A forest reborn, the story of Musu Kebba, others' efforts in Darsilami’s Green Revival
This is Musu Kebba Jaju, a 60-year-old native of Darsilami, a village in Kombo Central. Musu Kebba’s story explains how her community galvanized itself to restore its depleted forest cover with dedication and an unwavering commitment to the environment. As a child, she remembers Darsilami as a place full of trees, a green sanctuary that was rich with natural resources. However, as the years went by, human activity began to take a toll on the forest. Trees were cut down indiscriminately for farming, fuel, and construction, leaving the once-dense forest a shadow of its former self.
By the time Musu Kebba reached adulthood, the village had lost most of its trees. “I remember standing in one spot and being able to see clear across to the other side of the village,” Musu Kebba recalls. “The forest had become so thin that we could barely recognize it as a forest anymore. The loss of the trees affected everything—the rain became scarce, and the land became dry.”
In the year 2000, Musu Kebba, along with a few determined villagers, decided to act. “We couldn’t wait for help to come from outside,” she says. “We had to do something ourselves.” The group secured a plot of land measuring 200 by 100 hectares with the dream of restoring the forest. By 2001, with the support of the Department of Forestry, they began planting trees. The department provided seedlings and guidance on how to preserve the newly planted forest, but the road ahead was still long.
It was nott until the arrival of the UN-funded Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) project, implemented by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FA0), that the community’s efforts truly began to take root. The project supplied nearly 2,000 additional seedlings, which allowed the villagers to expand the reforest significantly. Musukuta was instrumental in organizing the planting efforts, ensuring that everyone in the village contributed.
A few months ago, Musu Kebba was selected to attend a study tour in Kolda, Senegal, to learn about sustainable forestry practices. “What I saw in Kolda amazed me,” she says. “They had a system where they would mark areas of forest for tree cutting, but they would also replant immediately. They wouldn’t touch that area for eight years, allowing the forest to recover.” Inspired by what she learned; Musu Kebba brought these practices back to Darsilami.
“We have adopted the same practices for Darsilami, ,” she explains. “We no longer allow random tree cutting. Now, anyone who needs to cut a tree has to get permission, and we ensure that new trees are planted to replace what is lost. It is a policy that is helping us rebuild our forest.”
Sana Sambou, the Secretary-General of the Village Committee responsible for maintaining the forest, credits FAO and PBF project for much of their success. “PBF has been a lifeline for us,” Sambou says. “They provided us with 30 beehives, which we use for beekeeping. The bees not only pollinate the trees, helping them to grow stronger, but the honey we produce also provides income for the village. They have given us equipment—bikes, buckets, spades, everything we need to make this work.”
Musa Tabally Bojang, the village head, also plays a crucial role in the forest’s protection. “We’ve enacted strict guidelines to ensure that the forest is not harmed,” Bojan says. “Anyone caught cutting down trees without permission is fined and reported to the district chief. We are serious about preserving this forest because we know what it means for the future of our community.”
Bojang expressed his gratitude to the FAO and PBF for their support.
Today, Darsilami’s forest can be seen as an example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared goal. Thanks to the efforts of people like Musu Kebba Jaju, the village now boasts a thriving forest. The lessons learned from Kolda, combined with the support from the Department of Forestry and the PBF Project, have turned a dream into a reality.