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”