A section of residents at Mokwo in Keiyo South during a meeting where they endorsed the ongoing fencing of Kaptagat Forest and welcomed President Ruto to visit the region
Kenya Forest Service (KFS) is fencing off Kaptagat Forest after local communities backed the drive as part of the conservation efforts being spearheaded by Treasury PS Chris Kiptoo.
President Ruto will on Saturday be in the area to preside over the 10th edition of the Kaptagat Forest Conservation Programme to promote the drive.
The fencing is underway around the forest ecosystem even as and members of the Community Forest Associations (CFAs) welcomed Ruto to the region.
They said the conservation initiative was already transforming many livelihoods.
Members of the CFAs from six blocks in the forest held meetings where they confirmed full support for the fencing plan.
Community leaders at Mokwo and other areas said the fencing of the forest had come with many benefits that will economically empower locals.
The community leaders included Gladys Kibiwott, Aaron Mengich, Abigael Korir and Brian Tuitoek who have all benefited from the conservation plan welcomed Ruto's tour.
“The forest was being depleted and degraded very fast but the conservation efforts have started improving the forest cover in most areas. Fencing off the forest will further enhance the conservation programme," Korir said.
Through the programme, communities had been assisted to embrace modern dairy farming by keeping fewer hybrid cows which produce more milk and are easy to take care of.
“I now have one hybrid cow which I take of through zero grazing with more milk than when I had many animals which grazed in the forest and damaged the ecosystem but produced less milk,” Korir said.
She said that with many farmers embracing modern dairy farming, they were now producing biogas for use at homes and in some schools.
“Women are now using biogas for cooking and they we don’t have to go to forests for firewood, thus reducing the pressure on the forest ecosystem," she said.
Mengich said the fencing will not stop the communities from accessing the forest because through the CFAs, they would tap other benefits, including commercial beekeeping and eco-tourism.
“We have been trained and organised through the CFAs to be able to tap the benefits from the forest through various commercial activities,” Mengich said.
Tuitoek said conservation of the forest would enable them to get adequate clean water and a better environment for modern agricultural activities such as growing high-value crops like coffee and avocado.
The Kaptagat Forest fencing project is expected to cover about 300km.
Kiptoo has expressed satisfaction with the progress in the Kaptagat Forest Ecosystem Conservation programme, which he has been spearheading for the last 10 years.
The PS said the initiative has reclaimed much of the forest that had been degraded through human activities.
“It's now 10 years since I decided to take leadership and personal responsibility at my level to help conserve the Kaptagat Forest, and I am so proud of the work we have achieved with the support from the community and other stakeholders,” he said.
He spoke during the Kaptagat cycling challenge, which is one of the activities lined up to sensitise the community on the conservation programme.
Kiptoo said a lot of progress had been made to restore the forest and to improve the livelihoods of many residents.
“The 10 years has not been a journey in futility, and I have a lot of fulfilment, but I know there is still much more we have to do,” he said.
The conservation is being integrated with sports and other components, and it will involve the local community.
The residents are being assisted to engage in the rearing of modern dairy cows, use biogas and grow high-value crops.
Ends
