Kisii youth plant trees to boost forest cover

According to the department of Forestry in Kisii, the forest cover in the county is approximated at 228.4 hectares, which is about 2.62 per cent of the total land area.

Despite efforts by the department to increase the forest cover to about 500 hectares, there has been a reduction over time.

Reports from the Global Forest Watch indicate the county lost 39.2 hectares of its natural forest in 2021. This can be attributed to the high rate of urbanisation in the region and the high population brought about by devolution.

In a bid to boost forest cover in Kisii, some youth from Kenyenya subcounty have started planting trees on their farms.

Lazarus Nyasaka, 28, is one of the farmers who has about two acres covered mostly in Blue Gum, Cyprus and eucalyptus trees, which are intercropped with other crops.

Nyasaka said he grows the trees mostly for commercial purposes because they have various uses in the day-to-day activities such as  firewood, building materials or making timber for furniture use.

He said planting trees is a long-term project, if one depends on the trees as an income-generating activity.

“I planted these trees about six months ago. However, I will reap their benefits in five to 10 years to come,” Nyasaka said.

He said that whenever he cuts the trees, he usually replaces them with two or three others to protect his land from soil erosion.

The farmer buys Blue Gum seedlings for Sh5 each, whereas Cyprus and eucalyptus cost Sh10 each. He plants the seedlings during the rainy season once he has prepared the land for one week. 

Nyasaka said trees require regular pruning for the first six months and they are supposed to be protected from destruction by animals.

“In today’s market, one tree costs about Sh27,000 and tree farming and maintenance is cheap,” he said. 

Jacob Ogari, another farmer from the subcounty, has a half-acre farm, where he has planted the Blue Gum and indigenous trees.

The farmer gets tree seedlings from cut trees, which he grows in a nursery before transferring them to a prepared farm.

Ogari urged other tree farmers to fence their farms to protect the trees from animal disruption, adding that trees have various uses such as beautification, climate protection and commercial purposes.

The farmer said he faces various challenges like attacks by bacteria and diseases, which dry the whole tree. During the dry season, he said, trees will not grow unless they are watered in the morning and evening.

Ogari said in five years, he will be able to earn an income by selling the trees to Kenya Power for use as electricity distribution poles.

“I advise Kisii residents to plant more trees because more schools and factories are coming up and they will require firewood. In a short time, the demand will be more than the supply,” he said.

Like Nyasaka, he said after cutting down a tree, he replaces it with at least three tree seedlings to avoid deforestation and to keep a steady flow of income over a long period of time.

Ogari said a tree costs about Sh25,000 to Sh30,000 and he expects the price to increase over time.

Kelvin Sadala grows pine, Blue Gum and Cyprus trees with other fruits such as avocados and guavas.

The 21-year-old farmer prunes his trees regularly on his half-acre farm and hopes to benefit from the sale of the trees over 10 years.

The National Forest Resources Assessment (2021) indicates Kenya has a forest cover of about 7.1 million hectares and the country is working towards achieving at least 10 per cent forest cover.

The national government through forest agencies and county governments are working to promote tree planting in the communities to fulfil the constitutional demand of 10 per cent forest cover as per the 2015 National Forest Policy.

(edited by Amol Awuor)