The government has urged the private sector dealing with wood to start practicing commercial forestry.
The state said this will help address the rising demand of wood and its products in the country.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko said the demand for wood was rising.
“This calls for extending commercial forestry investment in the private, community lands and shifting the focus to arid and semi-arid lands that have demonstrated huge potential for commercial forestry,” he said.
Tobiko spoke at the Kenya Forestry and Research Institute headquarters in Muguga, Kiambu, on Tuesday.
He was opening the first Kenya Commercial Forestry Investment Conference and Expo 2021, which will run for three days.
He was accompanied by Kefri director Joshua Cheboiwo and Kenya Forest Service chief conservator Julius Kamau, among other senior government officials.
The stakeholders who attended the expo included timber and saw millers, local and international timber dealers, community forest associations and private forest researchers.
Cheboiwo said the conference has attracted 500 delegates who are participating physically and virtually.
Tobiko asked stakeholders to challenge it, criticise what it was doing and give ideas on what can be done as environment conservation measures.
The CS said the government was doing all it can to achieve the target of achieving 10 per cent trees cover by 2022, as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“We thank and recognise the contribution of all our stakeholders. Forests are about livelihood,” he said.
Tobiko lauded Kefri for hosting the expo since it would enlighten other researchers.
“Kefri and other partners have enhanced research and approved dry land tree species for commercial forestry," he said.
"This way, commercial forestry will no doubt contribute to socioeconomic development in sustainably managed manner that rewards the environment.”
(edited by Amol Awuor)
