Myoot Kipsigis council of elders, Kericho chapter, have urged deputy president Rigathi Gachagua to drop plans of reinstating shamba system.
The secretary of the council of elders Anthony Kimeto expressed fears that Kenya will not attain the 10 percent forest cover if Shamba system farming is allowed.
Reacting to the calls by the DP to have communities bordering government forests allowed to farm in the forests, Kimetto expressed fears that those allowed to start farming will not have a keen interest in protecting newly planted tree seedlings against their food crops.
While addressing journalists at a hotel in Kericho town, Sunday, Kimetto said Kenya needs committed Kenya Forest Service conservators who will ensure areas that are idle are planted with both exotic and indigenous forest cover.
He attributed the ongoing drought in 21 counties to the wanton destruction of both indigenous and exotic forest cover.
"With the ongoing hunger in most parts of Kenya, most farmers if allowed to farm in government forest will pay much attention to their food crops rather than protecting tree seedlings," Kimetto said.
Kimetto, a one time Kabianga High school teacher, told the DP to approach agricultural officers and seek farming advise on how farmers could be taught on how to increase food production.
Kenya can be self-sustaining in both food production and increasing forest cover to the recommended 10 percent without necessarily advising farmers to go for Shamba system in government forests.
He took issue with conservators for failing to avert the wanton destruction of natural cover on potential water sources along valleys and river banks.
"Before independence, some of the rivers that we know of have dried up over failure by conservationists to stop the wanton destruction of indigenous cover," Kimetto said.
He said Nakuru and Naivasha lakes face extinction in some years to come if rivers that feed them are not protected.
"Some of the rivers like Njoro and Molo are no longer having voluminous water they used to drain into lakes Nakuru and Baringo " Kimetto said.
KFS he said should ensure indigenous rather than exotic forest cover is planted along riverbanks
