Lotty’s thriving tree nursery

For 61-year-old Lotty, a farmer from Ng’umbi Village in Kongwa District, Tanzania, growing tree seedlings has become a valuable source of income for his family. After receiving training in agroforestry and nursery management through the NOURISH project, Lotty established his own tree nursery, selling thousands of seedlings and investing the proceeds in his family’s future.

Lotty lives with his wife and five children. Through training provided by the Tanzania Forestry Services Agency (TFSA) under the NOURISH project, which is delivered by Farm Africa and SNV, with funding from NORAD, he learnt how to produce tree seedlings and manage a nursery.

Putting his new skills into practice, Lotty established his own nursery and successfully raised 26,880 seedlings. He sold them for a total of 8,064,000 Tanzanian Shillings (TZS), at TZS 300 per seedling.

The income has helped Lotty improve his family’s home, invest in livestock and contribute towards his children’s education.

He invested around TZS 700,000 in seven pigs and used some of his nursery income to contribute towards university fees at Excellent College and vehicle mechanic training for his children.

Lotty Malekala feeding his pigs.

Alongside growing his nursery business, Lotty is applying what he has learnt to improve his own farm. He has begun using organic manure to enrich the soil and planting trees to support more sustainable farming practices.

Rather than spending all his earnings, Lotty is reinvesting in his business to increase production in the next growing season. He has purchased seedling bags, Gliricidia seeds and manure to help him raise more seedlings.

Gliricidia is particularly important to Lotty because of its potential to improve soil fertility. By producing more of these seedlings, he hopes to help other farmers in Kongwa District improve their land while creating further opportunities to grow his own business.

Lotty plans to expand his nursery, increase production of Gliricidia and fruit tree seedlings, and promote his business to organisations and institutions to reach more customers.

Lotty Malekela (left) and his tree nursery.

His experience demonstrates how practical training can help farmers develop new income-generating activities while adopting farming practices that benefit their land.

For Lotty, the benefits of his tree nursery extend well beyond the seedlings themselves. His earnings have helped him support his children’s education, invest in livestock, improve his home and farm, and build a foundation for future growth.

By continuing to invest in his nursery, Lotty hopes to grow his business and create further opportunities for his family.