Kenya: Green Zones Project has been started that delivers Conservation and Economic Success in Central Kenya. Around 706-member Kamae Community Forest Association has experienced significant transformation through the Green Zones Development Support Project Phase II, which was led by Project Manager – Alfred Kurgat.
During a visit to Kamae Forest, an African Development Bank mission led by Task Manager – Onesmus Maina, was accompanied by Winnie Wanjiru, who witnessed the remarkable achievements of this Initiative driven by the community.
Furthermore, Kiambu County maintains a tree cover of 19.74% and forest cover of 12%. It has raised 2.68 million seedlings toward its annual target of 4 million. Kamae Forest Station has been particularly productive; it is generating 208,552 exotic tree seedlings and 83,204 indigenous tree seedlings while achieving forest restoration across 147 hectares of a planned 200-hectare target area.
Besides environmental restoration, the project has transformed community livelihoods by providing access to diverse income sources and improving food security through certified potato seed and its distribution. These improvements have enabled families to invest in the education of their children for creating long-term benefits for community development.
The project supports nine tree nurseries across multiple counties and includes support from PELIS (Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme) and fruit orchard development programs.
According to Task Manager – Onesmus Maina, the project mainly aims for achievement rates of 90% and above. In Kirinyaga County, the mission also met with Phyllis Nduta Kamau, an agent of change who established fruit orchards with support from the Kenya Forest Service through GZDSP II. Her dedication to agro-forestry and boundary tree planting has yielded impressive results, with her first avocado harvest producing 351 kilograms of Hass avocados.
Nduta’s success has inspired other farmers to embrace tree planting, with some establishing orchards of 100 trees while others start smaller with four or five trees according to their land parcels. Her advice to fellow farmers emphasizes planting for future generations.
The Project Manager – Alfred Kurgat, took the supervision mission team through the visit, accompanied by the Project implementation unit. It also welcomed Kiambu CFC Patrick Muindi, Kirinyaga CFC Caroline Njeru, and other Kenya Forest Service staff.