Tree planting exercise at Kapseret Forest in Uasin Gishu County
By: Jerameel Kevins Owuor Odhiambo
Worth Noting:
- Forests are an important part of the water cycle. With their roots, trees pull water from the earth and release it back into the atmosphere. Especially-large forests create their own climates and can trigger rainfall. This is especially important in areas vulnerable to drought. Forest watersheds also provide clean drinking water, acting as a natural water collection, filtration, and storage system.
- Forests prevent soil erosion. Soil erosion has dangerous consequences. It causes the loss of fertile land, leads to increased pollution in streams and rivers, and harms the animal population. Flooding, dust storms, and mudslides are also common in areas with high soil erosion.
If my mind serves me well, I remember I did pen an article on why Rigathi Gachagua isn’t a deputy president material. I do wonder how Kithure Kindiki was short-changed. To me, Prof Kithure Kindiki could have become a better Deputy President. Now let me get into the essence of this paper. On Saturday Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua noted that Kenya Kwanza will resort back to a controversial system that allowed Kenyans to farm inside forests. The country’s second in command said the controversial shamba system will be back so as to increase the Baringo County’s food production while arguing that the former regimes erred in abolishing the system.
He further stated, ‘What is the point of denying Kenyans not to cultivate maize in the forest then import maize from other countries? We have agreed that you will cultivate in the forest without destroying it. The good thing with trees which God planned is that when they have grown, no one has to tell you to leave, you will leave by yourself because when it grows to a certain level, no maize can survive there. Therefore the shamba system will be back. Just wait a little bit we put in place an Environment Cabinet Secretary who is smart.’
Prof Alfred Omenya gave a wonderful tweet. He stated, ‘What crimes did trees commit against these Kenya Kwanza people? Yesterday someone was telling us to cut trees to chase away Marabou stork. Today one is telling us to plant crops in the forest; the trees will grow big and chase you away! Earlier, another said rain comes from heaven.’ He wasn’t alone there was an online uproar over the same.
Let me educate the Deputy President on the importance of trees and forests, seems he missed something really crucial in his schooling. Trees don’t only create oxygen from carbon dioxide, they’re also natural filters. They remove air pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide. Using their “stomata,” which are essentially pores, trees absorb all kinds of gases and particles, filtering them from the air. Forest conservation can play an important role in reducing air pollution around the world.
Forests are an important part of the water cycle. With their roots, trees pull water from the earth and release it back into the atmosphere. Especially-large forests create their own climates and can trigger rainfall. This is especially important in areas vulnerable to drought. Forest watersheds also provide clean drinking water, acting as a natural water collection, filtration, and storage system.
Forests prevent soil erosion. Soil erosion has dangerous consequences. It causes the loss of fertile land, leads to increased pollution in streams and rivers, and harms the animal population. Flooding, dust storms, and mudslides are also common in areas with high soil erosion. Trees reduce soil erosion by anchoring the soil with their roots. The leaves and branches that fall from trees also help keep rainfall from washing soil away.
Forests support biodiversity. Biodiversity is very important for the health of our planet. When species are threatened and go extinct, it disrupts the ecosystem. This sets off a chain reaction that makes life much more difficult for every living thing, including humans. Forests provide perfect environments for a wide variety of creatures.
Forests, due to their capacity to act as carbon sinks and by providing key environmental services, are globally recognized as critical in climate change mitigation and adaptation. This capacity can be enhanced through conservation, rehabilitation of degraded areas, afforestation and reforestation activities; By providing important environmental goods and services, including water, biodiversity conservation, soil erosion control, maintenance or improvement of landscape, forest landscapes are credited with strengthening community resilience to climate change.
Forests play a symbolic role in many of humanity’s oldest stories. They are often a place of transformation, mystery, and even danger. In folk tales, trees can take on a life of their own, providing a connection between the physical and spiritual realms. The above are but a few of the importance of forests and trees generally. Having noted the same, let me thus ask the question is Gachagua’s sentiments tenable?
