TIST voted the best (Carbon) offsetting program in the world

By Bob Aston

The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program (TIST) has been voted the Best (Carbon) Offsetting Project in a global survey conducted by Environmental Finance. This recognition, voted by carbon market industry professionals throughout the world, identified the many benefits that TIST farmers receive from working together to plant and to develop and share local best practices that improve lives.

TIST is the first offsetting project to be recognized by Environmental Finance. TIST carbon offsets from India, Kenya and Uganda are validated and verified by Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCBS).

TIST is among the few organizations which have received certification standards for carbon reduction projects from VCS and CCBS. They have already completed that process a total of 14 times.

A member of TIST-Nyakinyua cluster at her tree nursery

VCS offsets must be real (have happened), additional (beyond business-as-usual activities), measurable, permanent (not temporarily displace emissions), independently verified and unique (not used more than once to offset emissions) and is accredited by the American National Standards Institute.

TIST empowers Small Groups of subsistence farmers in countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and India to reverse the devastating effects of deforestation, drought, and famine. Since 1999, TIST participants have been identifying local sustainable development goals that include tree planting and sustainable agriculture

TIST expects to provide long-term revenue for the Small Group participants through the sale of greenhouse gas credits (GhG). Carbon credit policy works on paying farmers for the seedlings they have planted. The farmers are expected to have formed a group and dully registered with TIST International.

TIST started its operations in Laikipia in 2008. Already various farmers in the region making up cluster groups have been receiving carbon credit payment vouchers. Clusters like Tandare, Nyakinyua and Njorua are targeting to plant 100,000 trees per year. TIST-Njorua cluster alone has several products like honey, Stevia plant, fish pond and tree nurseries.

Disbursement of carbon credit money is normally done on a quarterly basis and is disbursed through Safaricom M-Pesa money transfer. Later members receive their dues as tabulated in the voucher breakdown.

With palm computers and Global Position System (GPS) technology, TIST data on tree growth and carbon storage is collected and transmitted through the internet.