Mt. Elgon stakeholders mobilize to advance integrated landscape management

Over one hundred stakeholders gathered in Kitale on 18 November 2025 for the first multistakeholder workshop to support the development of the Mount Elgon Ecosystem Management Plan. The four-day workshop was convened under the GEF-7 project “Integrated Landscape Management for Conservation and Restoration of the Mount Elgon Ecosystem in Western Kenya”.  

Directly implemented by the Kenya Forest Service and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, the intervention is part of the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (FOLUR) Impact Programme, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and led by the World Bank, with FAO as a core executing partner (Global Knowledge to Action Platform) and implementing agency (national, country project), providing technical support including through the piloting of the Participatory Informed Landscape Approach (PILA).

The initiative strengthens FAO’s collaboration with national institutions to promote evidence-based and inclusive landscape governance.

The workshop brought together community representatives, county officials, technical experts, researchers, and development partners to advance integrated landscape management across the Mount Elgon Ecosystem.

The Principal Secretary, Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Mr. Harry Kimtai, officially opened the workshop. Mr. Kimtai, who is Patron of the Mount Elgon Restoration Initiative, emphasized the significance of the GEF-7 FOLUR project in restoring the Mount Elgon landscape through responsible and sustainable value chain development.

"Integrated Landscape Management for Conservation and Restoration of the Mount Elgon Ecosystem in Western Kenya aligns with our national ambition through the 15 billion Trees Initiative, whose goal is to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 to combat climate change, restore ecosystems and increase forest cover. Through this project, we shall directly contribute to the transformation of food systems, reduce deforestation, minimize land degradation, and promote restoration through responsible value chain development, especially around coffee and other key commodities,” he said.

Representing FAO, Ms. Laura Guarnieri, reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to strengthening national capacities in integrated landscape management. “FAO is committed to supporting Kenya in this journey. Through PILA, we aim to strengthen capacities, promote integrated landscape management, and advance more agroecological and resilient food systems by directly involving the stakeholders. This workshop provides a crucial platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collective action,” she noted. Lessons learned of the workshop and the PILA application will inform the overall PILA guidelines and its application in the other countries within the FOLUR program.

The Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr. Alex Lemarkoko, in remarks delivered by Mr. Evans Kegode, Manager of Forest Survey and Information Management, highlighted the importance of collaboration and integrated planning in restoring Mount Elgon. “Let us remember that restoring Mount Elgon is not only about planting trees, but about restoring hopes, dignity, and resilience. It is about ensuring that our children inherit rivers that flow, forests that breathe, and land that can sustain life,” he said, appreciating FAO’s continued partnership and technical guidance under the GEF-7 FOLUR Programme.

Presentations throughout the workshop highlighted the state of the Mount Elgon Ecosystem and facilitated the sharing of lessons and experiences among stakeholders. The FAO team introduced the PILA methodology and its key analytical components, including geospatial analysis, the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE), behavioural change analysis, Forest and Farm Producer Organization assessments and governance. Participants reviewed mapping outputs, socio-ecological datasets and land-use assessments generated through recent surveys to inform integrated planning.

Building on the landscape assessment results, stakeholders also looked to the future, engaging in landscape visioning, group discussions and scenario-building exercises focusing on sustainable ecosystem management, agroecology-based farming systems, and restoration pathways aimed at improving community livelihoods.

One area where PILA is supporting ecosystem restoration planning is through geospatial analysis to develop targeted recommendations for different parts of the landscape. For example, in the high-altitude grasslands, soil and water conservation measures were recommended to prevent erosion. For the buffer zone, the pathway focuses on integrating agroforestry and agroecological practices into croplands, to enhance productivity and resilience.

A key output of the workshop was the development of a roadmap to guide the realization of the Mount Elgon Ecosystem Management Plan. The roadmap brings together thematic areas such as sustainable forest management, the promotion of more agroecological coffee and maize production systems, biodiversity conservation, restoration pathways, community livelihoods, tenure and landscape governance, which will form the core elements of the management plan. It will guide the next steps in the planning process and reinforce collaboration among stakeholders across sectors and governance levels under the GEF-7 FOLUR project. The workshop highlighted the shared commitment of partners to conserve and restore the Mount Elgon Ecosystem, enhance community livelihoods, and promote sustainable, integrated landscape management for future generations.

Speaking at the conclusion of the workshop, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization Senior Research Scientist, Mr. Josephat Mulindo, described the workshop as an “opportunity for a rich discourse on scaling up sustainable agriculture and agroecological practices in the Mount Elgon Ecosystem.” Going forward, Mr. Mulindo emphasized that the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization is excited to be part of the process to develop the Mount Elgon Ecosystem Management Plan. “We are committed to draw on a rich basket of research products to support the development of climate resilient agricultural value chains for diversified livelihoods in the Mount Elgon Ecosystem” he affirmed.

FAO will continue to support the Kenya Forest Service, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization and the wider stakeholder platform in the next steps advancing the development of the Mount Elgon Ecosystem Management Plan. This support will include technical backstopping, targeted training, and the continued contribution to generation and analysis of geospatial, agroecological, producer organization and socio-ecological, tenure and governance data to inform decision-making. FAO will also facilitate the application of the PILA methodology to strengthen the existing planning system and enhance coordination mechanisms to ensure an inclusive, participatory, evidence-based, and coherent planning process led by national institutions, towards a comprehensive Mount Elgon Ecosystem Management Plan that integrates environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability.

Visit: https://www.fao.org/forestry/our-focus/forests-environment/folur-programme/en