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Championing a Cause in Forest Conservation

Posted on 22 March 2018

Widespread poverty and insufficient incentives to enable local community to view natural resource conservation as a priority pose a major challenge to conservation efforts.

Widespread poverty and insufficient incentives to enable local community to view natural resource conservation as a priority pose a major challenge to conservation efforts. While commitment from one organization is not sufficient, WWF-Kenya is working with local communities in non-formal education, youth groups, youth entrepreneurs, youth network, and women groups to improve livelihoods and at the same time conserve the environment.

In Mulot, Bomet County we are working with Kimulnet Women Group, a 15 members group founded in 2014. Through agribusiness, this group has improved their livelihoods while at the same time protect the forest. in deforestation hotspots were 179,102ha of forests cover (39.8% deforestation) has been lost due to unsustainable human activities.
With a majority of Kenyans remaining unbanked; unable to access loans, the group opted for table banking and so far saved Ksh 200, 000. Out of the savings, the group has set up a commerical tree nursery, and continue to explore other business ventures.

Lasting Impact

To reduce the pressure on the forest, the group planted trees that they plan to harvest as woodlots. The group members have also adopted energy saving stoves to conserve the forest. Irene observes ‘a reduction of fuel she uses per meal and that her family has also benefited from reduced health risks associated with smoke’.

The other social benefit of the energy saving stoves is that an average of 2.6 hours is saved on cooking per day, which translates to approximately 78 hours a month. This means that women and girls who usually shoulder such responsibilities, have now enough time to engage in other chores, income generating activities, or studies. These families also save an average of Ksh 400 to Ksh1, 600 per month on buying firewood.