Local
residents form small groups, brought together by common interests, a common
faith, community outreach or charity work. They receive training on small
group organization. The group is then eligible to develop a group covenant
and to join the TIST program. All groups receive additional training on
agricultural best practices and tree planting. More on Small
group development,

TIST
Seedlings
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Agriculture
Crops
that are frequently planted are maize, millet and groundnuts,
as well as trees. Training on agricultural best practices is also
available to participants in TIST, including via technical assistance
provided by representatives of Dow AgroSciences. The program strongly
encourages participants to share their own experiences and best
practices so that this is a continual learning process which helps
efficiency, productivity and increased yields for everyone involved.
Conservation
farming techniques are an integral part of the TIST training program,
along with organizational development techniques and business
management principles. More on Conservation
farming.
Agroforestry
Small
groups work together to plant trees. After planting seeds for
trees, TIST participants monitor the germination of these trees
prior to planting them in the ground. Through the sharing of best
practices, TIST participants have learned that this germination
step is critical in getting the trees to successfully take root.
Experience has taught that seeds planted directly into the soil
do not have as high a survival rate. More on Agroforestry.
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Small
Group Payments
Income
from Greenhouse Gas Sales is passed on to farmers and can help
them to buy better seed, become more financially secure, and plant
and maintain trees. More on Payments to Groups.
Monitoring & Measurement
TIST
participants and employees use different types of technology to
accurately measure growth and location of each tree. As the TIST
program works with Clean Air Action Corporation to sell emissions
credits to companies all over the world, these measurement and
monitor activities are key.
In conjunction
with CAAC, TIST staff members coordinate the program
and monitor results of the participants. Quantifiers travel to
various locations to record group results. They confirm location
and growth information on trees and record the small groups’
successes. The Quantifiers are outfitted with Palm Pilots and
Global Satellite Positioning (GPS) equipment in order to accurately
record information on the trees that have been planted. This information
is communicated by the Internet to CAAC’s offices where
it is verified for reporting purposes. More on Monitoring/measurement. |
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TIST Auditors |
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TIST
Management
TIST
employees who had no prior computer skills are training to take over all
data management. In the evening, these same computer facilities are used
to train young people in the community. Participants also have the chance
to gain valuable business skills through the administrative and record
keeping aspects of the project. Employees of TIST and participants in
the program are also developing practical communication skills. For example,
the TIST newsletter, the Habari Moto Moto, is now produced by a young
man who had never touched a computer until 18 months ago. More on TIST
management.
Program
Model - From small group development to health and economic benefits
Success
of the total program depends upon the success of the component parts of
TIST. While mutually interdependent,these separate components include:
Small
group development,
Conservation farming,
Agroforestry,
Payments to Groups, and
Monitoring/Measurement.
TIST management undergirds these project components
by providing detailed accounting of the finances and actions taken, pursuing
strategic teaming arrangements, and planning for the extension and replication
of the model with additional funding. Additional
projects such as computer training are also important contributions
to the local community.
Click
on the thumbnail below to view how the components relate:
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