Friends of Mau Water Shed has initiated a project to sensitise farmers on the benefits of commercial tree farming while also conserving the environment in Nakuru County.
The programme which targets 5,000 farmers and 500 schools in the Mau complex will also provide education to people to encourage farmers to venture into commercial tree planting for improved livelihoods.
Addressing the media on Wednesday at Kenana Farm in Njoro, FOMAWA director Jacob Mwanduka said the project will not only target schools and farmers in Nakuru but also in Narok, Kericho and Bomet counties.
“This project is meant to engage farmers and schools in sustainable and active production of valuable forest products such as timber and fuel. We are also working on reaching out to farmers in other counties to encourage the plantation of high commercial value trees such as eucalyptus, blue gum and cypress tree species.’ Mwanduka said.
Also present at the event was Kenya Forestry Research Institute official Jonah Kiprop who lauded the project while also assuring people that the forestry research body will provide certified seeding to farmers and schools at a subsidized fee in an attempt to ensure they plant healthy seedlings for high quality forest products.
‘Through this programme, we will be able to bridge the current annual national forest products deficit of 10 million meters cubic of timber and firewood. We therefore urge farmers who wish to venture into commercial tree planting to work with Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service extension officers for certified seedlings and professional tree plantation extension services,” Kiprop said.