WHY KIJANI?
Since 2019, Kijani has rapidly evolved into one of Africa’s largest tree-planting organizations, planting millions of trees every year with our several-hundred staff members. Kijani’s network of out-grower smallholder farmers allows us to reach tens of thousands of households every week.
Planting trees in Uganda has been inaccessible to the rural smallholder farmer, as forestry has historically been viewed as a "rich person" activity. Prohibitive prices combined with inaccessible and understocked nurseries have systematically excluded the very populations that could derive substantial benefits from tree planting.
Kijani's innovative Nursery Hub model flips this on its head and takes the nurseries to the farmers in their communities. A “sweat equity” investment allows Kijani to provide all inputs at no cost to the farmer empowering farmers who are most affected by the changing climate to actively participate in combating it.
Each acre planted with Kijani can boost a farmer's annual income by over 600%, and farmers are encouraged to plant an additional acre each year. With the use of coppicing and Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) techniques, farmers can harvest charcoal from the same acre every three years, establishing a sustainable and perpetual cycle of income.
Kijani has invested heavily in our data by developing a proprietary app alongside custom visualization tools to display our highly-impactful model with industry-leading transparency. This investment will pay dividends as Kijani enters into the carbon markets through Verra’s certification process. The co-benefits and proof of work will lead to a strong differentiation carbon credits, allowing Kijani to sell the products at a premium to off-takers such as Apple or Microsoft.
*Kijani is a kiswahili word that means green, greenest, or growth. In other African cultures it translates to warrior. Kijani Forestry is the Green Warrior.
WHY IT WORKS
At Kijani Forestry, the success of our reforestation and agroforestry programs hinges on the principle of farmer ownership. By involving farmers directly in the planting, maintenance, and harvesting of trees, we ensure that they have a vested interest in the health and productivity of their land. This hands-on involvement fosters a deep sense of responsibility and pride, encouraging sustainable practices and long-term commitment. By giving farmers ownership over their resources and livelihoods, we empower them to not only improve their economic standing but also become stewards of their environment, ensuring the success and sustainability of our reforestation efforts.
Kijani Forestry’s success is driven by our “boots on the ground” approach. We maintain a strong local presence, with dedicated field teams working directly alongside farmers and community members. This close collaboration allows us to understand the unique challenges faced by each community and tailor our solutions to meet their specific needs. By being actively involved on the ground, we can provide continuous support, monitor progress, and quickly address any issues that arise. This hands-on engagement ensures that our reforestation and agroforestry initiatives are not only effectively implemented but are also embraced and sustained by the communities we serve.
Kijani Forestry's impactful work is strengthened through strategic collaboration with local and national governments. By partnering closely with governmental bodies, including Uganda's Ministry of Water and Environment, we align our goals with national environmental and development priorities. This synergy allows us to leverage resources, gain essential support, and ensure our initiatives are scalable and sustainable. Our Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with government entities not only facilitate access to land for reforestation but also foster community trust and participation. Through these collaborative efforts, we drive meaningful change that supports both local communities and broader national environmental goals.
Kijani Forestry empowers farmers by creating diverse income opportunities through our agroforestry initiatives. By planting a variety of trees—such as fuelwood, timber, and fodder trees—farmers can generate multiple revenue sources from a single piece of land, while also producing food crops. This diversification not only increases financial stability but also provides a safety net against market fluctuations and climate-related risks. With the ability to produce high-quality charcoal, access carbon revenue and sell timber, farmers can dramatically improve their livelihoods, build wealth, and break the cycle of poverty. This multi-faceted approach ensures that our reforestation efforts deliver tangible, long-term, life-changing economic benefits to the communities we serve.
17,000,000
TREES PLANTED
30,000
ACTIVE FARMERS
2,200
NURSERY HUBS
PARTNERS
Deforestation is a complex and multi-layered issue so we emphasize the need to rely on partners and other experts in order to take a multi-faceted approach. We partner with enterprises that share our goal to holistically improve the ecosystem and the livelihoods of the communities we work in.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
2019
KIJANI'S INCEPTION
Three entreprenuers with the goal of alleviating poverty in Uganda were witnessing the the alarming deforestation and soaring charcoal prices in the region over the years. After seeing how intricately linked these problems were with the changing weather patterns, decreasing crop yields, and ongoing cycle of poverty, they set out to create a solution.
RESEARCH
We began researching various solutions and started building the foundation for the Kijani Model.
OUR HISTORY
Co-Founders (left to right) Beau Milliken, Paul Mukiibi, and Quinn Neely have worked together in Uganda since 2014.
2020
2021
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ARE YOU AWESOME? WE ARE HIRING!
THE TEAM
QUINN NEELY
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Quinn has a Masters degree in Social Innovation from Cambridge and has helped build multiple businesses in Northern Uganda.
PAUL MUKIIBI
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF RESTORATION OFFICER
Paul is the foremost expert on tree species within Northern Uganda. He brings his experience and expertise to all aspects of Kijani.
BEAU MILLIKEN
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF CARBON OFFICER
Beau has a background in chemical engineering and has been working in Uganda for over a decade.
PAUL SSELUNJOJI
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Paul has scaled multiple businesses in East Africa into million dollar companies.
KEVIN ADERU
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Kevin is one of Uganda’s leading forestry experts and previously managed the nation’s only seed bank.
ASHLEIGH JANSSEN
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Ashleigh started her career as a consultant for EY and then transitioned into running finance for start-ups.
MICHAEL TEBERE
DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS & GOVERNMENT
Michael has a Masters degree from the university of Oxford, and has decades of experience in both the government and NGO sectors.
JON TRIMARCO
DIRECTOR OF EXPANSION
Jon is an agroforestry expert specializing in enterprise development and regenerative agriculture for tropical communities since 2010.
GLORIA ADONGPING
MEL MANAGER
Gloria has a background in computer analytics and Monitoring and Evaluation and leads Kijani’s growing MEL team.
JOSINA KEINOMUGISHA
CHIEF OF STAFF
Josina has a law degree from Makerere University. She provides legal and organizational support to all aspects of Kijani.