Coast

Crackdown on illegal charcoal burning in Taita Taveta County

Kenya Forest officers at a charcoal burning site in Taita Taveta County

By Farhiya Hussein | Saturday, February 10, 2024

The joint operation by the Taita Taveta Government, the Anti-Stock Theft Unit, and Kenya Forest Services is part of an ongoing effort to curb charcoal burning in the county.

Kenya Forest officers have arrested two individuals suspected to be charcoal burners along the River Lumi in Taveta.

The joint operation by the Taita Taveta Government, the Anti-Stock Theft Unit, and Kenya Forest Services is part of an ongoing effort to curb charcoal burning in the county.

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The two were found in possession of a fork, a spade, a panga, a gunny bag of charcoal, about two tonnes of logs, and eight wrecked kilns that produced charcoal from acacia trees.

The Kenya Forest Services (KFS) conservator, Peter Mwangi, said, "The National Government and County Government's tree-growing efforts are in conflict with charcoal burning, which damages land. Increased tree and forest cover is the goal of these programmes."

The Taita County Government has warned its citizens of illegal logging, noting that it remains strictly prohibited.

“Despite the recent lifting of the ban on logging in plantation forests by President William Ruto,illegal logging remains strictly prohibited,” said the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Water, Sanitation, Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources, Grantone Mwandawiro.

He says it's harmful to burn charcoal. "It supports the cutting down of trees, which exacerbates the devastating effects of climate change and desertification," Mwandawiro stated.

The County Government of Taita Taveta, led by Governor Andrew Mwadime, has set an ambitious goal for its residents: to plant at least 100 trees per year for the next ten years.

This initiative aims to significantly augment the current tree cover, elevating it from a mere eight per cent to a substantial 30 per cent, while concurrently bolstering forest cover from a modest 3.4 percent to a commendable 10 percent. The overarching goal is the comprehensive rehabilitation of an extensive 360,000 hectares of land, heralding a significant environmental rejuvenation.

Governor Mwadime added, "This concerted effort seamlessly aligns with the presidential decree to foster the growth of 15 billion trees nationwide within this decade. Our manifesto staunchly champions the cause of tree conservation and is resolute in ensuring their sustained existence."

Furthermore, Mwandawiro elaborated on the forthcoming plans, highlighting the department's preparedness to launch an innovative alternative livelihood initiative.

This attempt comprises forming strategic alliances with charcoal producers and other essential stakeholders to begin briquette production. This eco-friendly approach involves harnessing tree branches, which eliminates the need for wholesale chopping of entire trees, maintaining the ecosystem while still meeting the community's socioeconomic needs.