The TIST programs empowers subsistence farmers in Uganda to combat the devastating effects of poverty, food shortage, deforestation and disease by planting trees.

In planting these trees the Small Groups of farmers also produce a virtual cash crop of community forest-based carbon credits for which they receive ongoing cash payments. This income serves to augment the community benefits afforded by the program’s planting schemes which are designed to afford maximum benefit to local participants through reafforestation, agro-forestry and community lead forest resource management.

Starting in July 2005 the target was to the plant 150,000 new trees over 3 years with the establishment and involvement of 150 small groups in the Bushenyi district of Uganda. Having reached the end of this initial period the reality is that over 550,000 trees were planted with the establishment of 290 small groups.