Cashew tree
Everyone in Yorosso in South Mali has done a lot of preparation for planting 100,000 trees to revive their economy, but we need to raise a further £14,000 to make this possible. It is a fertile area with good rainfall but all the trees were cut down to grow cotton and two-thirds of it is now turning to desert. Tree planting would revive the land so that people can grow food again and it would bring significant income to women as it is a wonderful area for fruit growing.
People in Yorosso are among the very poorest in the world. They earn only a few pence a day from growing cotton and all the young men and women are forced to leave to find work so that their families can buy food. 8,007 volunteers would like to plant trees and the whole population of Yorosso would benefit from reduced flooding, increased food production and availability of locally-grown food in their markets.
The trees reduce wind and water erosion; their leaves, flowers and fruit create natural compost; and their much-needed shade attracts livestock that deposits manure on the land. This part of Mali also produces some of the best mangoes in the world, and within a few years the trees chosen would generate considerable income and food. It costs just 40-80p to plant a mature or grafted tree.