The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (Kefri) has highlighted several challenges it faces in distributing native seeds.
Kefri’s Seed Manager, Bernard Kamondo, spoke at the Global Landscapes Forum in Nairobi, noting that seed sources are limited. “We have inadequate seed sources due to human activities like development and illegal logging,” he stated.
Kamondo participated in a panel discussion titled “A Transformative Partnership Platform for Tree Seed and Seedling Delivery” at the GLF Africa 2024 Hybrid Conference, which brought together thousands of participants from various backgrounds, including local communities, indigenous people, youth leaders, policymakers, scientists, innovators, and private-sector representatives to explore Africa’s potential for building a resilient and equitable future.
He warned that anthropogenic activities pose a risk of genetic erosion of native seeds and mentioned other challenges such as operational constraints, seed quality issues, limited human capacity, centralized systems, and site matching.
Kefri currently maintains a catalogue of 69 indigenous seeds and collects about 100 tonnes annually. Founded in 1985, the institute initially produced 1.5 tonnes of seeds each year for the forest department and now gathers seeds from over 400 tree species nationwide. Kefri operates seed units across its 18 centers.
To improve site matching, the institute has launched the JazaMiti app, which helps users select appropriate tree species for planting based on their location. This mobile application, based at Kefri, allows for the documentation, tracking, and monitoring of tree growth over time.
The government aims to grow 15 billion trees to achieve a 30% tree cover by 2032, increasing from the current 12.13%. The initiative requires Sh600 billion, with an annual budget of Sh60 billion. However, Kefri estimates that at least 20 billion trees will need to be planted, as not all are expected to survive. This campaign translates to planting 30 trees per Kenyan each year over the next decade.
The country’s forest cover has risen from 5.9% in 2018 to 8.83% in 2021, surpassing the constitutional target of 10%. According to the National Forest Resources Assessment 2021, Kenya has a total forest cover of 5,226,191.79 hectares, representing 8.83% of the total land area. The report also indicates a tree cover per capita of 1,507.48 m² per person.
The assessment revealed that 37 out of 47 counties (79%) exceed the constitutional target for tree cover, with the most forested areas located in the Central region and parts of the Western and Coast regions. Notable counties include Nyeri (45.17% tree cover), Lamu (44.06%), and Vihiga (35.92%). In contrast, counties with the lowest tree cover include Kisumu (8.85%), Busia (8.39%), and Mandera (3.61%).
John Nyaga, a senior consultant at Unique Land Use, emphasized the urgent need to develop the seed sector during the forum, highlighting the importance of both market development and understanding the sector’s dynamics. Experts also noted that 30% of tree species are currently threatened.
