Do you want to be a millionaire soon? Tree planting in Kenya is a national priority in the next 10 years. There is a plan to grow five billion trees in the next five years, and an additional 10 billion by 2032. As a smart entreprenuer you can reap big? In this post, we will give you the best methods of making money growing trees as a business. Besides you can offer services and research while making money.
There are many benefits of growing trees to an individual and the nation. They include economic, environmental and aesthetics. You can enjoy them in short term while others can be enjoyed by your posterity.
Best Tips for making money growing trees in Kenya
Which is the easiest method of growing money on trees? Here are the simplest methods of making money growing trees in Kenya with minimal or no investment.
- Collect, package and sell seeds to Kenya forest service, Kenya forest research institute and other private tree seedlings propagators.
- Raise and sell tree seedlings, You can establish a landscaping trees nursery, fruit trees seedlings or a timber trees nursery.
- Become a broker for trees planting and growing materials such as growing bags, pruning scissors etc.
- Set up a tree management service business that helps in tree selection, establishing and management such as pruning
Given that people prefer more tangible benefits, we will focus on the long term financial benefits you can reap for growing more trees over time.
1. Earn Carbon Credits
As a forest owner you can be paid carbon credits for its ecological value in combating climate change. A carbon credit is a defined as a tradeable asset that represents a reduction or removal of one metric ton of carbon dioxide or an equivalent of another greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.
Forest trees prevent carbon emissions by storing it in their biomass, wood and vegetation, and trapping It in soil. On the other hand, forest land improves air, water and soil environment whose benefits promote rainfall and reduce global warming.
There are two types of forest carbon sequestration markets or plans for you;
- Voluntary emissions reduction (VER): A carbon offset that is exchanged in the over the counter or voluntary market for credits.
- Certified emissions reduction (CER): Emission units (or credits) created through a regulatory framework with the purpose of offsetting a project’s emissions.
Learn more Wondering if you are legible for carbon credits? Learn more of what they are and how they work
2. Grow Biofuels
As the global crisis for using fossil fuel unfolds, the demand for biofuels is expected to grow exponentially. A Biofuel is a liquid or gaseous renewable fuel produced from biomass. It has two major categories: bio alcohol, and biodiesel. Unlike petroleum products and coal, these burn cleaner, and release fewer environmental pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Some of the most common energy crops sources include food crops like wheat, corn, soybean, and sugarcane. Since they are core food supplies, you grow biofuel trees to tap into this highly potential market. The following is a list of biofuels tree species you can grow.
- Palm trees: they are source of palm oil that can run diesel engines without any conversion. Palm oil production led to economic growth in Indonesia and Malaysia.
- Jatropha plants: These plants thrive in lands devasted by droughts and pests. They can last for 50 years, and their bushes require little amount of water and care. India is the largest producer of the Jatropha biodiesel. Jatropha seeds has 40% oil content.
- Emerging biofuels other alternatives that do not rely on farming land and can be established in dry areas with poor soils are;
- Croton
- Switch grass
- Castor
- Poplar trees
3. Grow Bio fertilizers
The global food security is vulnerable to soil erosion and biodiversity loss. Biofertilizers or green manure present a solution to these challenges. Bio fertilizers are living microbes that enhance plant nutrition by mobilizing and/ or increasing nutrient availability in soils.
You can plant green manure plants like sesbania and legumes to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the symiotic association with Rhizobiums
The other option is to compose plant wastes to make natural or organic fertilizers. In large scale, these can be utilized as a sustainable business.
4. Grow Fruits, Food & Beverage Trees
Trees supply endless options for human feed for survival and enjoyment. They include fruits, vegetables, oils, flavoring extracts etc. Millions of farmers around the world grow various types of trees to produce own food and market the excess. The options of trees you can grow are endless. To mention a few, consider the following,
| Trees Type | Examples |
| Fruits | Mango, avocado, macadamia, citrus etc. |
| Beverages | Coffee, Tea, Green coconut, Moringa |
| Syrups | Sugar maple tree, birch, cactus |
| Alcohol | Date Palm |
| Oils | Palm, Castor, |
| Spices | Bay Rum, Bay Leaves, Capers, Cloves, Cinnamon, Camphor, Witch Hazel & Nutmeg. |
| Nuts | Almonds, cashews, hazel, macadamia, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts |
5. Grow and Sell Animal Fodder
Besides human food, plants provide animal fodder and raw materials for animal feed. You will prune the trees to feed your poultry, goats, pig and cows. Besides you can harvest the tree products like fruits and bark, store them and feed your animal during low vegetation periods. Examples of fodder trees you can grow to include.
- Fruit & Nut trees e.g. apples, pears, walnuts, hazelnuts, chest nuts etc.
- Mulberry
- Oak trees
- Willow trees
- Poplar
- Tagasaste/Tree Lucerne
- Locust species ( Caron locust, Honey Locusts)
6. Produce Industrial Raw materials
You use products and byproducts made from trees each day. They range from houses, furniture, toothpicks, paper, dyes, textiles etc. You can grow trees expecting to sell them to factories and industries as raw materials. The factories you can target include
- Health care and medicine
- Biofuels (wood, charcoals, ethanol)
- Building, construction and furniture (timber, poles)
- Beauty and personal care (shampoo, henna, dyes, cosmetics, perfumes, soaps etc)
- Clothing and textiles
- Transport (Wood for making boats and docks or bamboo bicycles)
- Leisure (Sports equipment and musical instruments such as violins)
- Food & Beverages (wine corks & barrels, alcohol)
- Wood pulp & paper
7. Create Jobs
The forest sector employs many people directly and indirectly. Philanthropists, governments and development partners can consider growing trees for job creation goals for thousands of people in your community. Forests can absorb people for activities in
- Tree husbandry (pruning, tree nurseries, harvesting, thinning, etc) researchers etc.
- Research & Development (researchers exploring better technologies forest management and utilization
- Related industries (see 6 above)
8. Venture into Agritourism
Expand your income generation from your forest by venturing into agritourism. You will offer educational and fun experiences for learners and visitors coming into your forests. Areas of domestic tourism you can consider are;
- Teaching them about various tree species in your plantation and various insects, birds and wildlife animals making your forest their home
- Nature trails for biking & hiking
- Host events like music concerts, weddings etc.
- Ziplining
The post has given you 8 incentives of planting more trees. They include earning carbon credits, producing biofertilizers and biofuels among others. But which is the best trees to plant in your farm? This section gives you a tree selection criteria.
How to select the best trees to plant in your farm?
Though commercial trees farming can make you a lot of money, it can be very frustrating. It occurs if you plant the “wrong” trees unsuitable for your farm. The following are some factors to consider while choosing the crops to plant.
Agroecological zone: Plant trees that are suitable for your farms climatic and soil characteristics. To understand your areas zoning, consult with your local agricultural officers.
Maturity: Fast growing exotic trees will return your investment on a shorter time than the indigenous trees. You can then harvest and sell timber, wood or poles.
Value: Some trees are multipurpose, profitable or high value. You can make money from planting trees that you can sell its products and byproducts throughout their growing season. An example is the eucalyptus or blue gum trees that you can sell fencing posts after thinning, firewood from pruning and later sell mature trunks
Market: consider the existing market for the tree and its products in the area you want to invest in commercial trees.
