Roundup: Kenyan industrialists launch strategy to increase forest cover

2021-11-29 18:55:43 GMT2021-11-30 02:55:43(Beijing Time) Xinhua English

NAIROBI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan manufacturers on Monday launched a strategy that seeks to increase the country's forest cover.

Mucai Kunyiha, chairman of Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), told journalists in Nairobi that the Forestry Business Sustainable Action Plan for Kenya is a local industry initiative aimed toward restoring and replenishing the environment.

"The forest strategy provides a roadmap of enabling the country to realize the goal of restoring and replenishing the environment, without negatively impacting businesses along the forestry sector," Kunyiha said.

According to the manufacturer lobby, the forestry sector in Kenya is marred by an array of challenges and threats, which the action plan seeks to address.

The Forestry Business Sustainability Action Plan for Kenya was commissioned as part of an inquiry into seeking ways to enhance the sustainability of Kenya's forestry sector through a multi-stakeholder approach.

It mirrors global and regional best practices, with the main intent of guiding sector interlinking businesses to develop tailored sustainable actions that support the forestry sector in Kenya.

Kunyiha added that as the population in the country grows, the increasing demand for wood and non-wood products has continued to place undue pressure on forests.

"The never-ending need for building materials, firewood, furniture brought about by the population surge is unstoppable," he revealed.

Kunyiha observed that the plan provides a roadmap to develop multistakeholder afforestation and reafforestation programs to ensure a minimum of 10 percent forest coverage is attained by 2030.

The forestry sustainability plan is informed by an analysis of gaps and challenges that engulf the sector at a policy and programmatic levels as well as identification of opportunities that can be capitalized on.

Kunyiha said that the strategy is developed based on the rationale that interdependences of the sector and other economic sectors are fundamental for socioeconomic development as well as for the preservation of the ecosystems.

Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Chairman, Peter Kinyua said the plan sheds light on interdependences of the forestry industry and other economic sectors for the country's socioeconomic development, while preserving ecosystems.

"We have also partnered with various stakeholders, including the business community in restoring and managing urban forest parks. These initiatives shall offset carbon footprints and contribute to environment sustainability and climate change mitigation," Kinyua said. Enditem

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