Forest Sector Reforms in Kenya Paradigm change in forestry sector management and institutional arrangements: enhancing the development of community livelihoods Rethinking Liberia’s forests, implementing a new Vision Nyang’au Oscar Simanto Head Forestry Extension Management, Kenya Forest Service

Origins and core areas of reforms  Reforms occasioned by changing economic and social conditions in Kenya and their effects on the forestry sector  Kenya’s Forest sector reforms - informed by the 1994 Kenya Forestry Master Plan (KFMP)  Creation of structures as provided for in the forest act 2005 – Kenya Forest Service, Forest Conservation Committees (10), Community Forest Associations (325)  KFMP identified 4 key areas of reforms: (Legislative, Policy, Institutional, Programmes)  Draft Forest Policy (2006) has been reviewed  The Centrality of CFAs to Kenya’s forestry sector management is critical  Moving from command control to more participatory processes which enhance community participation

Institutional reforms  325 Community Forest Associations formed country wide  Kenya Forest Service has embraced wider stakeholder participation in forest management and conservation  Forest adjacent communities have been encouraged to form Community Forest Associations (CFAs), as required by law.  CFAs and KFS together develop participatory forest management plans which they jointly implement and monitor with a view of learning from each other  User groups from CFAs have certain access rights for resources from the forest areas 3

Forestry and community livelihoods  If the SDGs are to be achieved, Country Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSPs) and similar policies will need to include forested regions and forest-based activities  Forestry programmes have traditionally focused on narrow evaluation criteria based on the number of trees planted.  There is serious need to shift evaluation of forest programmes to also measure their contributions to the improvement of peoples livelihoods rather than concentrate on the number of trees planted  Intersectorial collaboration is necessary for the promotion of forestry resources as an alternative livelihood option 4

Culture Change and automation of processes is critical  Change management and culture change embraced  Capacity building and staff re-orientation  Training for improved forest governance  Baseline surveys undertaken to determine, o customer satisfaction survey (48% in 2009) o work environment survey o staff satisfaction survey o Clientele feedback to Kenya Forest Service  Upgrading and Automation of processes;  Financial Management System – in place and rolled out, Harmonized Annual work planning manual – drafted, Procurement – LPO/LSOs  Authority to retain revenue granted by Treasury  Delinking process near completion 5

Key Programme Reforms  Strategic planning embraced  1 st 5 Yr S/P (2009 – 2014) in place & aligned to Kenya Vision 2030  2 nd 3 Yr Strategic plan in place aligned to the Country’s medium term Investment Plan (MTIP) and the new constitution  Core programmes restructured to address current realities in the forestry sector (e.g., Watershed, Extension Management, forestry and community livelihoods, ICT application  Refocusing of core programmes  Forest Extension Services (Farm and Dryland Forestry Programme)  Industrial Forest Plantations and Enterprise  Natural Forests Conservation and Management  Corporate Services (Support Services)  Other initiatives (KFS has established a Climate Change Response Programme to help mainstream CC issues into forestry development

7 Kenya’s Core Forestry Programmes Farm Forests Dryland Forestry 80% Kenya Industrial Plantations 140,000 Ha Forest Conservation and Management

Key Lessons in Delivering Change Staff capacity development: Train, retrain and source additional human capacity for effective programme implementation  Streaming: systems, procedures and regulations  Improved capacity of forest Resources assessment  KFS has a full fledged GIS laboratory used to assess forestry resources)  Partnerships development (Stakeholder Collaboration and networking, Resource mobilization, Forestry sector donor group, Forest conservation and management fund )  Good governance  government-community-Civil society relationships improved  Civil Society Coalitions-which put pressure on government to respond to issues  Continuous change management to address emerging challenges 8

Thank you, Asante Sana 9