In this Employee Spotlight meet George Thumbi, Head of Agribusiness and Forestry at the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project. George has been with Wildlife Works for over ten years, and offers invaluable insights into the transformational power of REDD+ and the positive benefits of conservation agriculture.
Q: What aspect of community-led conservation work do you find most rewarding?
A: I work on climate-smart conservation agriculture for strengthened food security and landscape restoration. My project within the REDD+ project recognizes that virtually all community members own a piece of land and are culturally / naturally farmers. The program identifies farmers as an integral part of climate solutions. To see community members have a change in mentality and begin to reap benefits of our trainings has been very encouraging and energizing.
Q: What's an experience that was pivotal in building trust with community partners?
A: A couple of seasons ago, we produced successful crops in our conservation agriculture demonstration unit using sustainable techniques, when our neighbors using traditional methods harvested virtually nothing.
The community members had been skeptical about us achieving anything, but are now converted.
Q: Share a story of someone whose life has been changed for the better thanks to the project?
A: There are many many stories. Two cases where two recently employed women, both single mothers, told me, "I have already connected my mother’s house to water" and the other one saying "I am already building my home" from their salaries.
There are also farmers who tell me about how their cows are producing more milk from fodder growing being promoted within our conservation agriculture project.
Q: What gives you hope that humanity can overcome the challenges of climate change?
A: The Kasigau REDD+ project is an example where communities know the adverse effects of climate change firsthand. People are now changing their mentality to conservation, as a personal responsibility, and I believe that positive change is happening. I am happy to be in that bunch that is creating a positive future.
Q: What message would you convey to someone skeptical about carbon markets?
A: It goes without saying that trees should not be destroyed, especially in natural forests. Earning money and other benefits from standing trees is a classic case of a win-win situation, and that is in very simple terms what the carbon market is. Total elimination of carbon into the atmosphere may be unrealistic, but hopefully achievable some day. In the meantime, the carbon market provides a platform where entities that emit carbon can compensate the owners of trees to not cut them down, which is another win-win situation provided by the carbon markets. Working daily at the Kasigau REDD+ project, I have the advantage of seeing, experiencing and thinking deeply about things happening there. Understandably people who don't have such an advantage could be skeptical. I'd encourage them to visit the well established REDD+ projects, Kasigau being such, and witness for themselves the benefits of the project and while on the ground imagine what if the project did not exist.
What book are you currently reading?
A: "At the Heart of Leadership,” by Joshua Freedman.
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