The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has handed over contracts to community groups to help in producing tree seedlings that will be planted in the ecosystem and the neighbouring community in the efforts to achieve the President’s 15 billion tree cover.
Speaking at Mabanga Agricultural Training College (ATC) in Bungoma on Friday after signing and handing over of the contracts to the community forest associations (CFAs), the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Alex Lemarkoko, said that currently implementing a project dubbed ‘Integrated landscape management’ jointly with the communities, county governments and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Further, he said that the main objective of the project is to address the livelihoods, value chains, conversation and also ensuring that we restore water towers in Mt Elgon.
He added that the project is focusing on the gazetted forests and also farm lands.
“We are also looking at the value chains of certain food crops and those empower the community economically like coffee which is going to be our focus crop in this region,” he added.
However, Lemarkoko stated that the project focuses on eight forest stations.
“This project focuses on eight forest stations in the Mt Elgon,” he said, adding that the 5 years project will impact 60,000 individuals residing in the forest areas.
He revealed that the purpose of handing over contracts is for the community forest associations and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
“We are moving away from direct implementation to sharing the responsibilities of implementation to the communities themselves, they are going to be responsible in producing 1.6 million seedlings this year,” he stated.
He affirmed that the Kenya Forest Service is going to help the associations in nursery management processes also to plant and grow trees at the designated areas.
“The contract involves raising seedlings, planting and nurturing those seedlings until they grow,” Lemarkoko said, he stated that the approach is unique as deviation from the previous arrangements where communities have a great role in the ecosystem restoration.
He mentioned that the integrated landscape management initiative is in line with the government’s 15 billion trees strategy.
Bungoma Deputy Governor Janepher Mbatiany applauded the Kenya Forest Service and the Food and Agriculture Organization for partnering to restore the Mt Elgon ecosystem stating that the ecosystem is the main source of water for the rivers in the region.
“As the county government we are excited that the restoration project has been handed over to the community thus empowering the locals,” Mbatiany stated.
