Architect uses blockchain to tackle climate change

To track the tree, Mambo Heritage uses geographic information system (GIS) maps with the coordinates of a specific seedling. PHOTO | POOL

Balmoi Abe watched for decades as climate change moved from a concept discussed in high-level conservation meetings to a devastating reality closer to home.

He knew he had to do something, and quickly. And so the architect, who has practiced his profession for 16 years, decided to take time off and travel across Africa to study the degradation of the environment and the restoration work that could be carried out.

In 2020, he returned with a solution – smart contracts, the blockchain-backed technology that he is now championing to incentivize individuals and organizations to put more land under tree cover.

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The self-taught blockchain technology expert founded Mambo Heritage to act as a link between urban conflict, climate change and innovation.

“Our mission is to use smart contract technology to connect every tree to plants while running an incentive program that allows them to get some financial benefits,” says Balmoi.

Tree mapping

The point is carbon sequestration where trees take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in the soil, adds the 43-year-old.

How does this work? “If you’re going to grow a tree, you need to be able to know that the tree will be around for years to come as a legacy,” says Balmoi.

To track the tree, Mambo Heritage uses geographic information system (GIS) maps with the coordinates of a specific seedling.

The GIS map, Balmoi says, is attached to the landowner who will have a ledger on the blockchain indicating his or her name, the number of trees planted and the coordinates of each tree.

This is supported by a smart contract, which is essentially an encoding contained in the ledger transaction that executes the terms of the contract and is supported by blockchain technology.

Mambo Heritage started a pilot program in June 2022. To be eligible for the project, you must have at least one hectare of land, says Balmoi.

“For our pilot programme, we are working with the state parastatals as they have more land. The government has agents who care for the trees, but Mambo Heritage has also brought in individuals from the local communities who we refer to as ecological stewards.”

Ecological managers are agents who are trained and act on the interventions around the tree that grows from watering, maintenance, maintenance and on-site validation of photography.

Mambo Heritage founder Balmoi Abe stands next to a tree growing on top of a dead log. The organization is running a pilot program that uses blockchain-backed smart contracts to encourage farm owners to grow and keep trees in the fight against climate change. PHOTO | NMG

“We have promised four million trees while doing conservation on a large scale. We call it turning the needle, from tree planting to tree growth.”

What does it look like in people’s livelihoods?

At the end of each month the trees are alive, the landowners are entitled to receive a certain payment.

“For every tree that we confirm is alive using our satellites, you receive a token for your digital wallet connected to your phone,” says Balmoi. A tree is valued at Sh100 and a hectare of land can hold about 10,000 trees depending on the spacing and design.

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The money comes from private investments. “We have local and international investors providing the financing with oversight from the Central Bank of Kenya. We can have manufacturing companies from the West seeking to offset carbon coming in to finance a tree growing project.”

The biggest concern for investors has always been that the end of a tree planting project has very high media coverage but very few planted trees to show for it.

With the smart contracts, Balmoi says there is transparency. Investors receive data that is beneficial to them and the organic manager. “The money is in the data that is in the soil or the interactions that come through the digital wallets.”

Future potential

Bali sees the use of smart contract technology in reforestation programs as encouraging urban-to-rural migration. “We have city dwellers going to their rural homes because they know there are programs in place that can put just as much if not more money in their pockets.”

The pilot project will last for one year, but in the blockchain space, the value of the tree is infinite. Therefore, a landowner can continue to be paid as long as the trees are alive.

“On the blockchain, you get your ledger and you can continue to trade and receive tokens. Your farm will be put on the metaverse where you will continue to earn. There is a token attached to the tree to continue paying you.” Mambo Heritage will facilitate the transition to the metaverse after the pilot program.

Benjamin Arunda, a blockchain consultant and author of Understanding the Blockchain says the technology can be used to bring transparency and accountability to climate change financing.

“Everyone in the industry can see the transactions that resulted in the generation of carbon credits. Blockchain can record where carbon credits were generated to where they were consumed.”

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