The government, through the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), is in the process of reinstating farming by communities in 138 forests in the country, under plantation establishment through livelihood scheme program, as opposed to the previous shamba system.
Speaking during a meeting with communities living around Imenti Forest in Imenti Central Constituency, Forestry Principal Secretary (PS) Mr Gitonga Mugambi said the new program, unlike the old one, ensures that the occupiers of forests are members of Community Forest Associations and have been sensitised on the best practices of forests conservation, which was not the case for shamba system.
Besides being members of the Association, the farmers will also be expected to plant and take care of trees ensuring more than 80 percent of their survival within a term of three years.
In case survival rate of trees in a farmer’s plot falls below 80 percent, he added, the farmer will not be considered for a plot in the next plot allocation area, and will be blacklisted for future opportunities, another condition that did not feature in shamba system
The benefitting farmers will also be expected to carry out mandatory conservation processes as they move on with their farming activities.
Mr Mugambi said the department had decided to devise ways of coexistence between the forest and the community for mutual benefits.
“We are looking at the benefits the community can get from the forests and at the same time conserving it for future generations since some of these forests are major water towers in the country,” said Mr Gitonga.
He said the communities have acknowledged the wrongs they did in the past causing their evictions but have agreed to correct them as they move forward.
According to the PS, the reinstatement process has so far been implemented in Nyandarua, Nakuru, Kericho, and now Meru, with an aim of getting to all parts of the country to ensure all the forests in the country were conserved.
Imenti Central MP Kirima Nguchine who accompanied the PS represented other leaders in thanking the government for considering reinstating the people after they were evicted, a move that affected their lives greatly including in terms of food security.
“We are happy the government has made arrangements through their associations, and this will enhance one of the key agendas of the Kenya Kwanza government through food security,” said Mr Nguchine.
He promised to assist in sensitizing his people that the forest is part of their lives through what they get from there including water, food, grazing fields, and sometimes firewood.
By Dickson Mwiti