The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) will work with the residents of Laikipia and Samburu to introduce commercial forestry and conservation in the two Counties.
This will see increased forest cover in the region which has suffered massive deforestation due to charcoal burning.
The institute will open its thirteenth sub-station for research at Rumuruti town after Laikipia County government donated 24 acres of land for the purpose.
Speaking during the ground breaking ceremony Deputy director in charge of Social Economics, Policy and Governance Dr Joram Kagombe said that the initiative is geared not only to see that residents plant trees but they get the best seedlings for the region that will in turn give them profit at the end.
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Dr Kagombe noted that the centre will bring in value addition methods for tree products which will be taught to residents and urged the various groups in the region to fully utilize the centre.
He said they will have some of the best tree nurseries and will also work with chiefs who have their nurseries for the 10 percent forest cover and they will also be instrumental in rehabilitating Marmanet Forest.
The centre will give Rumuruti the prospected Laikipia County Headquarter a new face with locals expected to get employment and services like better roads, Water and electricity.
Laikipia Deputy Governor John Mwaniki said that this is a big stride in conservation as the county will now have the best tree seedlings from a government body that is credited with the best practices in Forestry.
Mwaniki urged residents to take this advantage and plant trees that will be of beneficial to them and the region as a whole.
He said that there will be a series of other projects that will be launched in Laikipia in collaboration with the national government.
The DG said partnerships within the governments will see to it that the common mwananchi get the benefits and were it not for the collaboration when they gave the land the research institute could not have found its way here.
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