
Kenya
The Restoration Initiative
Between 1990 and 2010, Kenya’s forest cover decreased from 12 percent to only 6 percent, but the country aims to bring it back to 10 percent by 2030. In Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), deforestation is largely driven by unsustainable forest use by communities, including logging for construction materials and fuelwood, overgrazing, land use change and grass fires, and is aggravated by population growth and the lack of alternative livelihoods. Deforestation and land degradation threaten vital ecosystem services, and lead to conflict and the loss of biodiversity, especially in a context of increased droughts due to climate change and poor water management. While several forest and land management policies and laws have been adopted, policy and capacity gaps remain.
The Kenya component of The Restoration Initiative (TRI) project adopts an integrated approach to addressing deforestation, land degradation and biodiversity loss, and targeting policy and institutional capacity while supporting community-led forest and landscape restoration (FLR) and the development of alternative livelihoods.
Impacts
The Kenya project, under the global TRI programme, aims “to restore deforested and degraded lands through the FLR approach and enhance the socioeconomic development of local communities through the development of bio-enterprises of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in ASALs.” Its goal is to reduce the overall proportion of degraded land by 20 percent in the areas targeted by the project.
The project is structured into four interlinked components:
- policy development and integration;
- implementation of restoration programmes and complementary initiatives;
- capacity building and finance mobilization; and
- knowledge sharing and partnerships.

Key information
Global Environment Fund (GEF) 6: TRI Programme
Contribution from GEF:
USD 4 157 340
Restoration Commitment:
5.1 million ha by 2030 (The Bonn Challenge, AFR100)
Location:
- The Mount Kulal Biosphere Reserve in Marsabit county
- The Mukogodo forest and landscape in Laikipia and Isiolo counties
Key Expected Results:
- 148 861 hectares (ha) of production systems under Sustainable Land Management
- At least 152 661 ha are under improved land management
- Direct restoration of 8 700 ha of degraded land
- At least 820 089 tCO2eq GHG emission reduction by 2038
- 10 868 households or 51 989 people directly benefiting from FLR interventions
Executing partners:
Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)
Duration:
2018–2023
Contacts
National coordinator
Mr Meshack Muga
National focal point
Dr James Kamiri Ndufa
FLRM focal point
Mr Benjamin DeRidder
Mr Christophe Besacier