We ♥️ Giving Back

 

MBUNDU Cares

We have one Earth, and She is our home. We love Earth's endless seas, azure skies, glorious sunrises, and breath-taking sunsets. And we celebrate cultural experiences with her people. 

We are keenly aware that it is the responsibility of our generation to protect this sacred place for future generations.

At TEAM MBUNDU, we travelled to uncover the talents of regional artisans. And we discovered more: that peoples, cultures, and continents are interconnected. With the myriad problems some communities face — pestilence, disease, drought, land erosion, irregular food supplies, and the need for clean drinking water — the time to act is now!

We choose to start with farmers, at the confluence of many problems and stout bedrocks on which rural communities depend. In many ways, they are the linchpins in an interconnected world.

We Love FMNR

The first program that we chose to support is Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) 

FMNR is a revolutionary, scientifically proven method of land management, food production, and soil erosion remediation. 

This low-cost technique helps subsistence farmers to increase food yields, augment timber production, provide resilience to climate swings, and is one of the best programs we know for regreening desert and arid environments.

How Does FMNR Work?

FMNR involves the systematic regrowth and management of trees and shrubs. Practitioners start with felled tree stumps, sprouting root systems or seeds. 
Regenerated trees and shrubs do many things:

• Restore soil structure and fertility
• Inhibit erosion
• Discourage soil moisture evaporation
• Rehabilitate springs and the water table
• Increase biodiversity
• Add nitrogen back into the soil

FMNR Delivers Results

FMNR works. 

• It doesn't rely on specialist foreign horticultural management systems.
• Rejuvenated plants complement existing crops.
• Planting introduces new sources of food and greening of the local environment.
• Use of non-native trees is limited (so plants complement the natural environment,

are more durable and are better equipped to grapple with local climatic conditions). 

• Farmers don't sacrifice arable land because rejuvenated plants are integrated into crops and grazing pastures.
• Food crops help support farmer families, while surplus production creates new revenue opportunities.

Benefiting Farmers & Communities

FMNR offers tangible benefits that change people's lives:

• Exponential increases crop yields.
• Provides sustainable sources of building timber and firewood.
• Creates fodder and shade for livestock.
• Helps diversify local diets.
• Has the potential to provide plant medicine for health and well-being.
• Promotes higher living standards for farming families. 
• Significant support for larger, wider rural communities.

 What Makes FMNR Different

There are many tree-planting programs worldwide. Regrettably, their success varies wildly. 

• Some organisations lose 70 – 90% of tree saplings planted due to environmental issues. 
• Others are so focused on planting trees that they fail to select suitable plants for the area.
• Others have opaque financials, which makes it hard to see how donations are utilised.
• Often local realities are overlooked: tree destruction by foraging animals, the pressing need for firewood and building material, the unsuitability of foreign plant species, and the astronomical failure rates of their tree planting activities.
• Many outfits overlook entirely the need for food or fodder for animals. 

FMNR avoids these pitfalls by taking a holistic approach.

• Emphasises restoration for the local environment.
• Employs local plant species (often existing trees and shrubs) to ensure success of interventions.
• Prioritises the need for animal food.
• Addresses nutritional needs of communities.
• Works to address the pressing need to diversify local diets.
• Considers pressing social remediation issues. 

FMNR Benefits Are Clear 

FMNR is led by Tony Rinaudo, a highly respected name in horticultural and scientific communities. Tony serves as a World Vision Australia Natural Resource Management Advisor and pioneered FMNR in Niger during the 1983 famine. 

Tony is widely regarded as the leading expert in, and advocate for, FMNR worldwide.

Your Purchase Supports FMNR

FMNR offers tangible benefits that change people's lives:

• Exponential increases crop yields.
• Provides sustainable sources of building timber and firewood.
• Creates fodder and shade for livestock.
• Helps diversify local diets.
• Has the potential to provide plant medicine for health and well-being.
• Promotes higher living standards for farming families. 
• Significant support for larger, wider rural communities.