Sustainable Bioenergy and
Reforestation Experiences in Kenya
PRESENTED AT MEETING OF GBEP GLOBAL BIOENERGY
WEEK ON 17th MARCH 2021
Meshack Muga and Peter C. Ogutu
IntroductionSustainable Bioenergy
❑ Globally, about 3 billion people rely on burning traditional biomass fuels such as
wood, dung and crop residues as their basic source of energy for cooking, lighting
and heating (IEA, 2017).
❑ In Kenya, biomass energy (wood fuel) is the main source of primary energy
accounting for about 70% of all energy consumed.
❑ With over 90% of the rural population depend on firewood as main source of
energy for cooking while 42% and 40% of urban and rural households respectively
use charcoal (MoE/EED, 2019);
❑ Wood fuel is also a major source of bioenergy for small and medium sized
enterprises (MSEs) such as confectioneries, brickmaking, poultry farming, edible
oil refineries, tea drying, cottage industries, eateries and food processing industries
among others (Githiomi, et al, 2012, FAO, 2006);
❑ The sector has also created jobs along the value chain, for wood producers,
charcoal producers, and fabricators of technologies, transporters and traders;
Introduction
❑ The main sources of biomass energy include charcoal, wood-fuel and agricultural
waste. Woodfuel is mainly produced from arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) counties
(MoEWNR 2013a);
❑ An analysis report on Demand and Supply of wood products in Kenya projects 17.8%
increase in charcoal and fuel wood production by 2032 (MoWNR, 2013b);
❑ Most preferred indigenous tree species for charcoal and firewood include Acacias,
Terminalia, Olea Africana, Tarchonanthus camphoratus and Prosopis juliflora species
which produce high calorific value (GBEP, 2019).
❑ Due to increasing population, urbanization, high prices and current moratorium by the
Government, banning logging in public and community forests imposed in 2018 the
bioenergy supply-demand gap has further increased (MEF, 2018)
Key interventions in the bioenergy subsectorIntervention Institutions Implementation site
Building Capacity for Enhancing Bioenergy Sustainability
in Kenya (GBEP, 2019)
UNEP-FAO, KEFRI and
SEI
National (Case studies in Kitui,
Narok, Kisumu, Kisii, Murang’a)
Quality and emission analysis of charcoal from selected
trees and bamboo species carbonized using different
improved kilns.
KEFRI and the Nature
Conservancy
Kitui
Capacity and strategy development on sustainable
charcoal production and good governance and marketing
of charcoal products.
KEFRI, FAO Samburu
Promotion of sustainable woodland management KEFRI, KFS Narok, Kitui, Garrissa
Analysis of charcoal value chains in Kenya (MMMB, 2009
– 2014)
KEFRI, KFS Kitui, Garrissa, Taita Taveta,
Kwale
Bioenergy Strategy for Kenya – Draft (On-going) Ministry of Energy and
partners
National
Development of Draft Standards for Solid Biofuels (Under
public review)
KEBS, KEFRI, CCAK,
KIRDI, Fine Aromas Ltd
National
Establishment woodlots for wood fuel production KEFRI Rarieda, Siaya County
Barriers to production and utilization of bioenegy
❑ Production
❑ Low adoption of improved production and utilization technologies;
❑ Low adoption of woodlot for wood fuel production;
❑ Overexploitation of preferred species;
❑ Continued preference to traditional technologies;
❑ Policy and institutional
❑ Lack of awareness on national standards for bioenergy products (charcoal,
briquettes);
❑ Lack of harmonized policies for promotion, production and utilization of bioenergy
products;
❑ Poor enforcement of charcoal rules and regulations (Traceability of origin of
charcoal);
❑ No clear structures for cascading national policies to counties.
Barriers to production and utilization of bioenegy
❑Marketing
❑ Fragmented markets dominated by middlemen players;
❑Weak producer and marketing associations / cooperatives (e.g. Charcoal Producers’ Associations - CPAs) with limited capacity to negotiated for better markets;
❑No clear financial instruments supporting enterprises in the wood fuel value chain.
Potential strategies for interventions
❑ Production
❑ Bioenergy resource mapping;
❑ Develop feedstock establishment and resource conservation plans;
❑ Provision of efficient production and utilization technologies;
❑ Policy and institutional
❑ Build capacity of communities on sustainable bioenergy conservation technologies;
❑ Develop information and extension materials
❑ Marketing
❑ Updating of a value chain analysis on specific bioenergy
❑ Study on impact of moratorium and coping mechanisms along the wood fuel value chain.
Reforestation experience in Kenya Kenya’s forest cover at 7.4 % is below the 10% constitutional
requirement.
Kenyan landscapes including forests are threatened by
degradation due to unsustainable resource exploitation,
inappropriate production systems and conversion to other land
uses
Reforestation is a priority to the national government supported
by Vision 2030, Forest Conservation and Management Act
(2016), Climate Change Act, 2016, the National Forest Program
(2016-2030) and the National Climate Change Action Plan 2018-
2020 among others
Reforestation experience in Kenya
The National Climate Change Response Strategy and National Climate
Change Action Plan calls for growing 7.6 billion trees on 4.1 million
hectares in 20 years.
Reforestation is also fulfilment of international obligations: Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Framework Convention for
Climate Change (UNFCCC), and Bonn Challenge 5.1million ha (by of
2030) and the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100).
Some of the current reforestation interventions
Capacity, Policy and Financial Incentives for PFM in
Kisiria Forest and integrated Rangelands Management-
(GEF5)-FAO
Restoration of Mukogodo Forest and Mt. Kulal (under
Restoration of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) of Kenya
through Bio-Enterprise -(GEF6)-FAO
Forest and Farm Facility-strengthens forest and farm
producer organisations (FFPOs) -FAO
Reforestation of Mau Complex, Mt. Kenya, Aberdares by
KFS through the Green Zones project Phase II (ADB-GOK)
Key lessons learntFor best results, it is critical to involve all stakeholders
from planning phase
For long term sustainability, it is essential to incorporate
community livelihood support such as bio-enterprise
development
There is more impact through landscape approaches that
includes State or Community forest and adjacent land
Community enthusiastic about tree planting
Synergies and complementarities very key
Key lessons learnt
A national knowledge management sytem is critical
Payment of Ecosystem services
Capacity building of key stakeholders is critical
Regular consultative meetings with implementing
partners is crucial for effective implementation
Use of webinars and other virtual programs is
innovative and cost effective in information sharing
amongst partners (locally and internationally)
Key lessons learnt
Development and integration of relevant policies and
strategies is essential
Fast tracking of the enactment of the National Forest
Policy is critical in “exploring new measures to halt,
and reverse the pace of deforestation and forest
degradation in the country and increasing forest
cover”