Drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Kenya & Candidate REDD Strategies

1. Drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Kenya &Candidate REDD Strategies P. M. Kariuki Kenya Forest Service

2. Contents • Forests in Kenya & change over time • Key drivers / causes of DD • Analysis of measures to address DD • Information gaps • Candidate strategies for REDD

3. Areas of forests in Kenya and change since 1990,(FAO, FRA 2010)

4. Key drivers / causes of DD • During the R-PP process, a litany of drivers responsible for deforestation and forest degradation (DD) have been identified (presented in annex 2a of the report). • 3 key drivers have been identified as having immensely contributed to DD in Kenya including, • Clearing for agriculture • Unsustainable utilisation • Poor governance and institutional failures

5. Key drivers / causes of DD • Pressure for agricultural land combined with high poverty incidences • High rainfall areas best suited for forestry are also areas of high population density, demand for agric. land also high • Rapidly increasing population has heightened demand for land • Few or no livelihood options has created overdependence on agriculture and mounting pressure on forest lands

6. Key drivers / causes of DD Cont … • Unsustainable utilisation, tends to degrade and can greatly reduce carbon stocks, • Indigenous forests - degraded thro’ illegal logging of valuable trees, unregulated grazing • Woodlands and bushlands - degraded thro’ extensive exploitation for charcoal, unregulated grazing • Plantations - degraded through illegal logging, inappropriate silviculture, grazing

7. Key drivers / causes of DD Cont … • Poor governance and institutional failures over the past decades (1980s, 90s) • poor governance on the part of State and local government institutions responsible for forests has been a major driver of deforestation and degradation over the past two decades • Week capacity to enforce the law

8. Analysis of measures to address DD • Comprehensive reforms introduced over the past 5 years in Kenya are aimed at overcoming the trend of DD and overcoming past deficiencies, include • Establishment of KFS • Forest management planning • Community participation & focus on livelihoods • Incentivizing SFM • Promoting commercial tree growing • Stringent measures to block forest excisions (sect. 28) • Establishment of FMCF • Reversal of past misdeeds • REDD+ hardy in reinforcing these reform measures

9. Information gaps Gaps related to drivers of DD and which require to be understood include, • Inadequate data on forest resources • Current domestic timber requirements – S/D • Timber value chain • Supply / demand modelling • Unsustainable charcoal production & understanding the charcoal value chain • Mechanisms of benefit sharing arrangements • Forest degradation related to overgrazing • Data on impact of fires on forests resources and carbon stocks

10. Objectives of REDD &REDD Strategy Options

11. Objectives of the REDD strategy • To reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation of existing forest lands • To increase carbon stocks in existing forests • To reduce pressure on forests • To enhance the value of forests to livelihoods and the national economy

12. Candidate REDD strategies 4 priority areas have been identified including, • Reducing pressure to clear forests for agriculture • Promoting sustainable utilisation of forests • Improving governance in the forest sector • Promoting enhancement of carbon stocks

13. Candidate strategies cont … • Reducing pressure to clear forests for agriculture especially in the trustlands • Awareness and advocacy among farming communities • Strengthening capacity of LAs to manage forests • pilot management of trustland forests by CFAs • Assist KFS in piloting community participation arrangements • Pilot test benefit sharing arrangements • Support alternative income generating acticities – FAC • Encourage farmers to move into intensive agriculture • Promote agroforestry / farm forestry • Support implementation of PELIS • Support KFS address forest fires

14. Candidate strategies cont … • Promoting sustainable utilisation of forests • Assist KFS to operationalise the recently gazetted subsidiary legislation on charcoal production • Promote efficient charcoal making technology aimed at reducing waste • Promote fuel-efficient charcoal stoves • Promote development of fuelwood plantations

15. Candidate strategies cont … • Improving governance in the forest sector • Strengthen the capacity of KFS to implement reforms • Elaborating subsidiary legislation in support of the Forests Act • Capacity building at all levels to implement the new governance arrangements • Support and strengthen community and private sector partnerships, including piloting joint management arrangements • Development of management plans, Capacity building of CFAs • Advocacy and awareness activities related to the new governance arrangements; Strengthen the National Environment Tribunal • Strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations working in the forestry sector, judicial system in relation to forest and environment laws

16. Candidate strategies cont … • Enhancement of carbon stocks • Advocacy, awareness, at all levels, changing attitudes, including strengthening civil society organisations • Tree planting campaigns • Farm forestry extension, including developing manuals and tools to support best practice in tree growing • Support GoK to introduce incentives for commercial scale investment in tree planting • Support to promotion of SFM • Support for forest protection that increases carbon stock, improves biodiversity and livelihood benefits • Support to the GoK target to plant 10% of land with trees

17. End of PresentationThank you

19. Well grounded reforms Analysis of Measures to Address Forest Destruction and Degradation • The reforms were carefully formulated over the last 2 decades and were based on comprehensive research and detailed data collection and therefore most promising strategy for REDD+ is to provide support for the implementation of the current reforms