
Over 28,000 households to benefit from Kaptagat forest conservation
Programme which aims to conserve the forest ecosystem
The program is aligned with the Presidential clarion call to combat the effects of climate change by growing 15 billion trees on 11 million hectares in every part of Kenya.
In Summary
More than 2,500 hectares
of Kaptagat Forest have so far been reclaimed through the Kaptagat Integrated
Conservation Programme spearheaded by Treasury PS Dr Chris Kiptoo.
As the programme heads to
its 9th edition this weekend, concerted efforts led by Dr Kiptoo and other
stakeholders have seen much of the forest that had been destroyed have been
restored.
So far, local communities
and partner organizations have replanted more than 2 million tree seedlings as
part of the reclamation initiative, which has been embraced.
Mzee Daniel Kibet who is
a resident of the area says he also fears over existence of the water tower due
to continued degradation over the years but now he sees hope.
“I have seen so many
trees now planted under this project headed by PS Kiptoo and I am happy that at
least the forest will continue to exist for our future generations,” said Mzee
Kibet.
Within the past seven
years, the programme has spearheaded the restoration activities led by the
Ministry of Environment, Climate change and Forestry among other stakeholders
and have cumulatively restored much of the areas that had been extensively
degraded.
The reclamation is mainly
through the planting of assorted indigenous tree seedlings and the distribution
of about 3000, 000 high-value avocado seedlings to farmers in both Elgeyo
Marakwet and Uasin Gishu Counties.
To discourage locals from
fetching firewood, the programme also involves the installation of biogas to
homesteads for use in cooking thus reducing the pressure on wood fuel.
The program is aligned
with the Presidential clarion call to combat the effects of climate change by
growing 15 billion trees on 11 million hectares in every part of Kenya to
achieve a tree cover of about 30 percent by 2032.
The programme is anchored
on a 5-year programme (2024 – 2029) to improve community livelihoods and secure
the Kaptagat Ecosystem and community user rights through raft of interventions
that includes livestock upgrading, water provision, high value crops and green
energy provision.
Members of the local
community have expressed optimism over the programme terming it a sure bet in
restoring the degraded forest and also have improved their livelihoods through
the introduction of avocado farming away from the conventional cereal farming
the region is known for.
Kaptagat Community Forest
Association (CFA) Vincent Chelimo says the restoration has been achieved
through a meticulous forest management plan that brings together state and
private sector under the Patronage of Dr. Kiptoo who has been passionate on
environmental conservation.
He says through the local
community has wholly embraced the conservation plan through sensitization
activities also spearheaded by Dr Kiptoo.
Chelimo says the benefits
of the conservation plan will be far reaching with positive impacts especially
for the local community.
“The community is
marshalled to join CFAs to enjoy user rights that incudes tilling the forest
land as they nurture tree seedlings, distribution of avocado seedlings and
installation of biogas. It is worth to note that in less than a decade the
forest that was a shell of former self is now restored,” he stated.
He said ownership of the
activities by the local community is the surest way to ensure sustainability.
“We were born and bred
here and as young men, we would graze in the forest. After the lands went bare,
we would encroach on the forest for more and ended up destroying it for
decades.”
He said that through the
Plantation Establishment Livelihood Investment Scheme (PELIS) where local plant
food crops on the selected areas in the forests, there has been rapid growth of
trees when compared to uncultivated areas.
“Each year we have been
planting over 300,000 indigenous trees with a success rate of 95 percent. The
effect of this is that we have since seen rivers that were hitherto dry now
flowing back to live an indicator the biodiversity in the forest is thriving in
the forest,” he said.
On the other part Sabor
CFA secretary Francis Kangogo said the programme is projected to install 28,
000 households with biogas that would go a long way in cutting down the
reliance of wood fuel from the forest.
“All communities
surrounding the forest have been earmarked to benefit and biogas installation
which will completely alleviate wood fuel. Only if the community around the
forest is benefiting directly and generally economically is conservation able
to succeed. This is well though strategy for winning environmental conservation
and economic development,” he said.
Kangaroo said millions of
shillings have since been injected into the Kaptagat landscape economy between
2017 and 2024through tree seedlings procurement and supporting the
establishment of nurseries owned by the CFAs, women youth, and persons with
disabilities.
Salina Cheruto, a
resident of Kabukto village, Uasin GishuCounty who was relying on the forest
for livelihood but embraced avocado farming is now reaping the benefits from
the sale of the fruits.
“I embraced avocado farming
in 2019 and I am excited that I earn over Sh20,000 every month from the sale of
the fruits. Initially, we relied entirely on the forest to eke out our living
but it was unsustainable and detrimental to environmental conservation. We
applaud the programme because we have seen the forest restored and our
livelihoods improved,” she said.
She said the surrounding
households have now diversified into coffee, tea, macadamia and pyrethrum
farming as a livelihood scheme in turn easing the pressure exerted on the
forest courtesy of the programme.
Another local Truphena
Chepseba who was installed with a biogas in 2022 and since then she has never
stepped foot in the forest in search of firewood.
“The biogas has
effectively cut the numerous trips to the forest over the years in search of
firewood to zero. If locals get an alternative source of fuel, no one will step
in forest looking for firewood thus help in conservation of the forest because
majority of the villagers rely on wood fuel,” she explained.
After generating biogas,
she adds, she uses slurry as manure to enrich her vegetable garden thus
becoming a vegetable seller in turn supplementing her household income.
Through the initiative
the government has planned to implement more initiatives that will sustain
conservation of the forest.
“We are involving the
community at all levels so that they can be part of the project and own it
because that is also a sure way to ensure sustainability,” said Dr Kiptoo.
Programme which aims to conserve the forest ecosystem