A short answer to that is a ‘BIG NO.’ Why? We have the Constitution as the supreme law of the land. All laws derive their power from the Constitution and have to be consistent with the eddicts of the Constitution. The Constitution in Article 69 enumerates that the forest cover in Kenya should be at least 10%. Over ten years since promulgation of the Constitution this hasn’t been realized despite the numerous efforts to make it bore fruits. I won’t condemn any agency as of now but they bear responsibility to make that a reality.
Some proposals in the past have been fronted namely: implement national policies, legislations and rules that require increased tree planting, strengthen institutional capacity of Kenya Forest Service to implement its mandate include fire management and law enforcement and compliance strengthened, enhance conservation and protection of natural forests on public, community and private lands and rehabilitation of degraded areas, adopt use of alternative energy sources and efficient wood conversion and utilization technologies by institutions, industry and households, and establish commercial forest plantations on public, private and community lands to provide adequate and sustainable timber, poles and fuel wood for industrial and domestic consumption.
These proposals seem won’t see light of day if Gachagua sentiments are effected. The ramification will be that forest cover will reduce significantly and this will have effect on the economy for remember we are an agricultural nation and these forests act as water catchment areas. Does this make sense to Rigathi Gachagua?
If as well his orders are actualized remember it will be a threat to other gazetted forest areas. For folks will implore him to allow them farm or rather encroach into other forests across the country. This will be madness of the highest order. For the suffering that will come with the same is immense. Most folks who are allowed to farm will resort to cutting trees such that there plants have sufficient exposure to the sun and other necessary requirements for their growth.
Right now our conversations should be about sustainable forest management and not deforestation as proposed by Rigathi. Food and Agriculture Organization defines Sustainable Forest Management as ‘The stewardship and use of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfil, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local, national, and global levels, and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems.’
Ideally, all national sustainable forest management requirement should include the following: maintenance, conservation and enhancement of ecosystem biodiversity; protection of ecologically important forest areas; prohibition of forest conversions; recognition of free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples; promotion of gender equality and commitment to equal treatment of workers; promotion of the health and well-being of forest communities; respect for human rights in forest operations; respect for the multiple functions of forests to society; provisions for consultation with local people, communities and other stakeholders; respect for property and land tenure rights as well as customary and traditional rights; compliance with all fundamental ILO conventions for worker rights; working from minimum wage towards living wage levels; prohibition of genetically modified trees and most hazardous chemicals; exclusion of certification of plantations established by conversions, including conversions of ecologically important non-forest lands; climate positive practices such as reduction of GHG emissions in forest operations.
Sustainable forest management positively impacts on several SDGs: SDG 1 (poverty eradication) by forests providing income to fight poverty; SDG 2 (zero hunger) through the provision of fruits, employment, reducing soil erosion, dry season grazing lands; SDG 3 (good health and well-being) through the provision of medicinal plants, ; SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) through the provision of fresh water for drinking and irrigation; SDG 13 (climate action) through carbon capture and storage (CCS) and SDG 15 through contributions to biodiversity
Honestly, Rigathi Gachagua should be level headed and stop being a people pleaser. His words should be correctly calculated. If we heed to his idea I tell you Kenyans will be digging its own grave. Somebody should tell the man to desist from making road side declarations they aren’t fit for a man of his status. Didn’t William Ruto induct him on how a Deputy President should behave? I don’t think so if the recent statements of Rigathi are to go by. That man should be taught that he isn’t a D.O or a Member of National Assembly as he was between 2017 to 2022. A man of his calibre should inspire praise, aspiration, influence name it. His utterances definitely don’t reflect the same. Let him also be careful not to be the one declaring matters policy it is a kin to him trying to outdo his master. If he continues behaving in a similar manner his goose will be cooked. That in fact is none of my concern. My major concern as a environmental law enthusiast is that his proposal for folks to get into gazetted forest areas is uncalled for and a dangerous trend if he pursues it. Come on Rigathi we are in Climate Change Era. Behave like a Deputy President even for once.
Odhiambo Jerameel Kevins Owuor is a law student at University of Nairobi, Parklands Campus
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