@Planet Positive Collab in-the-field! I’ve spent the past 5 weeks back in the field with my client, Forested, exploring business partnerships across Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia. This journey has been both rejuvenating and inspiring, reminding me of everything I’ve missed about East Africa—the adaptability to constant unpredictability, the heartfelt hospitality, the exposure to different ways of thinking, the mix of hustle and the beautiful pauses to share tea or coffee, and of course, the food.
Spending time with these communities has given me so much to reflect on. Here are a few insights that I hope will spark thought and conversation:
1. Conservation and Economic Resilience
Too often, we ask some of the world’s poorest communities to conserve the ecosystems around them without providing viable economic means to do so. Forested’s work is a powerful example of what’s possible. In SW Ethiopia’s biodiverse Sheka Forest, Forested creates access to markets for honey producers. This premium honey is beautifully packaged and sold domestically to consumers and internationally to the cosmetics industry - check out LUSH's ‘Honey I Washed the Kids’ product.
Is honey the only forest-grown ingredient that can scale while conserving the forest? In the long-term, it’s critical to explore how communities can transition from resource-based to service-based economies. My hypothesis is that this is the only way of allowing economic growth without depleting old growth forests. I’d love to hear from my network - what do you think? Who’s interested in exploring this space together?
2. Indigenous Expertise and Reverence for Nature
The depth of knowledge in these communities on living in harmony with nature is incredible. In Kenya, the Kaya community fiercely protects and restores the forest, the most sacred place in their culture. They take only what they need from the forest, honoring and asking permission from ancestral spirits. On Mount Kenya, some farmers use rabbit urine as a natural pesticide. And in Sheka, Ethiopia, there’s a belief that cutting down a tree brings a curse. Imagine if we applied these perspectives globally!
What if communities could offer environmental training to the ‘developed’ world? Perhaps one service-based economic opportunity.
3. The Economics of Regenerative Agriculture
Transitioning to regenerative practices is expensive, particularly for smallholder farmers who cannot afford additional risk and lack access to high quality inputs. Companies willing to invest in shared costs are crucial to creating resilient, sustainable supply chains. I believe these early movers, by contributing to a healthier planet, will benefit from stronger, more resilient supply chains.
Through Planet Positive Collab, I’m excited to help more businesses incorporate sustainable strategies, bridging ecology, community, and commerce. To learn more, visit planetpositivecollab.com.
Ariana Day Yuen Umazi Mvurya Ojok Okello Matthew Thornton Addisu
