The project aims to provide effective solutions to reduce climate change by planting trees which absorb geen house gases; reduce poverty by creating sustainable livelihoods for the poorest sections of the population; and to work in partnership with local communities to support sustainable development.

After carefully studying the opportunities in utilizing the land for sustainable development, we have come to the conclusion that the natural forest should be preserved, and that planting of new trees should only be done in the pockets of open underutilized land. This will lead to the concept of intercropping, conserving the bio-diversity of the area and providing a healthy environment for the new trees. The plantation will be based on best organic practices to ensure sustainable development at all levels.

The project will avoid planting crops which could lead to conflict with wildlife (the first project area was visited by wild elephants), but at the same time have the maximum carbon sequestration effect. It is clear that planting rubber trees is by far the best way forward. Rubber based agro-forestry involves a complex and diverse cropping system that combines the growing of rubber and other agricultural crops in the area in a sustainable manner.

The best rubber based cropping system will give a good economic yield while protecting the environment, conserving soil, water and nutrient. Perennial tree crops, like forest trees, are known to function as natural “sponges” for absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon sequestration occurs, through the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and its conversion into cellulose and organic matter.

The rubber tree Hevea Braziliensis was first introduced as a crop for plantation agriculture many years ago from the wilderness of the Amazon jungles. Hence, Hevea behaves as a typical rain forest tree that would efficiently function in C-sequestration. (The Kyoto protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows a country that emits Carbon above agreed limits to purchase Carbon offsets from an entity that uses biological means to absorb or reduce greenhouse emissions). The CDM is currently offered for afforestation and reforestation projects, but it is expected that it in the future it will be extended to C-sequestration in agricultural soils. Markets for soil and plant C-sequestration are also developing outside of the protocol in addition to those promoted by CDM.