admin | January 14, 2026
News Brief
Farmers in East Africa are using avocado and mango trees to fight climate change while boosting their livelihoods. A project by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) developed a formula that lets farmers measure how much carbon their trees store without cutting them down. Shem Kuyah, the researcher behind the formula, says it encourages tree planting and climate action.
In the rural farmlands of East Africa, farmers rise early to tend their orchards, carefully measuring the trunks of avocado and mango trees. These trees are not just sources of food and income—they are part of a new strategy to fight climate change. Thanks to a simple formula developed by researchers, farmers can now calculate how much carbon their fruit trees store, turning their everyday work into a direct contribution to climate solutions.
The project, called Fruit Trees for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in East Africa, was created by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) with help from the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). Using a simple formula, farmers measure a tree’s trunk to estimate its biomass and the carbon it stores. In the past, this meant cutting down the tree, but now farmers can measure carbon without harming their crops.
The formula targets avocado and mango trees, the most common species in agroforestry systems, encouraging farmers to plant more trees for climate mitigation. Beyond environmental benefits, it opens doors to the carbon credit market, giving farmers the potential to earn financial returns. Carbon credits represent one metric ton of CO₂ reduced or removed from the atmosphere, allowing companies and governments to offset emissions by funding projects such as reforestation.
Shem Kuyah is the researcher behind the formula and a lecturer in agroforestry at JKUAT. He says, “Forests are usually the main source of carbon sequestration, but with population growth and deforestation, farmlands have become crucial spaces for climate action. Our goal is to train farmers and raise awareness about planting trees to help control the climate.”
Mamadou Bagayoko is the program manager at the Regional Directorate for the Promotion of Women, Children, and the Family. He says,“Training farmers to measure the carbon in their trees gives them knowledge and confidence. They can now negotiate fair carbon credits without losing their crops.”
Since Kenya joined the carbon credit market in 2023, some farmers have struggled to get fair compensation. Kuyah’s team trains farmers and SACCOS to calculate carbon accurately using an Excel platform, and they are developing an app to make it even easier.
Mr. Kuyah says, “Our formula is simple. Farmers just measure the trunk and enter it into the system. It tells them exactly how much carbon their trees store.”
By planting fruit trees, farmers not only improve their livelihoods but also actively take part in nature-based climate solutions, showing how local action can support global climate goals.
This story is based on an article written by Wilson Odhiambo for Interpress News Service, titled “Farmers Can Now Measure and Benefit From Fruit Tree Carbon Trade” To read the full story, go to: https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/12/farmers-can-now-measure-and-benefit-from-fruit-tree-carbon-trade/
Photo: Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) researcher Shem Kuya sampling a mango tree on a farm in makueni county. Credit: Wilson Odhiambo/IPS