Wycliffe Asiyo inspects his tree plantation in Kawuor Village, Homa Bay County. PHOTO | BARACK ODUOR
What you need to know:
Wycliffe Asiyo has earned Sh750,000 from his 20-acre eucalyptus plantation.
Most Kenyan farmers are yet to take up tree planting as a serious agricultural venture that could boost their incomes.
However, 26-year-old Wycliffe Asiyo is a successful eucalyptus tree farmer in his Kawuor Village in Kagan, Homa Bay County.
Mr Asiyo started growing trees five years ago with capital of Sh5,000, which he used to buy seedlings and pay for labour on land preparation and tree planting.
Today, Mr Asiyo grows trees on 20 acres of land which he inherited from his parents.
The fact that the land is seasonally swampy works to his advantage; other crops don’t do well and there is often plenty of water for his trees.
Five years since he ventured into the business, Mr Asiyo has earned Sh750,000 from the trees.
He told Enterprise that he harvests his trees in two stages depending on the species. The first harvest comes after four to five years and the second takes a longer period, when the trees are fully grown.
Mr Asiyo grows four specific species of the eucalyptus tree; urophylla, globus, saligna and grends which he said do well in his area since rainfall is not fairly distributed across the year.
He, however, was quick to point out that commercial tree growing is not a walk in the park; it requires utmost dedication.
He said that preparation of seedbeds and transplanting seedlings need careful attention as the chores entail spraying the beds and fields with correct herbicides to keep pests and diseases at bay.
He said that eucalyptus trees and their products have a ready market and are preferred over other species.
Their uses include timber for furniture, burning of charcoal, making of plywood and industrial pulp, and tool handles in workshops. The species also grows fast and its products are hardy and popular among customers.
“I regularly consult forestry officials and relevant websites to learn emerging trends in growing trees,’’ he said.
Through research Mr Asiyo realised that eucalyptus is best grown in wet lands, for instance riparian areas, estuaries, ponds and around lakes. The young entrepreneur encourages farmers to embrace tree farming as a viable commercial activity.
Other than proper management practices, Mr Asiyo advised interested farmers to plant their trees in areas with rainfall of less than 400mm.
Furthermore, the best eucalyptus seedlings should be between 24 and 35 centimetres high and be disease and pest free during transplanting.
Kenya’s forest cover stands at six per cent, just slightly over half of the 10 per cent United Nations recommended ratio.
This gap can be reduced by commercial long-term tree-farming, Mr Asiyo said.
