A SMALL charity is working to help farmers in Africa adapt to climate change, by supporting them to switch to growing fruit.

The Joliba Trust, which is based in Chagford, has also enlisted the help of fruit tree growers in Devon, to help share experience and expertise with farmers in Mali; now a fundraising campaign is underway to help plant more orchards in the African country.

In Mali, where the Joliba Trust works, increasing temperatures mean that farmers can no longer grow cotton as there is not enough water, and are now turning to fruit and nut trees to provide for the future.

In Devon, although the orchards here are still some of the finest remaining in the UK, fruit growing is being disrupted by climate change.

This can bring increased heat stress, higher humidity leading to disease, and unpredictable, extreme weather, according to the Devon Local Nature Partnership.

Sharing these challenges is important to Devon fruit growers and tree producers who have been working hard using organic methods to create fruitful trees with resilient root systems.

Chagford orchard owner Anna Dunscombe said: ‘I love that people in Mali are planting fruit trees to feed people, planting these trees that secure the soil and earth and provide bounty for everyone around them.

‘And I love to think that I am planting trees here in my orchard in damp Devon and the equivalent is will be done in Africa, it’s wonderful.’

Aboubacar Kone is one farmer from Mali who has already benefitted from the scheme.

Before joining, he had to migrate to work for very little reward in a gold mine under very harsh conditions where people sometimes died.

He said: ‘As soon as I heard about Joliba’s orchard project I applied.

‘I dug two water points and planted 200 papaya saplings.

‘After seven months I started harvesting fruit and raised £1,800 not counting the fruits consumed in our family and those I gave to neighbours and friends.

‘I am really happy and sincerely thank those who have trusted and helped me.’

The Joliba Trust has an opportunity through the Big Give Earth Raise Week from April 22 to 29 to raise £80,000 to plant many more orchards in Mali.

They work with volunteers, mainly women and unemployed young people, to plant drought-resistant orchards of fruit and nuts like guava, papaya, shea and cashew.

Market gardens are planted in the shelter of the trees which also provide homes for local wildlife.

The project gives people a real chance of becoming self-sufficient and is improving unproductive farmland, preventing flooding and restoring biodiversity.

Caroline Hart, trustee for the Joliba Trust said: ‘I’ve always felt lucky to live on Dartmoor, a place with plentiful water, green fields and orchards but we have seen more water restrictions here in recent years as climate patterns change so I feel it is more important than ever to support people in places seeing more drought conditions like Mali.’

Anyone interested in the project can find out more about how to support it at jolibatrust.org or at donate.biggive.org.