Kiambu: Communities living near forests want their activities marketed

Communities living near forests in Kiambu county have asked the Kenya Forest Service to market their initiatives so that they can benefit and tap markets.

They say they have formed groups such as Kinale Community Forest Association (CFA), where talented people have been practicing different activities.

Kinale CFA chairman Daniel Njinu on Tuesday said some activities include mushroom farming, beekeeping and burning charcoal using tree waste.

Others practice horticulture farming under the Plantation Establishment for Livelihood Systems (Pelis).

“We have so many beautiful activities happening in the forests. They are conducted by people within our CFA’s. We do that as we assist the KFS and the government to plant and protect trees in the forests,” Njinu said.

Njinu however applauded KFS for partnering with local and international organisations to support the CFA’s and tree planting exercises in the forests.

He noted that Africa Development Bank and the government of Kenya have sponsored some projects in the forests, adding that they now need to be exposed so that they can make profits and spread.

“We appreciate all the support we have received. A lot of our projects are now operational. We now need to sit down and strategise on how we can start marketing what we have,” he said.

He said they have a group at Uplands that prepares mushrooms and sells them daily in different outlets in Nairobi.

"We need to see this growing, expanding and creating more employment for many people. We need a sitting so that we can see if we need some funding for each and every activity,” he noted.

Njinu spoke when the KFS hosted a delegation of AfDB and the National Treasury for a tree-planting event at Kinale Forest Station.

The AfDB delegation of about 60 dignitaries planted 60 ceremonial trees each representing an African state and partner states as part of an appreciation of Kenya's efforts in environmental conservation.

The KFS projects manager Jerome Mwanzia applauded the partnerships, saying they have helped to enlighten the CFA and the local communities and make them more creative.

He said the KFS and the partners were working hard to see ensure 15 billion trees are planted by 2032 as per President William Ruto’s directive.