Here are some suggestions for how KFS could improve support to FFPOs: - Provide more training opportunities in value addition and entrepreneurship to help FFPOs access higher value markets. This would help increase incomes. - Work with relevant government agencies to streamline policies and regulations around marketing of forest products from farms. Reducing barriers here would support commercialization. - Expand training programs to cover more communities. Reaching more smallholder farmers would help scale up impacts on livelihoods and forest cover. - Strengthen support for collective marketing groups. Helping FFPOs aggregate and market products cooperatively could give them more power in negotiations. - Explore public-private partnerships that link FFPOs

1. Role of Kenya Forest Service in
Supporting Forest and Farm
Producer Organizations (FFPOs).
Simanto Oscar
Principal Conservator of Forests/FFF Focal Point
Kenya Forest Service
July 2022
osimanto@kenmyaforestservice.org
oskasimanto@gmail.com
+254716805730

2. About Kenya Forest Service
• Kenya Forest Service (KFS) is a government corporate body.
• Mandate “to provide for the development and sustainable management,
including conservation and rational utilization of all forest resources for
the socio-economic development of the country and for connected
purposes.
• Kenya is endowed with a wide range of forest ecosystems ranging from
montane rainforests; savannah woodlands; dryland forests; and coastal
forests, which include the mangroves and Kayas.
• The current forest cover of 8.83% of the land area of the country is still
below the constitutional requirement of 10%.

3. Importance of the forest sector
oThe Forestry sector in Kenya contributes 3.6% of Kenya's GDP,
excluding charcoal and direct subsistence uses
oForests also support most productive and service sectors of the
economy particularly; agriculture, fisheries, livestock ,energy, wildlife,
water, tourism and trade and industry which contribute between 33%
to 39 % of the country's GDP.
oBiomass comprises about 80% of all energy used in the country.
oForests also provide a variety of goods, which support the subsistence
livelihoods of many communities.
oLivelihood options are promoted at Household level with a view of
improving human welfare

4. Support to smallholder forest producers
• The Government of Kenya recognizes the role and contribution of smallholder tree
farmers in the forest sector
• Currently smallholder farmers contribute about 40% of the country’s timber
demand
• Farm forestry has the potential to produce quality timber products, increase farm
incomes, and support community development through employment and other
environmental benefits.
• to support agroforestry and farm forestry is enhancing farm incomes,
agrobiodiversity, and employment opportunities at the local level.
• KFS is promoting agroforestry and farm forestry through partnerships with private
and community landowners to increase on-farm tree cover and to reduce pressure
on reserved forests.

5. KFS Support to Farmers’ organization
• KFS supports many forms of farmers’ organizations which range from
Farm Forestry field schools, Community Forest Associations, Timber
Producers and marketing associations, tree growers associations/
cooperatives
• The first role of KFS is to ensure the emerging farmer’s organizations in
forestry are well anchored in the Country’s legislation and policy
framework
• The tangible support by KFS includes; Provision of an innovative loan
scheme to enable farmers in groups to develop forest and other farm
enterprises

6. Capacity Building support to FFPOs
• KFS provides capacity building to FFPOs in the following aspects;
 Establishment of associations/cooperatives
 Leadership and governance
 Business development/collective marketing/value addition and branding
 Proposal writing for grants and revolving loans
 Financial access/Financial Management
 Outsourcing of services (Production of seedlings, silviculture in forest
plantations)
 Food production (PELLIS Scheme, direct support to communities to diversify
food and income sources
 Policy and legislation affecting producer organizations
 Linkages and networking

7. The KFS Innovative loan Scheme to FFPOs
• The KFS’s innovative revolving loan scheme has a portfolio of Ksh. 200 Million
• The loans scheme is being implemented by KFS and administered by Equity bank
limited
• Members of FFPOs especially graduated FFFS groups, CFAs, write proposals using the
rural investment tool developed by FAO
• The loan support many enterprises at the household level
• The FFPO guarantees the loans disbursed to members so there is no need for
collateral

8. Tree Growing and Sustainable Forestry Finance
Management for Kenya (GOK/UN Joint Programme)
• The GoK/UN Joint Programme is a nationally-driven initiative as part
of Kenya’s commitment to the UN Decade on Ecosystems restoration
and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements
• aim = accelerating attainment of 10% national forest cover in Kenya
through;
• sustainable financing,
• partnerships,
• improved national resources management and
• strengthened governance in the forestry sector,.

9. Focus areas of the Joint Programme
• This Joint Programme proposes to address the key systemic challenges and
barriers affecting sustainable tree growing through a five-point strategy:
• 1. Enhanced sustainable financing and private sector investment;
• 2. Establishment of two billion quality seedlings in public and private nurseries;
• 3. Increased national forest cover by 2.8%;
• 4. Enhanced forest governance for sustainable forestry management; and
• 5. Improved program coordination and implementation structures

10. Some Pictorials of KFS support to FFPOS

12. “I know my farm and my farm knows me!” FFS is not only about
technology; its about peoples’ development
It brings farmers together for them to asses their
problems and to seek ways of addressing them.

13. Farmers in Poverty Eradication FFS learn how to prepare liquid soap

14. A Young Mango Orchard established through the revolving loan scheme

15. Dairy Goats, Pigs, Rabbits

16. Indigenous Chicken

17. Value added products

19. Impact of KFS programmes/projects on
beneficiaries
• Skills development for local communities & Trainers
• Show casing results through field days and exhibitions
• Upscaling and technology dissemination and adoption
• Diversified livelihood options
• Income generation
• Improving household incomes from forest-based activities through better access to markets,
credit and technology
• Encouraging a more equitable distribution of forest resources and benefits.
• Equitable and efficient partnerships between forestry companies and smallholders and
communities
• Enhanced cross sectoral collaboration

20. Challenges
Challenges still remain in:
• Inadequate focus on development of value chains
• Enabling polices and regulations on marketing of forest products
from farms
• Better coverage of training in Entrepreneurship and leadership
development.

21. Participants discsussion
• How can KFS improve the support provided to FFPOS ? .