By N, KNA
Kenya has taken a major step in its environmental conservation agenda with the launch of the National Agroforestry Strategy and the Kenya Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring Framework 2025.
The initiative is expected to accelerate the 15-billion-tree campaign and contribute to the restoration of 10.6 million hectares of degraded land by 2032.
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Dr. Deborah Barasa, speaking in Nairobi during the launch said the initiatives were not merely policy documents but “a vision and a promise to future generations.”
She emphasized that the 15 billion tree campaign is not just about planting trees but about healing degraded lands, restoring watersheds, building climate resilience, and improving livelihoods through agroforestry.
Dr. Barasa explained that the Agroforestry Strategy, which will guide interventions for the next ten years, is anchored on six pillars: policy and legal frameworks, financing and investment, education, research and innovation, value chain development, climate change action, and social inclusion.
By integrating these elements, the strategy seeks to transform landscapes into productive ecosystems that provide food, fuel, and income while restoring ecological balance.
The government targets to establish five million acres of woodlots in drylands, modernize the charcoal value chain, and create incentives for farmers who adopt agroforestry as part of their production systems.
The plan also prioritizes youth and women-led enterprises, ensuring that vulnerable groups benefit directly from new opportunities.
“Agroforestry is inseparable from our way of life. From fruit trees that feed our families, to acacia trees that sustain livestock, this strategy recognizes that trees are central to livelihoods and prosperity,” Dr. Barasa said, adding that the initiative aligns with President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Dr Barasa also unveiled the Kenya Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring Framework 2025, describing it as a compass to guide implementation and track results.
She said the framework would ensure that every effort contributes to national and global targets.
“This framework will serve as a whistleblower if we are not meeting our targets and a storyteller of where we are coming from and where we are going,” she noted.
Dr. Barasa concluded her remarks with a call for collective responsibility. She reminded Kenyans that the relationship between people and trees has always been part of the country’s heritage.
“The story of Kenya has always been one where people and trees live side by side. With this strategy and framework, we are charting a greener, more prosperous future for our nation,” she said.
Dr. Barasa stressed that the success of both initiatives depends on action at every level of society.
“A strategy on paper does not plant a tree. We call on counties to implement, the private sector to invest, researchers to innovate, and communities to own this journey,” she urged.
She also highlighted upcoming environmental activities designed to sustain momentum, including World Bamboo Day in Kericho on September 18, World Cleanup Campaign in Machakos on September 20, and Mazingira Day in Trans Nzoia on October 10, inviting citizens and partners to take part in the events.
The framework is fitted with 21 indicators designed to measure progress across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, align county actions with national priorities, and support Kenya’s commitment to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Principal Secretary for Forestry, Dr. Mugambi Gitonga, underscored the potential of agroforestry to transform not only the environment but also the economy.
He pointed out that Kenya continues to spend heavily on fruit imports, despite having fertile soils and a suitable climate to grow most of what is sourced abroad.
“Every tree we grow is not just a climate action measure, it is also a job opportunity. We must see agroforestry through both a climate lens and a business lens,” he said.
Dr. Gitonga added that the 15-billion-tree campaign, if pursued diligently, could reduce land degradation while expanding Kenya’s agricultural exports, citing avocados and dates as high-value products with growing demand in Asian markets.
Rabina Abuyo, Climate Change Portfolio Manager for the United Kingdom’s Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT), reaffirmed Britain’s support for Kenya’s forestry agenda. She said the British High Commission was proud to be part of the process.
“These strategies are tools to showcase practical actions on how we restore landscapes and create green jobs. As UK PACT, we are proud to continue supporting Kenya through grants, expert deployment, and county partnerships,” she said.
Abuyo observed that UK PACT is currently running a call for proposals in commercial forestry, agroforestry, and urban green spaces, which aligns closely with the new strategy.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), represented by Assistant Representative Hamisi Williams, welcomed the initiatives, emphasizing the importance of moving from planning to implementation.
“Failure to plan is planning to fail. With these strategies, Kenya has provided a roadmap. Now the work must begin. Implementation is key,” Williams said.
He revealed that FAO has invested more than 12 million dollars in developing the two initiatives and is already funding projects worth millions more in counties such as Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo.
Williams cautioned that reliance on imported fruits is draining foreign exchange and denying local farmers valuable opportunities.
He said the new agroforestry strategy addresses this challenge by encouraging domestic production of high-value fruits that can meet both local and export demand.
“The strategy shows us what to do, how to do it, and who to work with. There is no excuse left not to act,” he said.
The launch brought together representatives from the Council of Governors, FAO, JICA, CIFOR-ICRAF, UK PACT, WWF, NGOs, farmer associations, and county governments, demonstrating Kenya’s whole-of-society approach to tackling climate change.