A KKL-JNF delegation led by KKL-JNF Chief Forester
Dr. David Brand traveled to Kenya under the auspices of the Kenyan Forest Service. The trip was the result of a
Memorandum of Understanding that was signed between KKL-JNF World Chairman
Danny Atar and Professor
Judi Wakhungu, the Kenyan Minister of the Environment and Forestry.
As part of the visit, the KKL-JNF team visited three potential sites for creating a pilot forest in arid and semi-arid regions. The Kenyan Forest Service is interested in increasing forested land in the country from 7% to 10% by 2022. In order to reach this goal, they asked for assistance from KKL-JNF in creating the first forest on an area of 1,250 acres. As part of the process, the Kenyans aim to learn from KKL-JNF experts about the rehabilitation of degraded lands and the best possible way of taking advantage of water sources to increase forested areas.
These are the three potential sites for creating the pilot forest:
The Marsabit site – an arid region in northern Kenya with about 250 – 300 mm of annual precipitation.
The Kadjaido site – a semi-area region in southwest Kenya with about 350 – 500 mm of annual rainfall.
The Malindi site – an arid region in southeastern Kenya with about 300 mm annual precipitation.
Cooperation began in June 2017, when Kenyan Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources Professor Judi Wakhungu signed on a Memorandum of Understanding with KKL-JNF World Chairman Danny Atar at a festive ceremony that took place at the Kennedy Memorial in the Jerusalem Mountains. The MOU includes cooperation on the topics of afforestation in arid regions, building capabilities and exchanging advanced professional knowledge, along with the exchange of professional delegations between KKL-JNF and the Kenyan Forest Service for a period of three years.
KKL-JNF’s assistance will also help provide food security and means of livelihood for local residents.
In the words of KKL-JNF World Chairman Danny Atar: “Cooperation with the Kenyan Forestry Service is very important for KKL-JNF and for tagging it as a leading international environmental organization that shares its knowledge with the world. Kenya is a key country for the developing world and for Africa, and this has strategic and national importance. By supporting these arid regions, which lack food security, we are helping to prevent climate change refugees and the establishment of radical entities.”
Commenting on his visit to Kenya, KKL-JNF Chief Forester David Brand said that “our impression was that there is a good possibility of creating a pilot forest in the Marasabit region and the Kadjiado region. KKL-JNF has developed advanced knowledge and has acquired rich experience in everything related to
harvesting runoff water in arid regions, growing high-quality seedlings that develop quickly and survive dry periods, and long-term monitoring by means of smartphones, aerial photography and satellites. I have no doubt that we can be of use to the Kenyan Forest Service in creating forests in arid and semi-arid regions.”
Kenyan Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources Professor Judi Wakhungu said that she was “very happy to host the KKL-JNF professional afforestation delegation. The challenges that Kenya is facing are enormous, and the government’s decision to increase forested area in Kenya from 7% to 10% by 2022 only makes the challenge we are facing even greater. I am aware of KKL-JNF’s advanced knowledge and practical experience. We will be happy to be instructed and trained in how to implement KKL-JNF knowhow, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, because these are the only places in which we can increase already existent forested land.”