ENG - What is TIST - Join the TIST Program

1. What is TIST?
TIST is made up of people just like you. Most of us are subsistence farmers living in drylands areas suffering from deforestation, land degradation, drought, and famine. We form Small Groups that take action to stop this suffering and improve our local environment. We focus on environmental and sustainable development by planting trees and participating in the carbon business. TIST stands for “The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program,” and it is active in East Africa and India.

Below are brief statements summarising what TIST is:
What is TIST?
TIST is a rapidly growing community of smallholder farmers who have joined together to improve the lives of their families, local areas, country, and the world.
When did TIST start?
TIST started in 1999 with 77 farmers, and now there are over 100,000 farmers active in TIST.
What do we do?
We work together in small groups, helping each other in our Small Group, in the other Small Groups around us, and across the world to share best practices that we have learned or developed. An important part of that work includes reforesting the badly degraded land on our farms or in our communities. By planting trees, we provide ourselves with firewood, building materials, fruit and nuts. We also improve the soil, protect ourselves from floods, improve the water in our community, and help fight against climate change.
Who do we do it with?
With friends, family, and neighbours in a Small Group. When a small group works together, they can accomplish much. When thousands and tens of thousands of small groups work to improve their communities, their farms, and their families, they can help change the word.
We grow trees:
As we improve our farms and our trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the air by storing it in the wood, roots, and soil. Clean Air Action Corporation takes all the actions necessary to make these carbon reductions into carbon credits to sell on the world market. We receive 70% of the profits from the sale of these carbon credits.
We create leaders
We also grow leaders. By using “rotating leadership” all TIST members gain experience in leading their Small Group, or their Cluster, or their national Leadership Council. Some of us are trained to be “quantifiers” who very carefully count and monitor the growth of each tree so that CAAC’s calculations of the carbon credits are honest and accurate.
We educate each other:
We develop and share information about improved agriculture, forestry, health (including COVID and HIV/AIDS), and sustainable development activities. We make this useful information available to all of the Small Groups. We use newsletters, monthly local Cluster meetings, and regional Seminars where we share the Best Practices we have developed.
We measure our results:
We measure the results of our work together very accurately. Some of us are trained to be “Cluster Servants” who very carefully count and monitor the growth of each tree so that CAAC’s calculations of the carbon credits are honest and accurate. We also post the results of our work on the www.tist.org website so that anywhere in the world people can see our activities transparently.
What we Create
TIST farmers work together to create something new that did not exist before. Below you can lear from a TIST farmer how we create BIG results with a low budget.
What Do We Do?
Whilst some of what TIST does, such as selling carbon credits, can seem complicated at first, doing what we do is actually simple.

We Educate Each Other
We develop and share information about improved agriculture, forestry, health (including HIV/AIDS), and sustainable development activities and organize ourselves so that this information is made available to all of the Small Groups. We have newsletters, monthly local Cluster meetings, and regional Seminars where we share the Best Practices we have developed.
We Grow Trees
As we improve our farms and our trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the air by storing it in the wood, roots, and soil. CAAC takes all the actions necessary to make these carbon reductions into carbon credits to sell on the world market. We receive 70% of the profits from the sale of these carbon credits.
We Create Leaders
We also grow leaders. By using “rotating leadership” all TIST members gain experience in leading their Small Group, or their Cluster, or their national Leadership Council. Some of us are trained to be “quantifiers” who very carefully count and monitor the growth of each tree so that CAAC’s calculations of the carbon credits are honest and accurate. We also post the results of our work on the www.tist.org website so that anywhere in the world people can see our activities transparently.
TIST and You
Understanding TIST is just the first step to becoming part of the TIST community and learning about what we do and what we create. Next you will learn about TIST Small Groups, which are the foundation of the TIST program.

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1. What is TIST?

What is TIST?

When did TIST start?

What do we do?

Who do we do it with?

We grow trees:

We create leaders

We educate each other:

We measure our results:

What we Create

TIST farmers work together to create something new that did not exist before. Below you can lear from a TIST farmer how we create BIG results with a low budget.

What Do We Do?

Whilst some of what TIST does, such as selling carbon credits, can seem complicated at first, doing what we do is actually simple.

We Educate Each Other

We Grow Trees

We Create Leaders

TIST and You

Understanding TIST is just the first step to becoming part of the TIST community and learning about what we do and what we create. Next you will learn about TIST Small Groups, which are the foundation of the TIST program.

Side-Loading?

Have a question or comment? Click here to let us know.