the production and sale of palm oil and related products, such as:
- Crude Palm Oil (CPO): Used in cooking and food processing.
- Palm Kernel Oil: Common in food products, cosmetics, and soaps.
- Household Products: Used in soaps and detergents.
- Biofuels: Converted into biodiesel for renewable energy.
- Animal Feed: Palm kernel meal, a by-product, is used as animal feed due to its high protein content.
- Restoring Ecosystems: Reforesting this area helps combat deforestation caused by unsustainable agricultural practices, improves soil health, and promotes agroforestry, benefiting both the environment and local farmers.
- Climate Resilience: Palm Oil trees help absorb carbon, provide shade, and retain soil moisture, all of which are critical as temperatures rise due to climate change.
Your involvement can truly make a difference, and the internet provides us with a platform for transparency. Together, our collective efforts can drive meaningful change and here’s how you can join us on this journey:
✅ Get Involved: Your support directly contributes to reforestation efforts and empowers communities through tree planting. Learn more here.
✅ Help Spread the Word by sharing this newsletter with family and friends or share on social media icons below.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85176448303
