1. Approach’s Outline and Features

2. Description of the project from which the approach is derived

2-1. Introduction

In Kenya, a soaring population has fueled growing domestic demand for timber, particularly firewood, and it is estimated that around 19,000ha of forest land were being lost each year in the 80s and 90s due to over-logging. In response, the concept of social forestry, now known as community forestry, emerged as an alternative to traditional forestry that had failed to supply urgent timber needs and secure sustainability of national forest resources at the same time.

Community forestry is a method of supplying timber for local consumption through silvicultural practices taking place at community grassroots level. It has the potential to prevent further deforestation if implemented nationwide in Kenya. To disseminate the knowledge and methods country-wide, the main activities to be implemented are (1) development and continual improvement of forest plantation and seedling cultivation practices, (2) training of personnel tasked with disseminating the insights and techniques to locals and (3) dissemination by trained trainees. These activities are then aligned to generate synergy as part of efforts to realize a goal of “local people gaining suitable skills in tree planting and seedling cultivation”, when introducing pilot forestry activity to the whole program.

The local counterpart of this program, the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), has served as a hub for personnel training and technical development through implementation of the program. Right from the start, KEFRI participated and learned how to develop silvicultural techniques and disseminate them strategically, working alongside experts dispatched from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Prior to the main phase, a two-year preliminary project “Nursery Training and Technical Development Project for Social Forestry in Kenya (Preparatory Phase)” was implemented to develop a master plan for the whole cooperation program, while taking the nationwide dissemination of community forestry into consideration.

2-2. Details of measures taken

• Assessment of training needs and development of a training plan
  • A survey was conducted to develop a training plan, targeting 100 respondents including managers, officers, frontline workers of the Forest Department (predecessor of the current Kenya Forest Service) and farmers in local communities. The survey results spotlighted developing human resources as a crucial factor for the nationwide dissemination of community forestry.
  • Seedling cultivation techniques were developed for both highlands and semi-arid lands. Muguga was specified as a suitable area in which to implement hands-on training of the seedling techniques for highlands and Kitui was also specified as a suitable venue for semi-arid land.

• Organizing lectures on the concept of community forestry as well as its applicability to policies:
  • Lecture for senior- and mid-level staff of the Forest Department (FD):
    [Phase 1] 598 participants (26 sessions), [Phase 2] 325 participants (13 sessions)
  • Lecture for frontline FD staff:
    [Phase 1] 324 participants (12 sessions), [Phase 2] 325 participants (13 sessions)

• Conducting hands-on training on practical and fundamental knowledge of community forestry
  • Training for community leaders and teachers:
    [Phase 1] 154 participants (7 sessions), [Phase 2] 525 participants (21 sessions)
  • Training for farmers and females:
    [Phase 1] 230 participants (10 sessions), [Phase 2] 598 participants (23 sessions)

• Conducting trial silviculture at the pilot forest, combined with hands-on training
  • Development and improvement of community forestry techniques, such as:
    • Tree-planting techniques, particularly ground preparation, timing for planting, planting spacing, hole size and water catchment
    • Nursery techniques, particularly pre-germination treatments, pot size, canopy, stamped seedlings, nursery standards, root cutting, hardening treatments, nutrient propagation and disease and insect control
    • Seedling production for use in dissemination activities
  • Dissemination of community forestry techniques to locals, such as
    pre-germination treatments, root cutting and disease and insect control, by:
    • Incentivizing people to participate in trial plantations such as seedlings and distributing a technical leaflet describing planting and nursery techniques
    • Distributing seedlings, particularly for those who had difficulty in purchasing seedlings, to raise their awareness of tree planting and nursery
    • Model farmers having participated in hands-on training and learned the knowledge and techniques of community forestry effectively

(Perspectives on sustainability)

• The project provided KEFRI, whose main focus had been on research, with opportunities to reconsider its own role in technical dissemination and acquire fresh know-how. This paved the way for KEFRI to gradually extend its scope of work and underpinned its organizational development as a central institution for forestry research and dissemination of output to people in Kenya. Ultimately, KEFRI recognized dissemination of forestry knowledge and techniques as a key component of research activity and thus proactively got involved.
• The project made it easier for KEFRI to involve the local authorities handling the implementation and dissemination of community forestry in the field (i.e. FD) by providing technical training sessions where KEFRI served as Trainer and FD as Trainee. This helped them develop their human networks and generate momentum for the nationwide dissemination of community forestry in Kenya.
• It was confirmed that the knowledge and skills gained from that training are still being used at the individual level and have been developed into small businesses such as seedling sales.

3. Analysis of the approach

3-1. Impact

• Comparing the results of the questionnaire survey before and after training for farmers, those who planted 100 to 499 trees increased by 15% points and the survival rate of those trees also improved by 16% points. Similarly, those who planted 500 or more trees increased by 17% points and the survival rate increased by 14% points.
• About 80% of all trainees passed on the knowledge and techniques of community forestry gained from training to their families and neighbors. This spillover effect contributed to the overall goal of “ensuring local people gain suitable skills in tree planting and seedling cultivation.”
• Consequences of the improved awareness of community forestry after implementing this program meant further increased community demand for forest conservation in Kenya as well as reaffirming the need to strengthen KEFRI’s capability. In response, the subsequent grant aid by JICA to enhance KEFRI training capability and research facilities was officially implemented.

3-2. Lessons learned

• Selection of model farmers: Model farmers were expected to play a leading role in the sustainable dissemination of afforestation and nursery techniques (e.g. pre-germination treatments, root cutting and disease and insect control) at village level. On completion of the project, it was expected that community forestry would continue to be practiced at a local level, spearheaded by model farmers, to achieve the overall goal of “equipping rural Kenyans with appropriate skills related to trees and their management”.
• In anticipation of this role, an attempt was made to select model farmers based on the survival rate of planted trees, but an excessively low survival rate made meeting the criteria too difficult. Accordingly, model farmers should not be selected based primarily on the success or failure of their community forestry practices (e.g. survival rate of planted trees), because failure in practice does not necessarily render the person concerned ineligible as a model farmer in community forestry. Rather, it is advisable to select model farmers based on their willingness to participate in community forestry or their positive attitude toward practices.
• Securing financial sustainability of the counterpart’s activities: While project-based financial support is often necessary until candidates for dissemination are trained and systems are in place, it is essential to ensure appropriate budget allocations are secured for the institutions responsible for dissemination so that they can continue their dissemination activities independently after termination of the project.

4. Relevant information

NbS Approach Category	3-2.14
Title of the project from which the approach is derived	・Nursery Training and Technical Development Project for Social Forestry in Kenya (Preparatory Phase) ・Social Forestry Training Project (1st Phase) ・Social Forestry Training Project (2nd Phase)
Country	Republic of Kenya
Biome	Semi-arid land, Highland
Implementing term	・Preparatory phase: 1985/11 – 1987/3 ・1st phase: 1987/11 – 1992/11 ・2nd phase: 1992/11 – 1997/11
Implementing organizations	Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI), Forest Department (FD)
Supporting organizations	Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Report/Tool/Guideline	・JICA, A Summary of the Findings and Recommendations Made by the JICA Consultation Team on the Nursery Training and Technical Development Project for Social Forestry in Kenya, May 1987. ・JICA, Report of the Terminal Evaluation Survey of Social Forestry Training Project in Kenya (1st Phase), October 1992. ・JICA, Report of the Terminal Evaluation Survey of Social Forestry Training Project in Kenya (2nd Phase), March 1998.
Contributors to this article	Kei Kawamura/Oriental Consultants Global Leo Watanabe/Oriental Consultants Global