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Kenya: Battle Lines Drawn as Plans to Revive Forest Farms Unveiled
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The Nation (Nairobi)
11 September 2007
Posted to the web 11 September 2007
John Njagi
Nairobi
Environment and Natural Resources minister David Mwiraria said the re-introduction of non-residential cultivation was a cheap way of replanting depleted forests, adding that this would benefit both the Government and the local communities.
Mr Mwiraria explained that his ministry's small workforce could not plant and effectively look after the trees as most workers were retrenched a few years ago while the money allocated for replanting trees was not enough.
But the suggestion has elicited stiff opposition from conservationists, who have warned that the shamba system posed a threat to natural biodiversity.
Vulnerable to abuse
Renowned environmentalist and Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai dismissed the minister's assertion that farmers would only be allowed to cultivate on the periphery of forests, where lantana, a wild flowery weed akin to the water hyacinth, grows.
She insisted that the system was vulnerable to abuse.
"Natural biodiversity cannot be protected if human activity like growing of farm produce is going on," she said.
She dismissed the Government's strategy to use free labour as colonial mentality that should be done away with.
"The Government does not provide money for the management of forests. Instead, it relies on free labour from farmers. This is an ancient way of doing things and is retrogressive to efforts to conserve the environment."
But squatters applauded the minister's announcement.
Mr Samuel Muhoro Gachoka, the chairman of Ragati Squatters Association, said forest cultivation would improve food security.
He said he had farmed in the Ragati area of Mt Kenya Forest for more than 15 years and had inherited the forest plots from his fore fathers.
Squatters resettled
"Since the Government threw us out in 1989, we have been living by the road side," said the 39-year-old father of two.
He said only a few people benefited from former President Daniel Moi's directive that squatters be resettled at Dathi settlement scheme in Kieni East.
"The rest live on road reserves and rely on relief supplies. Children have dropped out of school and families live in squalor," the squatter lamented.
Although he welcomed Mr Mwiraria's proposal, Mr Gachoka said re-introduce of the shamba system should be only a temporary measure and the squatters should be permanently settled.
Mr Fred Ogombe, the Central Province forest officer said the re-introduction of the shamba system would benefit the squatters. He lauded the system as a noble idea that could help the landless earn a livelihood but had been misused by politicians to woo voters.
The officer explained that politicians pressured the provincial administration to carve out larger chunks of land than agreed, resulting in destruction of indigenous trees.
"The families were allowed to plant annual crops such as maize, beans and potatoes but not perennial ones. But as the families expanded, the system became untenable due to the increasing demand for land," he explained.
Mr Ogombe said a pilot programme of the return of the shamba system is already under way at Ndunduri and Bahati stations in Nakuru District where about 200 families are benefiting from government forest land.
He said studies had been done on the two projects, started in 2005, and had shown that the system is the most viable method for replanting trees in government forests.
Under the new system, fresh guidelines will be developed and gazetted by the Environment minister. The rules will propose harsh penalties for defaulters.
Mr Ogombe said since the Government suspended employment of staff in 1993, the department has not hired new personnel while those in service at the time had either retired or left through natural attrition.
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But Prof Maathai has promised a long and hard battle against the re-introduction of the shamba system.
Her Greenbelt Movement plans protests and tours to educate the public on the dangers of the system.
"No amount of legislation will prevent politicians from abusing the system. People need to understand the importance of protecting our biodiversity and stay out of the forests," she said.
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