This article is from page 67 of the 2007-10-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 67 JPG
CLARE families are being urged to Support a new Bothar initiative that will prepare African villages to re- ceive gifted livestock.
Bothar, the Irish charity that spe- cialises in livestock-based develop- ment programmes, has launched the Give the Gift of Trees Campaign, a unique promotion with Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. The charity has set a goal of planting 150,000 trees for disadvantaged communities in eight African countries.
The Give the Gift of Trees Cam- paign will help develop sustainable farming practices in Tanzania, Ma- lawi, Rwanda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and Uganda.
In these countries, Bothar will train farmers in good environmental prac- tices to ensure the saplings improve the ecological balance by controlling erosion and maintaining soil fertil- LANs
To help African families, Irish families are encouraged to collect special tokens from boxes of Kel- loge’s Corn Flakes and send them to Kellogg’s. All of the money con- tributed goes directly to Bothar and for every 10 donations Kellogg’s will fund an additional 10 trees. The Give the Gift of Trees Campaign will run on Kellogg’s Corn Flakes boxes until Christmas.
“Trees are the critical first step toward sustainable agriculture, and Bothar requires that trees be plant-
ed before a family can receive any gifted livestock,” said Father Peter Ssenkaayi, who works in Uganda for eXojaer-e
“Trees are special because they serve so many vital functions. They provide fruit, shade, wind breaks, animal fodder, fencing, and build- ing materials. In addition, they are crucial to preventing soil erosion and flooding, while replenishing nu- trients in the soil to make farming more productive.”
Fr Peter noted that trees provide an entire tool kit for African farmers, helping them to support themselves and their families. “This is a won- derful opportunity for Irish families to support families in Africa who are trying to improve their lives by es-
tablishing sustainable farms.”
“Trees form an integral part of all Bothar livestock projects and form a central part of Bothar’s commitment to finding a sustainable solution to world hunger and poverty. Bothar strives to replenish depleted forest areas and teach communities the benefits of cultivating one of nature’s greatest gifts.
“During dry periods, when feed for livestock is scarce, trees continue to produce fodder. A farmer who has a continuous supply of nutritious fod- der will have healthier animals year round, while a farmer whose animals are well fed only during the rainy season will ‘go back’ a bit during the dry season causing milk yield to be affected.”