Kenya loses Sh6b annually to deforestation

By Fred Obura

Kenya could be losing an average of about Sh6 billion annually through increased cases of deforestation, a new report says.

A joint report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Kenya Forest Services says high cases of urbanisation, poverty, and poor implementation of forest laws have been blamed on deforestation denying the economy billions of shillings. It is estimated that as a result of deforestation, the country lost Sh5.8 billion in 2010 down from Sh6.6 billion reported in 2009.

It says between 2000 and 2010, deforestation at the major water towers amounted to an estimated 28,427 hectares, leading to reduced water availability of approximately 62 million cubic meters per year.

“This affected the economy which is highly vulnerable to water availability,” says the report. 

“Inflation spiked above 10 per cent on three occasions between 2000 and 2010, each time driven by drought combined with increasing crude oil prices and weaker exchange rates,” it says. In the 10-year period (2000-2010) deforestation in Kenya’s water towers amounted to an estimated 50,000 hectares.

By 2010 such deforestation of water towers yielded a timber and fuel wood volume of 250 cubic meters per hectares with a cash value of Sh272,000 per hectare. At an estimated deforestation rate of 5,000 hectares per year by 2010, this was equivalent to over Sh1.3 million in 2010.

“It is these types of revenue streams that provide an incentive for illegal deforestation activities,” says the report.  “However, this cash revenue comes at a large cost to the national economy, through loses in regulating services.”

Unregulated charcoal production, logging of indigenous trees and livestock grazing are some of the reasons identified as root cause to the deforestation.

In an interview with Business Weekly, the Kenya Forest Working Group (KFWG) hailed recent reforms taken by the Government in management of forest but faulted its implementation plan partially blaming it for the rising cases of deforestation in major water towers.

In November 2005, the Government ratified the Forests Act. In the Act the government embraces the concept of participatory forest management. The Act gives particular consideration to formation of forest community associations, which will be recognised as partners in management of forest.

“The Act was meant to wrest excess power from the Kenya Forest Services in the management of forest, it devolves power to communities in forest management,” said Rudolph Makhanu, National Coordinator, Kenya Forest Working Group.

“We are yet to see this fully taking root affecting forest management,” he says.

“Benefits such as opening certain parts of forest for cultivation while planting trees in the shamba system model are not yet fully embraced,” he said.

“These benefits are in the new laws and were meant to incentivise communities into forest protection and conservation,” he says. “The act can improve the forest productivity and increase availability of timber and other products/services for domestic use and export,” he said.

Noah Wekesa, minister for Forestry and Wildlife, said the report - entitled The Role and Contribution of Montane Forests and Related Ecosystem Services to the Kenyan Economy marked a new phase in efforts to conserve the vital ecosystem services provided by Kenya’s forests.

 


 

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