•Some Sh48 billion is needed in the venture.
•Speaking to the Star on Monday, Kefri director Joshua Cheboiwo said the Institute used to produce between eight to nine metric tonnes per year for the last 20 years.
The Kenya Forestry Research Institute has increased seed production capacity in response to the government’s bid to increase forest cover.
The current forest cover is 7.2 per cent and the government intends to increase it to at least 10 per cent by 2022.
Two billion trees need to be planted to meet the target. It would cost Sh48 billion.
Speaking to the Star on Monday, Kefri director Joshua Cheboiwo said the institute has been producing between eight and nine metric tonnes of seed per year for the last 20 years.
“When the 10 per cent forest cover initiative was mooted, Kefri was requested to produce two billion seeds by 2022,” he said.
Cheboiwo said Kefri has calculated what needs to be produced by the institute for the government to meet the required 10 per cent cover.
“We need 160 metric tonnes to meet the national demand of two billion seeds,” he said.
Cheboiwo said the amount needed has seen Kefri add seed production.
He said Kefri produced 24 metric tonnes in 2018; 38 metric tonnes in 2019 and is supposed to produce 50 metric tonnes in 2021.
He said they need more funds to enhance the production of seeds.
The institute’s mission is to conduct research, provide information and technologies for sustainable development of forestry and allied natural resources for socio-economic development.
Cheboiwo said Kefri has since moved from client-based demand to enhancing the forest cover.
On Friday, Environment CS Keriako Tobiko held an online meeting with stakeholders on the roadmap towards achieving the 10 per cent target national tree cover under the National Tree Planting Project, whose lead implementing agency is Kefri.
Seed distribution and tree nursery registration were among issues discussed in the meeting that was co-hosted by environment PS Chris Kiptoo.
It was agreed that 28 nursery tree-growing centres will be set up countrywide.
Kiptoo said all 47 counties had been mapped out ready for the tree planting exercise.
The PS said county implementation committees will be involved in tree planting at the grassroots level.
During the meeting, Cheboiwo revealed that Kefri seed centre stores had about 50 metric tonnes of assorted species which could yield 700,000,000 seedlings.
He said the species cover the various eco-regions of the country.
The Project which is being coordinated by Kefri aims at increasing tree cover in Kenya to at least 10 per cent.
The overall target goal for the project is to produce 2 billion quality seedlings in public and private tree nurseries.
Head of forestry conservation in the Ministry of Environment Alfred Gichu said schools had been identified countrywide and land selected where the trees would be planted.
The government will be using the upcoming devolution conference scheduled for May-June at Makueni county to increase tree cover.
The theme of the conference is ‘Multi-Level Governance for Climate Change Action’.
Tobiko urged the ministry and those present to exploit the opportunity presented by the Conference to inform and push the Ministries tree planting and climate agenda change.
He also called for a closer working relationship between departments and sections to avoid duplication of efforts.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris