Sh26bn World Bank project targets 200,000 hectares of degraded land

A Sh26 billion (US$200 million) World Bank project will restore 200,000 hectares of degraded land and is expected to benefit 750,000 people across 12 counties.

The Kenya Watershed Services Improvement Project (KEWASIP) is also expected to create more than 25,000 jobs through activities such as agroforestry and forest product value chains.

The five-year initiative will cover five landscapes: Marsabit Hills, Marmanet Hills, Nyambene Hills, Chyulu Hills and Shimba Hills.

Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa launched the project in Nairobi on Monday, November 2, 2026, alongside Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu, Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi, Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho and Council of Governors Chief Executive Officer Mary Mwiti, among other dignitaries.

The 12 counties covered are Baringo, Meru, Kitui, Tharaka-Nithi, Samburu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Makueni, Garissa, Kwale, Tana River and Laikipia.

Kenya's forested water towers store rainwater, regulate river flows, recharge groundwater and reduce soil erosion. These functions support water supplies, agriculture and electricity generation.

A 2025 World Bank report found that 44 per cent of Kenya's gross domestic product comes from sectors that depend on ecosystem services, including water provision and flood protection.

Speaking on behalf of the World Bank, Secretary for Forest Development George Tarus said the project would strengthen economic and climate resilience while creating employment opportunities.

Tarus also announced that the World Bank was processing more than US$25 million in additional financing from ProGreen, the Climate Investment Funds and the Global Environment Facility.

The proposed funding would support forest-based value chains, particularly those led by young people and women, and extend conservation activities into wildlife areas to create opportunities for ecotourism.

The project will target Community Interest Groups, nature-based enterprises and vulnerable and marginalised communities. It will support income-generating activities and community participation in natural resource management.

Barasa urged county governments to incorporate the interventions into their development plans and protect hilltops, riverbanks and community forests.

The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry has finalised the Adopt-a-Forest Guidelines to support partnerships in forest conservation. Barasa also called on counties to promote agroforestry and urban forestry.

KEWASIP became effective on December 23, 2025. Barasa urged the State Department for Forestry and other implementing agencies to speed up delivery and ensure accountability in the use of funds.

“Community participation, accountability and sustainability must remain central to this project. Communities must help identify priorities, implement interventions and sustain restoration efforts, with particular attention to opportunities for women, youth and vulnerable groups,” said Barasa.

The project supports Kenya's target to restore 10.6 million hectares of degraded land by 2032 under the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy.

The government is also implementing the 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme, which aims to increase national tree cover to 30 per cent by 2032.

Barasa said restoration must address the causes of environmental degradation rather than focus on tree planting alone.

“Restoration must go beyond tree planting. It must address the underlying causes of degradation, improve land management, protect biodiversity and create sustainable economic opportunities for communities,” she said.

The State Department for Forestry will implement the project alongside the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Forestry Research Institute, National Environment Management Authority, National Environment Trust Fund, Water Resources Authority and Kenya Wildlife Service.