Kenya

Integrated Landscape Management for conservation and restoration of Mt. Elgon Ecosystem in Western Kenya

Kenya is a country with great geographic and topographic diversity where the agricultural sector plays a major role in the country’s economy. Agriculture is the second largest contributor to Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP) with smallholder farmers playing a significant role in the overall agricultural production. It is also the fourth largest producer of coffee and maize in Africa, and 16th in the world for coffee. Unfortunately, the unsustainable and inefficient production of these commodities also contributes to the degradation of Kenya’s important ecosystems. Under these conditions, Kenya has joined the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (FOLUR) Impact Program (IP) of GEF, to integrate sustainable coffee and maize systems.  

The GEF project, Integrated Landscape Management for conservation and restoration of Mt. Elgon Ecosystem in Western Kenya, will work to mainstream biodiversity across sectors, improve the flow of agro-ecosystem services to sustain food production and livelihoods through Sustainable Land Management, and reduce deforestation and land degradation from commodity supply chains.  

Impacts

The project will focus on strengthening an enabling policy and investment environment for food and nutrition security and sustainable agricultural development, strengthening inclusive value chains, and improving natural resource governance. These priorities sustain the second strategic objective of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable.  

The project is structured into four interlinked components:

• development of integrated landscape management (ILM) systems; 
• promotion of sustainable food production practices and responsible value chains;
• conservation and restoration of natural habitats; and
• project coordination, collaboration, communication, monitoring and evaluation.