At the end of 2022, the Kenyan government released two policies: the "Kenya’s National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Programme" and the "National Bamboo Policy 2022". These policies aim to advance Kenya’s ecological restoration, bamboo industry development, climate change mitigation & adaptation, and sustainable growth. Chinese partners, with their extensive experiences in afforestation and ecological restoration, intends to share and pilot successful practices, technologies and modalities in Kenya. In particular, China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of bamboo products. China's bamboo industry and its development experiences in the past decades can be a useful reference for Kenya in the implementation of national policies and fostering more sustainable social-economic-ecologic development.
The project intends to leverage China's success in ecological restoration and bamboo industry to support the Kenyan government in bamboo plantation and bamboo resource utilization, so as to accelerate the implementation of its national policies. This cooperation’s goal is to enhance Kenya's capacity in ecological restoration and socio-economic development through bamboo-based riverbank restoration pilots, and contribute to the Sino-Africa cooperation and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Objective
The overall objective of this project is to address flooding issue in the Nzoia River Basin by enhancing ecosystem restoration, community livelihoods and bamboo industry development through piloting bamboo afforestation, technology transfer, capacity building and joint research referring to Chinese experiences. It will support Kenya's "National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Programme" and the implementation of Kenya “National Bamboo Policy 2022" by addressing climate change and biodiversity conservation challenges.
Actions & Expected Outcomes
This project will implement three mutually supportive tasks: afforestation demonstration, technology transfer and capacity building, and science-based policy promotion.
Component 1. Demonstration of ecological restoration primarily through bamboo afforestation at riverbanks
The project will select typical flooding area and degraded sites for afforestation in the Nzoia River Basin, identify key species and set up nursery, organize community-engaged restoration and natural bamboo forest management. It aims to establish a demonstration site for ecological restoration with bamboo as a key species, stabilizing riverbanks for buffering flood encroaching to communities, provide alternative livelihoods and cope with climate change. In the restoration interventions, there will be different plots with various species composition to test effectiveness of restoration objectives based on the local baseline study.
Component 2. Technology transfer and capacity building related to bamboo industry development
The project will conduct community-based capacity building in Kenya, and enterprise related technology transfer, including establishing and strengthening a local expert network for bamboo industry development and promoting bamboo restoration efforts.
Component 3. Science-based policy promotion through research and evaluation of the suitability and effects of ecological restoration
Through investigation and research, the project will determine priority areas for ecological restoration, techniques and models for restoration, analyze multiple benefits especially carbon sequestration potential in ecological restoration. It will also assess the suitability, cost-effectiveness, and potential for promotion of bamboo afforestation in Kenya. Ultimately, a comprehensive policy report will be developed, submitted to relevant Kenyan government, and showcased at the UN level.
This project is funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences through its international cooperation platform of the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center (SAJOREC). The United Nations Environment Programme - International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP) is leading the project implementation. The project involves collaboration with other institutions building upon existing efforts.
For more information, please contact: Ms Guoqin Wang, Guoqin.wang@unep-iemp.org.
Project launch workshop at Busia, Kenya (June 10, 2024)
Degrading river banks at the Nzoia River Basin
Bamboo plantation as river bank buffer zone to protect local communities
